The Solo Developer of PlateUp Shares the Secret to Success

Just before the launch of his first game, Alastair Janse van Rensburg took a family vacation, feeling anxious about the game's release and still making last-minute adjustments. A year prior, he had left his £30,000 per annum job in Oxford as a cybersecurity researcher to focus on game development. His family had assured him that if PlateUp could make £30,000 in a reasonable amount of time, the risk would be worth it. Only a month later, van Rensburg received his first royalty payment, which exceeded £1 million. Since its release in August 2022, PlateUp has sold over 1.5 million copies, and van Rensburg was surprised by the game's success. He had been told that Steam wishlists were a good indicator of initial sales, but PlateUp had secured 25,000 wishlists and sold around 35,000 copies in the first week, with sales continuing to rise. Van Rensburg attributes the game's success to its roguelike structure, which allows players to jump in at any point and experience the game without feeling left behind. The game's design also encourages collaboration and flexibility, making it appealing to streamers and their audiences. Van Rensburg had not intentionally designed the game to be streamable, but its short sessions and lack of linear storyline made it accessible to a wide range of players. The game's community has been actively finding ways to optimize their gameplay, and van Rensburg has been regularly updating and expanding the game with new content and seasonal events. Despite the risk of burnout, van Rensburg has managed to maintain a steady cadence of updates, thanks to the game's straightforward design and lack of complex art assets. Van Rensburg offers advice to aspiring developers, suggesting that they focus on creating a fun and engaging core mechanic rather than polishing the game's visuals or adding unnecessary features. He emphasizes the importance of getting the game into players' hands as quickly as possible and allowing them to experience the game's design. By doing so, developers can create a game that is enjoyable and engaging, with the rest of the details falling into place.