Five years in video games is a long time. After such a life, players have often given up on a title for a long time. Especially in the independent scene. But a few exceptions manage to keep their fan appeal intact. Dead cells It is part of.
This French video game surprised when it was released in August 2018 with its jumpy pace and difficulty offering a real controller-in-hand challenge. Your success is immediate. Bordeaux studio Motion Twin even received a standing ovation at the Game Awards, the flagship awards ceremony for video games. The developers of the title win two trophies in the Indie Game and Action Game of the Year categories. With this record, Dead cells ensure good sales.
A concept that hits the mark
Still today, the French creation is a reference in the field of roguelite, with more than eight million copies sold. This type of game is based on a mechanism where you have to chain the games to unlock new weapons, new spells and thus discover new environments. Trapped on an island, the player escapes from a prison with the intention of killing the king of the place to regain his freedom.
Despite its rather simple scenario, Dead cells seduced above all by the gaming sensations it offers. Full-bodied, the title asks players to understand the mechanics of each enemy. All while inflicting a lot of death on newbies. The concept is a success and a strong bond is created with the gaming community.
YO’early access (early access, in French) is a crucial period for an indie game like Dead cells. It is during this period of time that the concept of the title faces the first comments from the public. As of May 2017, developers collect feedback, suggestions, and criticism to review your copy before the official release in August 2018.
Benjamin Laulan was then part of the company responsible for marketing Dead cells. It is, therefore, as close as possible to the community that is created around the game. Faced with the enthusiasm generated, the possibility arises of prolonging the success of the title by providing it with new content periodically. An almost unprecedented approach, especially in the field of independent video games.
“A virtuous circle”
Motion Twin continues to work until the release of a first free DLC (downloadable content) in March 2019. But in the shadows, the newly created studio is doing its job: first creating new enemies, then new weapons and finally new game modes.
Evil Empire proposals are regularly added to the game for free until February 2020. On this date, the developers make their first paid expansion available, the bad seed, integrating two new levels. Community Dead cells then answer.
Then a new cycle begins until January 2021 and the launch of fatal falls. Again, the fans respond, again paying five euros. It will be the same a year later with The queen and the sea. Release after release, more and more players. Some years, Dead cells it even managed the feat of selling more than the previous year. A rare occurrence in the world of video games.
A Castlevania Tribute Expansion
This Monday a fourth paid extension opens. But this time it’s about “closing the loop,” laughs Benjamin Laulan. With Return to Castlevania, the developers wanted to pay homage to the iconic vampire franchise. The games castlevaniathat offer to defeat Dracula by walking through his mansion, were one of the main sources of inspiration for the creators of Dead cells.
However, when Benjamin Laulan meets Konami, the copyright holder castlevania, you have a completely different idea in mind. In Japan, the company is not just a video game publisher, it is also an impressive distributor. The objective was then to propose a careful edition of Dead cells in the stores of the Archipelago.
During their exchanges, the Evil Empire co-founder’s nerve pays off. Benjamin Laulan dares to ask that a nod to castlevania inside your title. “Konami gave us carte blanche”, he continues to be surprised. Discussions end with the right to design two vast game environments, add iconic enemies and weapons from the franchise, and even use around sixty songs from the series. castlevania.
As for whether this DLC tribute will mark the end of the additions within Dead cellsBenjamin Laulan reassures: “We don’t want to create fed up among the players, but we already have content ideas at least until the end of the year.”
Source: BFM TV
