"NIGHT/SHADE is an impressive debut visual novel from Thrill Switch. With its dynamic cast, colorful synth-wave aesthetic, and thrilling character-driven story, NIGHT/SHADE is a must-buy!" - Blerdyotome.com

Thrill Switch Games

Thrill Switch Games is an independent game studio formed by two very determined digital artists. Our goal is to bring LGBTQ+ content into different genres of visual novels through compelling stories and beautiful artwork. We're currently based out of Michigan in the United States.

Our Games

NEWS

Coming Soon!

THE TEAM

Chaz Grussendorf

Co-Founder, Creative Director, Animator, Artist

Chaz is a full-time independent contractor that offers freelance illustration and merchandise services inspired by anime. They graduated with a BFA in Animation from SCAD where they managed large teams for short films. Animation is a passion they now explore within visual novels. With skills in character design, illustration, and visual story-telling, they excel in creating character-driven content with a memorable presence.

website

Logan Kesling

Co-Founder, Creative Director, Writer, Artist

Logan is a digital artist with many years of managing his freelance business under his belt. After studying at CCAD for illustration and game design, he honed his art and story-telling skills. Through running his business, he has gained an affinity for product merchandising, collaboration ventures, and teaming up with other artists to bring visions to life. With a particular interest in storytelling and character design, he brings a whole new perspective to his projects.

website

PARTNERS

Love the content we have created and want more like it? Check out these great game developers!

Two and a Half Studios

Studio Website

With several amazing games under their belt, such as The Devine Speaker and Beyond The Abyss, Two And A Half Studios continues to create quality visual novel experiences with memorable stories and characters. We cannot sing the praises of this studio enough for the support they continue to show us and other developers in the community, and their games will surely speak for themselves.

job opportunities

We contract other freelance artists, programmers, and creatives for each individual project. We're not currently hiring for any positions, however, if you feel your work would be a great fit for one of our future projects, feel free to email your resume or portfolio to nightshadeprojectinfo@gmail.com.

Games

night/shade: you're the drug

NIGHT/SHADE: You're The Drug is a visual novel about facing and overcoming the toxicity within interpersonal relationships as well as within oneself. This character driven plot explores the complexities of love and loss in the form of a romantic thriller. With the colorful aesthetic of synth-wave and the nightlife of a near futuristic city, NIGHT/SHADE will take you on a turbulent, passionate experience unlike any other.

⚠️ THIS STORY CONTAINS SENSITIVE MATERIAL INTENDED ONLY FOR ADULTS! ⚠️

NIGHT/SHADE: You're The Drug is 18+ and is strictly for adult viewing only. Some of the content in this story is potentially triggering so please note the following themes in our game before proceeding:Violence, Murder, Blood
Physical assault
Fictional drug use / Drug mention / Drug Syndicate
Abusive and toxic relationships
Explicit sexual content

I agree that I am 18+ and acknowledge the warnings

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Why would a person take someone’s life?To protect? For love? When you are backed into a corner and have no way out, what will you do then?Sobena, 2040, the city of neon lights, back alley exchanges, and the echoes of underground clubs. Sasha, a 27 year old drug dealer, has found himself in an aimless cycle of indulgences that he has no intention of addressing.
When he and his best friend, Mishka, are caught in the crossfire of a power struggle between syndicates, Sasha is forced to confront himself and his feelings in order to save those most important to him. The two of them must overcome their immense aversion to change... or risk losing everything.

The streets grow uneasy in the fusion city of Sobena, year 2040. While politicians show face, the world of underground crime syndicates truly runs the show. Officers turn their heads the other way to back-alley exchanges, while murders by unknown assailants happen free of investigation if paid well enough. These are some of the many everyday happenings within Sobena's city limits.
You either live quietly with these common occurrences or become a part of it to secure your status in this world.

The visual novel, NIGHT/SHADE, is a story about facing and overcoming the toxicity within interpersonal relationships as well as within oneself. This character driven plot explores the complexities of love and loss in the form of a romantic thriller. With the colorful aesthetic of synth-wave and the nightlife of a near futuristic city, NIGHT/SHADE will take you on a turbulent, passionate experience unlike any other.

Characters

Sasha

Sasha, a 27-year-old drug dealer. Easy going around most, he can be stubborn, selfish, and mouthy at times. He is very dodgy around being emotionally vulnerable and would rather avoid it altogether. He loves to laugh, eat fast food, and indulge the party scene. he is our protagonist.

Mishka

Mishka, a 28-year-old assassin who can be obsessive, arrogant, flashy, and cocky. He is very protective of Sasha. When he's not around Sasha, he's often spending his time training his body to keep up with the demands of his job as a hired hitman. He loves knives, arcades, and Sasha.

Dima

A natural born leader, Dima sits at the top of Strexa's hierarchy as overseer of missions, tasks, training, and communications with politicians. He is trained expertly in hired militia and field agent work, but has resigned that aspect of his business to become the Big Boss of the operations. He is kind, compassionate, and thorough. His kindness...may be his biggest weakness.

ROMAN

Roman, leader of the crime syndicate Ecto and biggest threat to Strexa. Roman is egotistical and dominating and has little patience for failure. His tactics make him highly successful and dangerous. He is our antagonist.

ADA

Ada, Roman's right hand man and, as some call him, 'The Silent Hound', will always kill first and never ask questions later. He does what he is instructed to do without fault and without hesitation. He is extremely dangerous, do not engage.

PAVEL

Pavel is an amalgamation of all things floral and of the most gremlin energy you'll ever meet. He is loyal, loving, trusting of his friends, and almost always smiling. He can light up an entire room, and has much love to give. On top of that, he's Strexa's top tier drug lord and an irreplaceable king pin in the industry.

Vadim

Vadim is a very dedicated worker for Strexa due to his immense trust in Dima, as well as a devoted partner to Pavel. He can be quiet at times and is very level-headed, often seeing the bigger picture and helping maintain an element of humanity in a world that's lacking. Due to Vadim's skill, his job is to personally see to Pavel's safety as the lead drug designer for Strexa.

Indigo

TBA

Natali

TBA

Game reviews

contact us

Got a question or comment for us at Thrill Switch Games?

Please read the following, and if it doesn't help, fill in the fields below to contact our team. For quick questions and comments, you may also contact @ThrillSwitchgms on Twitter.Ada's Chapter DLC: Our first free downloadable content for NIGHT/SHADE is currently in the works! Visit our social media or Patreon page for updates.Technical Support: Some questions have been answered on our itch.io game page. If you don't find a solution there, when emailing, please include any relevant info about your system.Twitch Streaming: We love it when people stream our games! Feel free to tag us on Twitter or Instagram if you choose to stream, and don't forget to turn off explicit content for Twitch.Fan Merchandise: We have a Fan Creation Policy that should answer most questions.Career Opportunities: At the moment we aren't seeking to expand our team. We'll update our team page if that changes.

Fan creation policy

We at Thrill Switch Games believe strongly in respect for small creators and indie studios alike. Regarding that respect, we ask that our friends and fans please take a moment to read over our studio policies regarding fan-made content involving our copyrighted properties, both intellectual and tangible. We have broken this policy down into questions that you may have for an easier read!Can I create fanart of any Thrill Switch production?Yes! You may make fanart, fanfiction, and any other fan-made content of any of our works, including NIGHT/SHADE © and Evil Like Me ©, as long as the fan-made content abides by our core values and is not racist, homophobic, transphobic, bigoted, or otherwise hateful and harmful.PLEASE NOTE: The character, Ada, in NIGHT/SHADE ©, is trans masculine. If you are going to draw fanart of him, please be courteous and cautious when it comes to “gender-bending”. Gender-bending a trans masculine character may come off as insensitive to some, so please exercise consideration when creating fan works of Ada. This is a direct note from his creator, a trans man.Can I sell the fanart that I make of any Thrill Switch production?We ask that people please do NOT sell any merchandise of any Thrill Switch works, including NIGHT/SHADE © and Evil Like Me © at this time. We are a very, very small studio, and while we love to see fan creations, purchasing merchandise through our official studio store is a great way to support us!Will you have a Thrill Switch store open so that we can purchase merchandise?Yes, we have a store that you can purchase merchandise from, here!Are you open to partnerships?We are definitely leaning into this idea, yes! Currently, we have nothing official just yet, but may be aiming to work with other artists and studios who may want to collaborate and partner for official merchandise runs and limited time items. If you’re interested in this partnership, please contact info@nightshadevn.comIf you have any further questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact us!

Vending & artist alley

More than simply developing visual novels, we at Thrill Switch Games are artists first and foremost. We attend and deal at many different conventions selling our merchandise and advertising our projects.We sell an array of merchandise, including posters, enamel pins, stickers, buttons, keychains, apparel, art anthologies, and game codes for our visual novel, NIGHT/SHADE: You're The Drug.

Merchandise

Previous Conventions

ARTIST ALLEY

Texas Furry Fiesta 2012
Texas Furry Fiesta 2017
Texas Furry Fiesta 2018
Furry Weekend Atlanta 2013
Midwest Furfest 2015
Midwest Fur Fest 2016
JAFAX 2019
Anime Central 2019
Ohayocon 2020
Ohayocon 2023
Youmacon 2019
Youmacon 2022
MCBACC 2023
San Japan 2023
Matsuricon 2023

EXHIBIT HALL

Furry Weekend Atlanta 2018
Furry Weekend Atlanta 2019
Furry Weekend Atlanta 2022
Furry Weekend Atlanta 2023
Midwest Furfest 2017
Midwest Furfest 2018
Midwest Furfest 2023
Motor City Fur Con 2019
JAFAX 2023
Anime Magic! 2023

THRILL SWITCH VENDING

More than game developers, we at Thrill Switch are artists first and foremost. Individually, we are known as Kinghime / Softraylo and Shibeshark. We attend and deal at many different conventions selling our merchandise and advertising our projects.King/Raylo has been attending furcons since 2012 while Shibeshark entered the fandom in 2015, though both have a much longer history in commissions and interacting with geek culture across furry and anime.

Merchandise

We sell an array of merchandise, including posters/prints, enamel pins, stickers, buttons, keychains, apparel (shirts, sweaters, hoodies), premade badges, lanyards, art books, and game codes for our visual novel, NIGHT/SHADE: You're The Drug. We also offer custom commissions.

Previous Conventions

ARTIST ALLEY

EXHIBIT HALL

THRILL SWITCH VENDING

Merchandise

Gallery

collab work

Softraylo

Shibeshark