About Lightmare
A Game Studio That Changes Lives
At Lightmare, we do more than make games—we help young people find connection, confidence, and community through doing what they love.
We’re a veteran Australian game studio that’s been around since 2008, and we’ve seen firsthand how powerful games can be—especially for those who think a little differently. Our mission is to support neurodivergent young people—including those with autism, ADHD, or anxiety—by creating guided, NDIS-eligible programs where they can play, grow, and build real friendships.
How it all started
Lightmare Studios began in Brisbane with a bold vision: to build genre-defying, strategy-rich games that gamers like us actually wanted to play. Our breakout title, Infinity Wars, went on to attract more than 500,000 players worldwide.
But as we listened to our players, we noticed something deeper. Many of them didn’t just love the games—they found connection through them. For some, it was the only space where they felt they truly belonged.
So we evolved.
Today, Lightmare is both a game studio and a social enterprise. We offer structured, guided programs for young people aged 12–30, delivered online and eligible for funding through the NDIS. It’s still games—but now it’s connection, confidence, and life transformation, too.
Why Games? Because Games Create Connection
For many of our participants, gaming isn’t just a hobby—it’s a safe space, a way to communicate, and often the only place they feel understood. We build on that. With expert facilitators, small groups, and structured creative sessions, we use games to foster social development in the most natural way possible.
Whether it’s co-op video games, Dungeons & Dragons campaigns, digital art jams, or our no-code-required Vibe Coding sessions—everything we do is designed to be inclusive, empowering, and fun.
The Lightmare Principle Pillars
By Gamers, For Gamers
We’re all gamers first—each of us hardcore in at least one genre. We build what we’d want to play, and we follow our passion, the market, and the money—in that order.
Integrity and Love
Integrity is the glue that holds our team together. Love shows up in how we treat each other, how we serve our community, and how we create our games. It’s why we’re still here.
Breakthrough Creation
We don’t just play within genres—we challenge them. We craft games and experiences that respect what came before while breaking new ground in design and play.
Always Learning and Growing
What got us here won’t get us to the next level. We’re constantly learning, improving our processes, and pursuing mastery—both for ourselves and those in our care.
Transform Lives
We exist to transform the lives of gamers living with disability—by helping them build confidence, communication skills, and real friendships through games they love.
Perfection Is a Process
We get our games and programs into people’s hands early and evolve with feedback. We don’t aim for flawless—we aim for fan-focused, responsive, and always improving.
Our 2030 Vision
By 2030, Lightmare Studios aims to be one of the best indie game studios in the galaxy—creating accessible, strategic, and emotionally compelling games that turn casual players into lifelong fans.
At the same time, we’ll continue expanding our social gaming community—connecting game developers, psychologists, support workers, and neurodivergent gamers in inclusive, empowering ways.
Through guided sessions, creative collaboration, and shared play, our programs will continue to help young people build social skills, grow confidence, and discover purpose. We’re proud of the impact we’ve made—and even more excited about where we’re headed.
Meet the Team
We’re coders, creatives, mentors, artists, and players—and many of us are neurodivergent ourselves. Our lived experience helps us design programs and experiences that truly work for the community we serve.
Elphie Coyle
Alias: AgentCoyle
Role: Founder & Creative Lead
Background: 17+ years in game development, 27+ in IT. Co-creator of Infinity Wars and founder of Lightmare.
Favourite Games: Infinity Wars Classic, Warhammer: Total War, Stellaris
Passion: Gamifying life and creating new realities.
Simon Banks
Alias: Banksie
Role: National Program Coordinator
Background: Creative Industries degree; games and tech sector advocate.
Favourite Games: Dota 2, Company of Heroes, StarCraft 2
Passion: UFC, strategy, and WWII history.
Timothy Durrant
Role: Operations Manager
Background: Senior-level corporate and government roles.
Favourite Games: Helldivers 2, Crash Bandicoot, Dead by Daylight
Passion: Tabletop wargaming and digital simulations.
Kat Chicoteau
Alias: Katchico
Role: Social Gaming Coordinator & Kids Program Lead
Background: Learning designer, passionate about digital learning and connection.
Favourite Games: Fallout 4, Rocket League, Everything
Passion: Tech-enabled education and friendship.
Dylan Imrei
Alias: ShadowIgnition
Role: Lead Producer
Background: Hobbyist developer
Favourite Games: Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Escape from Tarkov, Majora’s Mask
Passion: Learning through creation and developing games with a high quality.
Nathan Kelly
Alias: Supercookie
Role: Programmer
Background: Self-taught coder, formally trained in game dev.
Favourite Games: Dark Souls, Super Mario World, Factorio
Passion: Sharing the joy of gaming that shaped his life.
Nathaniel Carroll
Alias: Nat
Role: Social Gaming Coordinator
Background: Character animation graduate from SAE Institute.
Favourite Games: The Witcher III, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Kena: Bridge of Spirits
Passion: Creating a space for the socially isolated to build real connections through video games.
Nick Liu
Alias: Nick2046
Role: Artist
Background: Traditional and digital artist, Diploma in Games.
Favourite Games: Red Alert, Clash Royale, Tetris
Passion: Making visual magic for players to enjoy.
Awards & Recognition
Finalist – 2024 One Community Awards: Best Community Program
Infinity Wars – Over 500,000 global players
Multiple international awards for innovation and training
Over 3,000 NDIS participants supported
90%+ long-term satisfaction and engagement rate
