SapphireStudios

Sapphire Labs

Where ideas get cut and polished.

At any time we have 100–200 ideas and experiments in play. Most are rough gems. The Lab is where we spark them, test them and polish the few that shine, before they graduate into our workflow.

Peek at the board See the workflow

The idea funnel

Lots of sparks in. A few gems out.

Three Lab stages come before the workflow. Between each one is a HITL gate where a human decides: keep, park, or kill kindly.

01 Ideation

Spark, capture, score

Ideas come from everywhere: playing, player feedback, App Store trends, a sketch on the back of a napkin. Each one is captured in a line and given a quick score through the four-facet lens.

AI agents Rapid concepting: AI agents expand a one-line idea into a few directions, names and rough mock-ups to react to.

HITL Keep or kill Is this worth a quick spike? Paul and Sophie decide: keep, park, or kill kindly.

02 Proof of concept

Does the core work, and is it fun?

A quick, throwaway spike to test whether the core mechanic or the tech actually works, and whether it’s fun.

AI agents Generating variations: AI agents spin up quick spikes and alternative takes on the mechanic so we can compare them side by side.

HITL The taste check Does it feel like a Sapphire app? Paul and Sophie decide: keep, park, or kill kindly.

03 Prototype

Playable, in real hands

A playable or clickable build, tested with real people. We watch what delights them and what trips them up.

AI agents Quick prototypes and playtest analysis: AI agents build the prototype fast, then summarise playtest notes and device checks.

HITL Graduate to Workflow? Ready for discover, design, develop, deliver? Paul and Sophie decide: keep, park, or kill kindly.

Graduates into the Workflow
  • Discover
  • Design
  • Develop
  • Deliver
How the workflow works

The essence of the Lab

How we play with ideas

Fail fast, kill kindly

Most ideas don’t make it, and that’s the point. We stop early, keep what we learned, and park the rest without regret.

Fun first

If the core isn’t fun in a rough spike, polish won’t save it. We find the fun before we invest in it.

Small bets

Cheap, quick experiments let us try lots of ideas at once and only double down on the ones that earn it.

Taste stays human

AI agents widen the search. Paul and Sophie make the call at every gate.

The four-facet lens

Every idea is held up to the light and quickly scored on four facets. It’s a conversation starter, not a formula.

  • FunIs it delightful to play or use in the first minute?
  • FeasibilityCan a small studio build it well with today’s tech?
  • FitDoes it belong with our collections and our style?
  • MarketWill people find it, and is there room for it on the App Store?

The experiments board

What’s on the bench

A small slice of the 100–200 ideas in play. Most stay classified until they ship.

Ideation
7
Proof of concept
5
Prototype
4

16 experiments shown

Graduated from the Lab

Ideas that made it to the App Store

Up next from the Lab

Melt It

Melt away the day with realistic 3D melting, soothing ASMR sounds and hidden gems. Earn XP, unlock unique shapes and materials, or simply relax and melt at your own pace.

Coming soon · It Collection

From the Lab to your pocket

See how graduates are designed, built and shipped, or browse all 33 apps.

See the workflow Browse the apps