Denis Fedorov: The days when games were a niche form of entertainment are behind us

Denis Fedorov, CEO, Unfrozen Ltd says that there are many reasons the company decided to establish itself in Cyprus, while also suggesting that the island can further develop as a gaming hub by introducing some of the practices used in the UAE and Finland.

Speaking to GOLD magazine as part of a cover story featuring 18 of the top gaming developers based in Cyprus, Fedorov also talks about how gaming is becoming more and more mainstream and shares some of his own company’s secrets of success with offerings including Iratus: Lord of the Dead.

How did the focus on console games, particularly in the tactical and roguelike genres, come about?

PC and console games in these genres have a wide, active and dedicated audience. We count ourselves among them. This deep involvement provides us with unique insights into what players seek. Unlike the mobile market, which is more unpredictable, PC and console gaming has shown consistent organic growth, promising prolonged sales for successful titles.

Walk us through Iratus: Lord of the Dead and the reasons that have contributed to its success.

In the wake of the success of other games in the genre, we evaluated the market and offered a game with a gameplay loop that players were so fond of while introducing a new aesthetic and – most importantly – new fantasy for them: become a necromancer! The allure of playing the villain, commanding monsters and delving into a darker realm resonated with many and we provided it! Our prompt response to player feedback and ongoing support further enhanced this engaging experience. We are now working on two more projects, one of them exploring the Iratus universe further and delving deeper into a necromancer’s mind and ambitions.

HBO’s success with The Last of Us and collaborations between acclaimed filmmakers and game creators like Jordan Peele and Hideo Kojima suggest that gaming is on the way to becoming the dominant entertainment medium. What prospects do these developments open for game developers?

We agree with this assessment! The gaming market is growing steadily every year. According to Newzoo, it’s evaluated at $187.7 billion (+2.6% YoY), with 30% ($56.1 billion, +7.4% YoY) of that being consoles and 20% ($37.1 billion, +1.6% YoY) being PC. Gaming is also becoming more and more mainstream – this is underscored by prominent events like The Game Awards and collaborations between renowned filmmakers and game developers. The days when games were a niche form of entertainment are behind us. These developments offer us, as game creators, exciting opportunities to innovate and captivate a much wider audience.

Given the growing popularity of e-sports and its evolution into a major sporting event, including an annual e-sports World Cup to be held in Saudi Arabia, what opportunities does this remarkable surge present for game developers?

As with movie collaborations, games are also becoming more high-budget and respectable as a sport. This opens up unique opportunities for developers working in competitive genres: there is always a chance to create a product that will transcend mere entertainment, possibly becoming a pillar of the e-sports community.

Your studio, among others developing console and PC games, has chosen to establish itself in Cyprus. What specific attributes make the island an appealing destination for you?

The decision to base our studio in Cyprus stems from its advantageous location, beneficial time zone for collaborations across Europe and Asia, pleasant climate and favourable tax conditions. The robust local game development community, with its regular meetings and conferences, fosters a rich environment for knowledge exchange and networking. Another important factor was that our partners, GEM Capital, are also based in Cyprus. They invest in promising Cyprus-based game companies, and we felt that joining the ecosystem they’re creating was mutually beneficial.

The recent decision by the House of Representatives to reduce the naturalisation period for C-level executives to four years reflects efforts to establish Cyprus as an IT and games hub. What other changes, policy or otherwise, do you believe would further support this goal?

The decision to make naturalisation easier is excellent! It has definitely made Cyprus even more attractive to us and we have no doubt that a lot of our colleagues agree. As for other changes, in general, more educational infrastructure such as kindergartens and schools would be helpful, as well as more affordable housing. Additionally, promoting Cyprus as a prominent game development centre would be very beneficial; a gamedev cluster such as in UAE (that compensates 30% of wages for game developers), or maybe investment programmes or subsidized loans (as in Finland) from the Government. Such programmes would attract even more specialists and improve knowledge sharing.

(This interview first appeared in the January edition of GOLD magazine. Click here to view it.)