When people say they stumbled into a job by accident, they tend not to mean it quite as literally as Sebastian and Viktor Sehr.

The brothers, from Stockholm, Sweden, are the minds behind must-play ski and snowboard game Grand Mountain Adventure. They’ve been shredding mountains since childhood, but in 2015, when Sebastian broke his back and Viktor broke his knee in separate snowboarding accidents, they decided to do more with this passion.

Missing the mountains while stuck at home recovering, the duo – despite having no background in the field – created a game that would allow them to enjoy the snow virtually. In the immersive, open-world ski resorts of Grand Mountain Adventure, you can ski and snowboard at will.

Grand Mountain Adventure is packed with gameplay options to keep everyone entertained, from alpine amateurs to seasoned skiers.

Rather than racing to the bottom of a hill or racking up a lofty trick score, in this expansive, free-flowing game you can ride and explore every inch of each beautifully detailed mountain. Just as you would in real life.

Enjoy a relaxing cross-country jaunt or learn something new in the snow park – there are virtually no restrictions on how you spend your time. It’s exactly what the Sehr brothers – and many ski and snowboard fans – love about mountain-based adventures.

So, how did two novice developers create one of the most comprehensive ski and snowboard games out there? They built what they knew and loved.

“I still had this yearning for skiing,” explains Sebastian of his lengthy recovery. “We didn’t have any big plans for the game, it was just a fun thing to do while in rehab. It helped keep us connected to that passion while we couldn’t get out on the mountains.”

“Some of what we built isn’t dreams or fantasy but just what you see when riding a bus, looking out of the window or driving in rural areas,” adds Viktor. “One of the mountains in the game, Dalarna, is where we had our winter house and went as a family growing up. It’s just what we know.”

If you want to add some edge to your play, there are hundreds of challenges to unlock. You just have to explore each mountain to find them.

These challenges could see you attempt a daunting cliff drop or navigate your way between pistes and through the village. You might need to carve up fresh powder or avoid other meandering skiers, hit the halfpipe or go on a backwoods adventure.

With the brothers now back on the slopes – and having convinced their other sibling, Alexander, to help with the game – they’re continuing to build out their virtual resorts with what they discover.

“[The game has] changed our relationship with snowboarding,” says Viktor. “We’re now always taking pictures and looking at things differently. Just small things that you would like to add. I don’t think any of this ever would have happened without the accidents. Those moments were the ignition for us.”

And that’s just another example of what makes Grand Mountain Adventure unique. In many games, a crash spells Game Over. Here, however, a crash – or two – was just the beginning.