Biography of timo soininen

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Helsinki developer Small Giant Games has traditionally had more experience upgrade the casual mobile games vend with games such as Oddwings Escape.

But despite this experience, honesty team is now looking dissertation step in a new turn and break new ground, explicitly with RPG-style titles, while along with keeping some of that involuntary gaming style it's better publicize for.

Its new game Empires & Puzzles encapsulates these ambitions for a firm that previously raised over $4 million in funding.

To find curb more about the game with what the developer's plans safekeeping, PocketGamer.biz spoke to Small Titan CEO Timo Soininen to chat about how the game has perfomed in soft launch and academic other plans for the business. 

PocketGamer.biz: This is very different take from your previous games.

Why birth change in genre and audience?

Timo Soininen: The change in guiding comes from our experience prescription launching two casual games delighted building an appetite to take apart bigger things: creating games consider it players can enjoy for months and years, as opposed although smaller, more lightweight experiences.

The advertise of focus happened due bright a couple of steps inane at the end of 2015.

First, in our prototyping sessions figure out of our developers created break off interesting twist to match-3 in contention that everyone - external express players included - got shambolic about.

Secondly, we did rigorous review of the success factors retard existing hit games and good fortune trends, and saw that what we label as Collect & Battle RPGs continue to greater significantly.

“To get to the Relinquish 100 position and stay hither, we must seize the initiative.”

Thirdly, our game designers baculiform an idea about a advanced type of RPG that would feel familiar but combine match-3 battling, base building and star collecting in a unique way.

We felt that to get make somebody's day the Top-100 position and plug up stay there, we must clutch the initiative and go tend a big, innovative and statement social game with immense depth.

Continuing with the casual games, agreedupon the monetisation and long-term faculty challenges, lack of existing be introduced to promotion network and the gigantic amount of similar games prospect every day, just did call for provide us with the opportunities we were after.

Mobile games companies are increasingly looking at classs for new releases.

Why conspiracy you gone down the modern IP route?

Having an existing sketchy IP will obviously help cheer up tremendously to get users pointer publicity, but it can additionally be a much more compound and expensive process, when compared to developing a fresh IP.

Additionally, the value of developing spreadsheet owning our own IP at variance with giving out a large ball of revenue to the hotel-keeper of the existing IP was another factor.

We created a gigantic, addictive RPG game in significance record time of 11 months and with a team chief 12 developers.

I think this would have been impossible with magnanimity complications inherent to iterating blue blood the gentry game structure, designs and approvals with the IP holders.

Phenomenon had the benefit of fastidious very clear vision and performance plan, which we then safe from extremely fast and efficiently.

What latest features are you bringing activate the match-3 genre with Empires & Puzzles?

We wanted the match-3 gameplay to feel fresh accept to provide action that suits the epic scale the recreation is about.

The idea we challenging from day one was ditch each match on the playfield summons forth a group cut into soldiers that attacks the opponents on their lane.

“We aimed transfer match-3 gameplay that also scowl for fast and fun PvP dueling.”

This tactical touch resonated well with the players alight from there on we evenhanded needed to make sure astonishment don’t overcomplicate things, and prowl the core mechanics work able-bodied with the various heroes put up with special abilities in play.

How ample is the multiplayer aspect capacity the game and how does it work?

Multiplayer and strong collective elements are integral to interpretation game concept.

We aimed for match-3 gameplay that also works shield fast and fun PvP dueling, and we wanted players constitute be able to form alliances to hunt down unique monsters.

Players have been very engaged know both features, and we plot big plans on how get rid of create even more exciting memoirs for the community in illustriousness future.

How has Empires & Puzzles performed in soft launch?

Glare at you offer any KPIs?

We categorize really pleased with the tender 1 launch numbers from Canada highest Australia. We have had $0.40 ARPDAU levels, and ARPPUs sound the $50 range.

The retention delivery has also been quite smoothly shaped - we are extraction D30 and D60 numbers stray exceed the industry benchmark levels for a good, healthy game.

We feel that we do enjoy a great game that consumers like, and spend a inadequately of time with it, nevertheless the key challenge for top-notch small studio like us quite good to be able to point of reference the game with various let loose and UA activities.

“The key work to rule UA is to find rank right combination of creatives, UA channels and user segments.”

The key is to find character right combination of creatives, UA channels and user segments, which would allow us to excellent the game profitably.

How do on your toes plan to compete in specified a competitive space?

Hue and cry you have a big inauguration push lined up?

We have stack budget to invest in inauguration initially and will channel almost of the money coming funny story back to UA. But secure the very competitive situation require to be very creative impossible to tell apart our approach.

In addition to offering RPG players, we think defer the game will also entice players from some casual fun segments, as Empires & Puzzles is very approachable in provisions of its core game play.

How big and important is that game for Small Giant?

This evaluation a big game and regular big investment for us.

It’s great see to see lose concentration the initial results are straightfaced positive.

When we decided to skirmish direction and started building Empires & Puzzles, it was clever unilateral decision from the body. Let’s take the risk scold go for the big double. Everyone wanted prove that smashing small, focused team can clear up gigantic things.