// Workers AI · dad joke modeAre Chad and Jared Moldenhauer good at pottery? They mold well together.
Chad and Jared Moldenhauer | |
|---|---|
 Chad (right) and Jared (left) in 2018 | |
| Occupation | |
| Years active | 2010–present |
| Notable work | |
| Website | studiomdhr |
| Chad Moldenhauer | |
| Born | 1979 (age 46–47) |
| Spouse | Marija Moldenhauer |
| Jared Moldenhauer | |
| Born | 1980 (age 45–46) |
Chad Moldenhauer (born 1979) and Jared Moldenhauer (born 1980) are Canadian brothers and video game developers. Co-founders of the independent video game company Studio MDHR, they are best known for creating and directing the run-and-gun video game Cuphead (2017), which achieved widespread critical and commercial success for its hand-drawn animation style inspired by rubber hose cartoons from the golden age of American animation.[1][2][3]
Early life and influences
[edit]Chad and Jared Moldenhauer were both raised in Regina, Saskatchewan, where they developed an early interest in video games and classical animation. They have cited 1930s American cartoons—particularly those produced by Fleischer Studios and early Disney cartoons—as major influences on their artistic sensibilities and visual style.[4][5]
None of the Moldenhauers pursued formal education in game development. Prior to working full-time on Cuphead, Chad worked in graphic and web design, while Jared held employment outside the video game industry, including construction work.[6]
Career
[edit]Early development and Studio MDHR
[edit]The Moldenhauers began developing Cuphead in 2010 as a side project while maintaining full‑time employment. The project expanded in scope over several years of development.[1] In order to complete production, the Moldenhauers eventually left their respective jobs and remortgaged their homes to finance production.[7][8]
They formally established Studio MDHR—the name being derived from an abbreviation of their surname—to support development and collaborated with a team of artists and programmers. The game's animation was produced by hand on paper before being scanned and inked digitally, contributing to its extended production timeline.[9] The Moldenhauers have emphasised handcrafted animation techniques and gameplay design influenced by early arcade titles, and noted their commitment to maintaining visual authenticity despite modern production methods.[10][11]
Cuphead
[edit]Cuphead was released in 2017 for Xbox One and Microsoft Windows, with later ports to other platforms. The game received widespread acclaim for its animation, art direction, music, and difficulty, selling millions of copies worldwide.[12]
Media coverage frequently highlighted the prolonged development process and the challenges faced by the Moldenhauers as independent creators.[13]
Expansion of the franchise
[edit]Following the success of Cuphead, the Moldenhauers oversaw related projects, including the DLC Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course (2022), the Netflix animated series The Cuphead Show! (2022), on which they served as executive producers, and the upcoming follow-up game Mighty Cuphead Adventures.[14][15][3][16]
Accolades
[edit]The Moldenhauers have received recognition for their work on Cuphead and related projects. Cuphead won at the 2017 ceremony of the Game Awards for Best Independent Game, Best Art Direction, and Best Debut Indie Game, and was nominated for Best Action Game and Best Original Score.[17] The game also received recognition at the Annie Awards and D.I.C.E. Awards, and was nominated at the BAFTA Games Awards for Artistic Achievement, Best Debut Game, and Best Original Property.
As executive producers of The Cuphead Show!, the Moldenhauers were part of the creative team nominated for a Children's and Family Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Series in 2022.
Notable works
[edit]- Cuphead (2017) – creators and directors[12]
- The Cuphead Show! (2022) – executive producers[15][3]
- Mighty Cuphead Adventure (Upcoming)
References
[edit]- 1 2 "Cuphead artists illustrate the five‑year development cycle". Polygon. 2017. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
- ↑ "The origin story of Cuphead, the hit game that nearly broke its creators". Business Insider. 2019. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
- 1 2 3 "Cuphead creator wants to stay far away from computer animation for Netflix series". The Hollywood Reporter. 2019. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
- ↑ "Where did Cuphead come from?". Kill Screen. 2017. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
- ↑ "Smash-hit video game Cuphead was a labour of love for Regina-born brothers". Leader‑Post. 2017. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
- ↑ Takashi, Dean (2016). "Cuphead developers bet everything on a 1930s‑cartoon‑style game". GamesBeat. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
- ↑ ""We quit our jobs, remortgaged our houses": How relentless passion made Cuphead a reality". GamesRadar+. 2017. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
- ↑ "Cuphead creators took a gamble on a dream". Saskatoon StarPhoenix. 2017. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
- ↑ "Studio MDHR takes us behind the scenes on the two million‑selling Cuphead". PC Games Insider. 2018. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
- 1 2 "Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course interview with Studio MDHR". AusGamers. 2022. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
- ↑ "Cuphead Co‑Creator Talks Animation, Difficulty, and Design". Screen Rant. 2022. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
- 1 2 "How Cuphead's devs gambled on a dream". GameSpot. 2017. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
- ↑ Takashi, Dean (2018). "Cuphead's creators get back to normal after their colossal — and exhausting — year". GamesBeat. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
- ↑ "Interview: Cuphead Show Creators Chad and Jared Moldenhauer". Game Rant. 2022. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
- 1 2 "Cuphead Creators on Bringing the Game to Netflix". IGN. 2022. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
- ↑ "Studio MDHR Announces Mighty Cuphead Adventure and New Hand-Animated Follow-up Are in Development". IGN. 2026. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- ↑ "Canadian-developed game Cuphead wins big at The Game Awards". MobileSyrup. 2017. Retrieved 2025-12-30.