Interview with Christian Wolfertstetter from Germany

My primary motivation was turning my hobby into a career. During university, I met Korbinian and Benjamin, the other founding members of Realmforge Studios and together, we began developing games.

As the Creative Director at Realmforge Studios, I oversee our projects’ creative direction. I write narrative content, balance game elements, brainstorm new mechanics, and experiment with early prototypes to refine gameplay.

Successful game developers should be creative and have problem-solving skills, adaptability, attention to detail, teamwork, and most importantly, a passion for gaming. However, the path to success in this dynamic field is ever evolving.

Realmforge Studios was founded in 2008 by a small team of passionate individuals who had recently graduated university. Following the success of our first independent point-and-click adventure published by Kalypso, we continued our partnership which led to their acquisition of the studio.

Starting with just three members, our team has since grown to approximately 25-30 talented individuals. Over the years, we have developed a diverse range of games across various genres. One of our most notable series is Dungeons, which has gained recognition among gamers. Dungeons 4 recently won three NYX Game Awards in the categories ‘Microsoft Xbox Strategy’, ‘Creature Design’ and ‘Original Game Soundtrack’. Additionally, we are involved in supporting the development of Tropico 6.

A great game should capture the essence of "just one more turn." It should immerse you so deeply that you lose track of time and wonder how it's suddenly three hours later. This compelling quality, where players are willing to continue playing and exploring, defines a truly exceptional gaming experience.

Realmforge Studios specializes in tongue-in-cheek humor strategy games, with a strong focus on titles like Dungeons and Tropico 6. Strategy games require careful planning, resource management, and tactical decision-making, offering players deep gameplay and strategic depth. While strategy remains our core focus, we also enjoy exploring other genres from time to time, allowing for creative experimentation.

Our ideation process begins with a small group brainstorming session to generate ideas. We compile a list of the strongest concepts and share them with the team for feedback. After working on these ideas internally, we collaborate with Kalypso Media to refine and develop compelling game concepts.

We are immensely proud of winning these awards, particularly because they acknowledge the hard work and passion of the dedicated team behind Dungeons 4. We hope players will enjoy the game as much as the NYX Game Awards jury did. This recognition inspires us to keep creating exceptional gaming experiences.

We're excited to see how it will impact our visibility and the promotion of our game. This recognition undoubtedly increases our exposure and draws attention to our studio and Dungeons 4, which we hope will translate into greater interest and engagement from players and the gaming community.

Developing Dungeons 4 as the fourth instalment in the series had unique challenges. We had clear ideas based on its predecessors, which required balancing innovation with maintaining the series' essence. Another challenge was following the success of Dungeons 3, which was highly praised by players, among others, as seen in its Steam rating. Convincing players to embrace our changes while preserving what they loved about the previous game was key.

Government funding has played a significant role in supporting our ideation process. We are grateful for the opportunities such initiatives provide, especially those which have contributed to our creative development. Thanks to this support, we've explored even more innovative ideas and pushed the boundaries of game design.

I'm excited about two trends shaping the gaming industry. Firstly, cloud gaming is making games more accessible, potentially reaching a much broader audience. Secondly, the increased focus on cross-platform gaming means more opportunities for players to enjoy multiplayer experiences across different devices and platforms. These trends are transforming the gaming landscape and could enhance player experiences.

The gaming industry embodies creativity, passion, and community. In particular, the dedicated gamer community fuels my enthusiasm, sharing the joy of immersive experiences. I appreciate the great people within this community who share our hobby and are typically nice and relaxed in their interactions with each other. This positive atmosphere contributes to the overall enjoyment and solidarity within the gaming community.

I recommend books on game design, watching channels like Game Maker's Toolkit on YouTube for insights, and using YouTube tutorials for practical learning. Websites like gamedeveloper.com also offer valuable articles and industry news. These diverse resources can help enhance game design and develop your skills.

While it's hard to predict, I anticipate more online and live services in AAA games alongside higher-quality indie titles driven by innovative developers. The impact of AI will be significant, though its implications remain uncertain.

It's not about a specific developer or game but rather the collective passion and creativity of the gaming community that drives me. Seeing gamers’ enthusiasm fuels my own passion for game development and motivates me to create meaningful experiences that resonate with players worldwide.

Perseverance, creativity, and a passion for gaming are key elements for success in this industry. My parting words of wisdom would be to stay dedicated to your craft, continuously learn and evolve, and, most importantly, enjoy the journey.

I'd like to thank our incredible team at Realmforge Studios and the NYX Game Awards for this recognition. We look forward to continuing our journey of crafting unforgettable gaming experiences.