The Rebirth of Behold Studios

Saulo Camarotti, founder of Behold Studios, reflects on the early days of the Brazilian game development scene, where creating games was not a common pursuit. Despite the challenges, Camarotti persevered, and his studio has become one of the longest-running Brazilian game developers, known for titles like Knights of Pen and Paper and Galaxy of Pen and Paper. In the beginning, Behold Studios faced prejudice from publishers who were hesitant to invest in a Brazilian studio. However, over the past 15 years, the industry has evolved, and publishers have become more comfortable working with Brazilian developers. Camarotti notes that Brazil still lacks a AAA game industry, but the country has big studios focused on free-to-play mobile games. The studio's journey has not been without its challenges. A first iteration of the studio was shut down in 2011, but Camarotti regrouped and formed a new team, adopting an indie approach to game development. This led to the creation of Knights of Pen and Paper, which became a surprise hit, topping the App Store and Google Play charts. Camarotti emphasizes the importance of working on passion projects, rather than chasing trends for financial gain. This approach has been instrumental in the studio's success, and their latest project, Cosplay Club, a turn-based RPG, has been funded through a Kickstarter campaign and released in Early Access. Behold Studios remains a small team, with eight members split between Canada and Brazil. Despite the challenges of running a studio in Brazil, Camarotti highlights the benefits of being a Brazilian studio, including access to tax credits in Canada and a talented pool of Brazilian developers. The introduction of a new legal framework in Brazil is expected to bring about changes, but the industry has come a long way since the early days of Behold Studios. Camarotti praises the talent and work ethic of Brazilian developers, who have learned to be creative and resourceful in the face of limited resources. He also notes that Brazilians have embraced remote working, which has opened up opportunities for them to work with international companies and gain experience. As the games industry faces a global crisis, Camarotti believes that investors and publishers should look to emerging markets like Brazil for inspiration and new perspectives. With a huge audience of active gamers, Brazil presents opportunities for game development, particularly in the free-to-play sector. Camarotti concludes that the industry needs more diverse voices and perspectives, and that looking to countries like Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay can be a valuable way to find new talent and create games that are truly different.