For many of the biggest developers in gaming, popularity has only come through years or even decades of consistent efforts and releases. On the other hand, there are a few fortunate enough to skyrocket to superstardom after only one breakout hit. In this article, we want to take a look at the latter, to track down the exact point where the unknown or the moderately successful broke their bonds and struck superstardom.
Live Casino Games – Evolution Gaming
Just as with the traditional video game industry, the arena of online casino games is highly competitive, with a handful of teams standing well above the rest. In the last few years, however, the new area of live casino games became possible, and with these, new opportunities for developers presented itself.
To fill this gap, Evolution Gaming rose to the occasion. This team focussed on finding a way for people at home to play with real dealers via the internet. Bringing in games like Immersive Roulette, Three Card Poker, Baccarat, and Texas Hold’em gave customers something they had never seen before and skyrocketed Evolution Gaming into the mainstream.
Bluehole – PUBG
Before the advent of PUBG, Bluehole was a company that was already known within the MMORPG sphere. The Exiled Realm of Arborea, also known as TERA, has been a consistently popular game since its release in 2011, yet this game could not come close to matching the appeal of their next major release.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, or PUBG for short, was a revelation on gaming genres that completely reshaped the industry. Ever since it came online in July of 2016, dozens of new and established series have jumped on the battleground craze, hoping for a piece of the billion-dollar pie. While Fortnite eventually surpassed PUBG, there is no doubt that PUBG was the original populariser, standing as one of the most important games of all time.
Steve Feak and IceFrog- DOTA
Speaking of games that redefined the entire landscape, it would be impossible to overlook the 2003 game Defence of the Ancients or DOTA. Originally created as a mod for Warcraft 3, DOTA eventually became a property of its own. So small was this fan-made mod team, that its development was undertaken by individuals rather than an established studio.
Eventually, the lead developers Steve Feak and IceFrog would go on to sell the rights to Valve, who developed a sequel in the form of DOTA2. As with PUBG, DOTA effectively created an entire genre, MOBA’s, and although there was no one team to thank, Steve Feak and IceFrog easily earned themselves a place in gaming royalty.
The overall lesson from these three developers runs quite contrary to what major AAA gaming today might lead us to believe. Making a major mark on the international scene isn’t about throwing millions of dollars at a project, nor is it about chasing the best graphics, or the most detailed physical simulations. Instead, being a success in gaming is about seizing a new concept, and developing something that players haven’t seen before.
It might seem contrary, in an age where sequels and development costs of tens or hundreds of millions of dollars are becoming standard, but the proof is in the pudding. Great things in gaming can come from small beginnings, and that gives us a lot of hope for the future of the industry. Whatever the next biggest thing in gaming is, if history is any indication, we should look to the little guys.
