Unreal Engine 5
Our game work lives in UE5: gameplay systems, tooling, and the plugins we are bringing to Fab. We build for atmosphere first and squeeze the tech until it delivers.
The studio
An independent studio dreaming out loud.
Jalapeno Labs is a self-funded indie studio crafting surreal sci-fi worlds with emotive art direction, systemic gameplay, and unforgettable co-op moments. We obsess over atmosphere, discovery, and giving players a universe worth getting lost in.
We build our own foundations too: the game server and SDK behind our titles, the open-source tools we wish existed, and Yearloom, our first product company. Every project feeds the same mission of making bold things with a small, relentless team.
How we build
Human hands on every world.
AI assists. It never replaces.
We embrace LLMs for one thing: helping our human developers write code and drive Unreal Engine 5, Blueprints and C++ only. We refuse to use any AI that replaces a person on this team.
Our art is 100% human-made.
No generative AI in our art. Not for images, video, animation, modeling, or acting. Ever. Every frame, model, and performance comes from a person who made it on purpose.
People first. Employee first.
We take no VC money and answer to no investors. Being self-funded means the team and the work come first, and everyone who builds a game shares in what it earns.
Creatives first.
We love to experiment, try new things, and put a new spin on existing ideas. We are here to tell stories that change people inside.
Our expertise
What we are built on
Full-stack engineering
From our self-hosted game server and SDK to open-source infrastructure like Astraval, we run the whole stack ourselves: Rust, TypeScript, React, and the pipelines between.
3D art and modeling
Game-ready assets, environment pieces, and the surreal shapes our worlds are made of, modeled in-house and iterated in-engine.
Video and storytelling
Trailers, devlogs, and cinematic edits. We treat the story around a game with the same care as the game itself.
Meet the team
The team behind Jalapeno Labs
Founder and CEO
Alex Navarro
I started this journey with one mission: to build bold, inspiring games and tackle the kinds of challenges most people would run from. At Jalapeno Labs, we are not afraid to push boundaries or chase wild ideas. We live for them. Whether it is experimenting with new tech, diving deep into Unreal Engine 5, or crafting worlds that make people say whoa, we are here to do things differently.
Chief of Operations
Derrington Evans
I found myself inspired by Jalapeno Labs. Hearing Alex talk about his dream and seeing his drive to make it a reality has pushed me to aim just as high. Together we are working toward something greater than ourselves: building a company that can stand at the forefront of this industry. I consistently seek to understand every aspect of our business, asking questions, troubleshooting challenges, and adapting quickly.
Project Manager
Tyler Stephens
The energy and innovation that flow here are truly inspiring, motivating me to contribute my best. I relish the opportunity to dive deep into every aspect of our business, asking questions, troubleshooting challenges, and adapting quickly to ensure we meet our shared goals. Together we are building a company that leads in the industry and fosters collaboration and growth for everyone involved.
Join us
Want in on the ground floor?
We are growing the team with artists, designers, and developers who want a real stake in what they build.
See open roles