We continue to wrap up 2024 with gaming (or gaming industry-related) teams and experts. Next up is an interview with Dmitry Amroyan, CEO of the studio Cubic Games.
How was the year for the company? What achievements would you like to highlight?
The year was filled with ups and downs, much like the entire gaming industry these days. We tested approaches and conducted various experiments. The most vivid and memorable event for us was the launch of the PC port of our flagship, Pixel Gun 3D, which we announced to the media this spring. Numerous positive reviews, incredible online numbers on the first day, and strong game metrics kept smiles on our team's faces for a long time. We are currently continuing to work on our flagship to enhance the gaming experience for our players.
How has the gaming market situation changed from your perspective?
The market continues to consolidate. There is less and less room for mid-sized players, and relatively small studios find it increasingly difficult to release new products and achieve their goals. If you look at the top launches this year, most are well-known franchises or titles from large studios with a significant community. I think "community" is one of the key words in the industry for the next few years. Those who learn to work more effectively and entertain their players will have a strong ace up their sleeve.
How was the year for the genre in which you operate?
The shooter genre follows the trends of the growing market, but some trends impact the genre more heavily. For example, it's getting harder to break into the top—currently, the entire chart is occupied by the "big players."
Also, I've noticed more attempts by developers to "mash-up" shooters with games from other genres. This is driven by developers' desire to offer a fresher and more exciting gaming experience.
An additional trend in the gaming market is the use of AI to speed up and reduce production costs. Here, I won't say anything new—many companies use AI, but we, for instance, strive to use it wisely: evaluating what benefits us and what can be set aside for now.
What trends do you expect to strengthen or emerge in your niche in 2025?
I believe in 2025, we'll see new genres, which will be hybrids of existing ones.
Otherwise, this year's trends in shooters will continue: more projects based on large franchises, the search for interesting solutions at the intersection of genres, and an increase in teams focusing on community engagement.
What plans does the company have for the coming year?
We are trying in every way to keep up with both market and genre trends, investing a lot of efforts and resources into this. 2025 will be no exception. As for business news and announcements, I would like to keep this a secret until about the end of the first quarter of next year.