Richard Strømland Egeli and Edlynne smiling at the camera in front of a stone wall

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A gaming dream in Kvinesdal – the founder couple behind the underwater adventure

The founder couple behind the game studio Long Lost

Photo: Long Lost

Written by

Sara Stoltenberg

18 February 2026 · 10 min read

What makes a young founder couple set up a digital game studio in tiny Kvinesdal? For Richard Strømland Egeli and Edlynne, it was about more than just technology. It was about following a passion – and finding a community where they could grow both professionally and personally.

The game studio Long Lost – an underwater adventure takes shape

The two cheerful, outgoing founders have turned a dream into reality: in Kvinesdal, they've found a place where career and quality of life go hand in hand. Long Lost is the name of the game studio they set up in the village last year, and the duo are now hard at work developing their very first video game – an underwater adventure in classic pixel style. Meanwhile, Richard and Edlynne are enjoying the good life outside of work too, in a municipality where the community is close-knit and nature is always right outside the door.

Long Lost is a small, independent game studio that Richard and Edlynne officially launched last August. From their office in Kvinesdal, they're now dedicated to working on their debut game Tidespawn – a top-down underwater adventure inspired by the classic Metroidvania genre, featuring colorful pixel art and deep-sea exploration. The idea for the game and the studio had been brewing for a long time. For Richard, who has loved video games his whole life, the dream of making his own game was a powerful driving force.

I've always been curious about how the games I love are actually made.
Richard Strømland Egeli

Fargerik pikselgrafikk av hovedkarakteren i Tidespawn med dykkermaske og spyd under vann — The main character in Tidespawn – the game's colorful underwater universe takes shape.Photo: Long Lost

He describes how his fascination with game mechanics and his desire to create his own worlds eventually made him want to try it himself.

As his partner, Edlynne saw how passionate Richard was about game development, and she encouraged him to go for it. "If not now, then when?" she laughed, giving him the friendly nudge he needed. With Edlynne's background in project management and financing, and Richard's creative programming skills, it felt like the perfect combination for starting their own business. Together they took the leap and founded Long Lost.

"We complement each other really well," says Edlynne. She handles planning, grant applications and the business side, while Richard focuses on the technical and creative aspects of game development. The result is a small team with big ambitions. Today, Long Lost consists of six people. Two of them are based in Kvinesdal – Richard and Edlynne themselves – while the other four team members (artists, a programmer and a composer) work from other countries. Having most of the team spread out internationally doesn't hold them back: the workday is coordinated online, with daily updates, planning and close dialogue. "We have a dedicated team behind Tidespawn who share the same passion we do," says Richard, proud of how the project has grown.

From passion to livelihood

The shift from gaming enthusiasts to game founders has brought both challenges and highlights. "One of the biggest challenges has been limited resources," Edlynne admits. As a startup, Long Lost depends on grants and a lot of unpaid effort. The couple has put in countless hours of voluntary work to build up the company. "The journey can be risky and uncertain, because we don't actually know whether the work will pay off in the end," Richard explains candidly. There have been periods of tight finances and uncertainty about the future.

Despite the challenges, the uncertainty has also given us some of our greatest highlights.
Richard Strømland Egeli

Spillskjermbilde fra Tidespawn med pikselfigurer som bærer en stor hai i pikselgrafikk — From the game Tidespawn – a glimpse into its colorful underwater universe.Photo: Long Lost

Building good partnerships has perhaps been the most rewarding part of all. "We expected far less support than we've actually received," he says. Both business players and individuals have cheered them on. Long Lost is also seeing growing international attention – on social media, people are closely following the game's development and commenting that they're looking forward to launch.

Another highlight has been seeing how their passion rubs off on others. Richard and Edlynne have managed to gather an enthusiastic development team around Tidespawn. "It's incredibly motivating to work with people who share our dream," says Edlynne. The couple say their goal isn't just to finish the game, but also to inspire other young talents. Alongside developing Tidespawn, they're experimenting with new tools and mechanics that could benefit other aspiring game developers. "At its core, it's all about sharing knowledge, learning together and building a vibrant, creative community," Edlynne emphasizes, passionate about making Long Lost a platform for creative learning too.

Life in Kvinesdal – closeness and balance

The choice of Kvinesdal for both work and home was perhaps no coincidence. Richard himself grew up in the neighboring town of Flekkefjord, and when Edlynne came to Norway as a student a couple of years ago, they first settled there. Everything changed last spring: Edlynne was offered an exciting job opportunity in Kvinesdal, and the couple started looking at house prices at the same time – Kvinesdal quickly stood out as an attractive option with a lot of house for the money. So the move happened in May last year. "It was the most practical choice, since we were already working together here in Kvinesdal," Edlynne explains.

The transition to their new life came surprisingly easily.

It's gone really well!
Edlynne, on their first year in Kvinesdal

Richard nods in agreement. The couple notice that they're thriving both at work and in their personal lives in the small municipality. "We've grown professionally since we moved here, thanks to the job opportunities we've had," Richard explains. At the same time, they've experienced personal growth as a couple. They say Kvinesdal offers a calmer pace and a simpler everyday life than they had in the city.

Today they enjoy a daily life where everything that matters is close by. "Here you recognize people on the street, and everything feels closer," Edlynne says of the small-town feel. Nature in Kvinesdal is always nearby, which helps them find balance between work and free time. The couple has an energetic dog that makes sure they get out for walks in the forest and countryside. "It's perfect to live somewhere where we can walk the dog in beautiful nature right after work," says Richard. Kvinesdal's great hiking trails and mountain terrain provide much-needed recharging in a busy founder's life.

What they highlight most, though, is the warm and welcoming local community.

Here people really care about each other in a different way. There's a culture of helping out that we haven't experienced to the same degree anywhere else we've lived.
Edlynne

With the local community behind them

Setting up a high-tech business in a small village might seem bold, but Richard and Edlynne feel they hit the mark. "We're really glad we chose to start the company in Kvinesdal," says Richard. Despite the municipality's modest size, they've received surprisingly strong support. A number of local players have stepped up for Long Lost – several of them have even become partners along the way.

The couple believes it would have been harder to achieve the same visibility in a larger city.

The tight-knit business environment in the region has played a big part in their success so far. "The helpful culture in Kvinesdal has shaped the way we work and grow," Edlynne explains. Through the local network, they quickly gained access to valuable guidance, contacts and resources. The Long Lost project was first presented to Innovasjon Norge, which pointed them toward Driv Agder and Lister Nyskaping – regional development organizations that work closely with, among others, Kvinesdal municipality. Through these channels, several doors opened. "We got in touch with support schemes and opportunities we didn't even know existed," says Edlynne. She adds that this help has been absolutely crucial, both for the development of Long Lost and for setting up the office they now work from.

In fact, they were offered free office space by a local partner, giving them a professional home on par with co-working spaces in bigger cities. They can feel the local community rooting for them every day. "What we're doing with Long Lost has real visibility and significance here," Richard says proudly. Working on something new and unconventional in a rural municipality feels especially rewarding, because they truly sense the significance of doing something few others have done before.

It probably helps that both Edlynne and Richard are cheerful, outgoing and professionally skilled – qualities that have made it easy to build good relationships in the village. From day one, they were warmly welcomed. "We felt welcome from the very first moment," the couple says. For them, Kvinesdal has proven to be a place where local engagement and entrepreneurial spirit go hand in hand.

Advice for others considering Kvinesdal

Both Richard and Edlynne care about giving something back and helping others who are considering following in their footsteps. They have no doubt about what's been most important for their own journey, and are happy to offer some advice to others considering settling in or moving to Kvinesdal.

Advice from Richard and Edlynne

Build your network early

Reach out to both public and private organizations. It can open doors and give you access to resources you didn't know existed. Be proactive and curious – local support and engagement can make a huge difference.

Don't be afraid to ask for help

The local community in Kvinesdal is helpful and happy to contribute. Seek guidance and accept the support that's offered – it's been crucial for Long Lost.

Explore the area

Kvinesdal has many hidden gems, especially in nature. Get to know the place and the local community – sometimes it's in small towns that the biggest opportunities arise.

Long Lost-logoen, en stilisert hai-figur i oransje og røde farger — Photo: Long Lost

For Richard and Edlynne, that has proven true. In Kvinesdal, they've found a place where their gaming dream could become reality – with the whole local community as a teammate. And their story might just be the best example of how the biggest adventures sometimes start in the smallest hometown.