Burny Games shares four key lessons from 65 million downloads
Key takeaways
- Burny Games achieved 65 million downloads in four years.
- CEO Anatolii Henis emphasizes the importance of discontinuing failing projects.
- The studio employs autonomous teams structured as independent business units.
- Technology is a core strategy for enhancing efficiency in game development.
Burny Games, a Ukrainian mobile gaming company known for its puzzle titles, recently celebrated reaching 65 million downloads in just four years. The company, which has developed popular games like Colorwood Sort and Playdoku, emphasizes the importance of knowing when to halt development on projects that fail to show promising metrics. Their approach has evolved to favor hands-on partnerships in publishing rather than a high-volume testing strategy.
CEO Anatolii Henis highlighted that one crucial lesson learned is the courage to say "no" when necessary. Over the years, Burny Games has discontinued several projects, including Super Cooker and Block Brush, when data indicated they were unlikely to achieve scalability. The team learned that excessive focus on perfection could hinder timely player feedback, which is essential for ensuring a game's success.
Another significant insight is the value of structured autonomy within teams. Burny Games has shifted towards autonomous teams acting as independent business units, each with a producer at the helm. This structure fosters cohesion and allows teams to prioritize their goals without needing to escalate decisions, enabling faster development cycles.
Lastly, Burny Games emphasizes the importance of technology as a growth lever. The company believes that the right tools empower small teams to produce complex projects efficiently, contrasting sharply with larger firms that may struggle with bureaucracy. This strategic focus on technology has been pivotal in their operations, allowing them to maximize talent and maintain competitive advantages in the mobile gaming landscape.
Why it matters
In summary, Burny Games' experience underlines the necessity of setting clear metrics before project initiation, recognizing when to pivot or discontinue efforts, and leveraging technology effectively. These lessons are integral to their ongoing success as they continue to innovate in the puzzle game genre.
Original source
PocketGamer.biz
