nDreams co-founder launches indie game and music studio Atmospheric
Patrick O’Luanaigh, the longtime co-founder and former CEO of VR specialist nDreams, has launched a new independent entertainment company called Atmospheric. The studio represents O’Luanaigh’s venture into creating original intellectual property that uniquely combines video games and music production.
O’Luanaigh stepped down from nDreams in May 2025 after approximately 19–20 years leading the company. His departure came roughly 18 months after nDreams was acquired by tech group Aonic for $110 million, a transaction that preceded significant layoffs at the studio.
Atmospheric is positioned as an expansive independent entertainment company focused on building original franchises by uniting interactive entertainment with music. The studio is exploring innovative ways to integrate music and gameplay, with O’Luanaigh currently working on a new title that investigates how music can affect gameplay mechanics and player experience. The company’s vision emphasizes creating immersive worlds where narrative, interactivity, and audio are conceived as part of a unified creative vision—experiences that audiences “don’t just play or listen to, but feel.”
Prior to founding nDreams, O’Luanaigh held senior executive positions at established industry companies including SCi, Eidos, and Codemasters, bringing decades of experience in game development and publishing to his new venture. With Atmospheric, he is leveraging this extensive background to establish a studio focused on innovative cross-media entertainment that bridges the traditionally separate worlds of interactive gaming and music production.