GCU staff member turns Glasgow Subway nightmare into award-nominated horror game

A Glasgow Caledonian University staff member is turning a nightmare vision of the Glasgow Subway into a horror video game – and has now been named a finalist in a major Scottish business competition.

Thomas Welsh, an Assistive Technology Advisor within Glasgow Caledonian’s Disability Team, is the lead developer behind Loop, an indie horror game being created by five-person studio Box of Greebles.

The game is set in the Glasgow Subway at a time when the world is ending, with players trapped below the city and unaware of what is happening on the surface.

The idea came to Thomas during an ordinary journey on the Subway with his daughter Evelina.

Thomas said: “We were on the Subway, and I imagined what it would be like if something terrible happened on the surface and we didn't know because we were too busy eating pickled onion Monster Munch!”

That simple thought became the starting point for Loop, an atmospheric, narrative-led horror game which explores themes including gender identity, generational trauma, legacy and lineage.

According to Thomas, several members of the Box of Greebles team are queer, including Thomas himself, who is non-binary. The team wanted to reflect that diversity through the game's characters, while telling stories about people from marginalised backgrounds.

Thomas said: “Glasgow is diverse too, and characters from marginalised backgrounds have some of the best stories to tell.”

The project has progressed from an initial idea to a playable build, supported by the Scottish Game Developers Association (SGDA) Accelerator programme and industry mentors.

The SGDA Accelerator provided support across the development of both the game and the studio, from pitching and promotion to making connections within the industry.

The team also had the opportunity to meet industry figures including acclaimed game developer and designer Rami Ismail, which Thomas described as “very inspiring”.

Box of Greebles has now been named a finalist in the Create Change Challenge at Converge 2026, which supports creative, cultural and social-impact projects with commercial potential.

Thomas said the recognition was particularly significant given the challenges currently facing the games industry.

He said: “It gives us validation that we have a good idea, and that a game studio can be founded even in a challenging time for the games industry. The recognition, mentoring and, just maybe, financial kickstart will help us get some momentum.”

The next ambition for the team is to develop Loop into a demo that can be released on Steam and other digital games storefronts. This would allow the team to build a community around the game, generate wishlists and potentially attract a publishing partner.

Alternatively, the team hopes to complete the game independently, gaining experience that can then be carried into future projects.

Thomas studied BSc Computer Studies at Glasgow Caledonian and then undertook a Games Studies PgD. He now says the University continues to play an important role in enabling his creative work through the stability of his day job.

Thomas said: “Whether you're into crafts, writing, games or anything else, if you have a stable workplace and a line manager who helps you maintain your work-life balance, you have enough energy after work to follow your dreams. Even if your dreams are about monsters and the end of the world!”