Discover the Former Footballer Behind Brazil's Largest Gaming Studio

Matheus Vivian's entry into the gaming industry was far from conventional. As a former professional footballer with an 18-year career spanning Brazil, Germany, and France, Vivian found himself at a crossroads after retiring from the sport. He began consulting for football clubs and leagues, hosted his own radio show in France, and eventually decided to co-found a gaming studio, Hermit Crab, with business partner Guilherme Gonçalves. Vivian's vision was to merge his passion for sports and gaming, recognizing the vast potential in combining these two popular platforms. By leveraging his background, Hermit Crab developed a business model focused on licensing prominent football clubs, such as Paris Saint Germain, and creating casual, free-to-play games. The studio's initial success with the Paris Saint Germain game, which attracted over six million organic users across various platforms, demonstrated the power of licensed games and casual gaming experiences. Hermit Crab has since expanded its portfolio to include titles based on other football clubs, like Arsenal, Manchester City, and FC Barcelona, and has ventured into developing games for platforms like Roblox and Fortnite. With a team of over 100 employees, the studio is committed to showcasing Brazilian culture through its games, including the development of Sports Land, a game that embodies the country's vibrant sporting spirit. Vivian emphasizes the importance of understanding each platform's unique characteristics and building dedicated teams to create platform-specific content. Hermit Crab's strategy involves releasing titles on metaverse platforms, such as Roblox and Fortnite, to tap into the vast user base and diverse audiences. When asked about the challenges of developing games for these platforms, Vivian stresses the need to learn about each platform, create engaging gameplay mechanics, and connect with influencers to build a community. The studio has seen significant success with its European club-linked titles in Brazil, with the country often ranking as the first or second in terms of downloads. As a result, Hermit Crab has started licensing Brazilian brands and aims to focus on the local market before expanding to the US, Europe, and Asia. With its rapid growth, Hermit Crab has become a rare example of a successful gaming studio in Brazil, and Vivian attributes this success to the company's strong culture and vision. The studio's long-term goal is to become a leading developer of sports games with licensed IPs, and Vivian is confident that Hermit Crab will be the go-to partner for sports brands looking to enter the gaming industry.