Rebuilding House Flipper 2 from the Ground Up

The original House Flipper was a surprise success on Steam in 2018, attracting a large and dedicated community despite not initially impressing critics. This allowed developer Empyrean to continually update and improve the game, release DLCs, and port it to all platforms, ensuring its long-term sustainability and making it a standout success. Empyrean collaborated with co-developer, publisher, and fellow Polish company Frozen District throughout the original House Flipper's development and for the creation of its sequel, set to release this Thursday. According to Frozen District lead producer Jakub Bujas, the team did not anticipate the massive success of the first game. "We started working on House Flipper about a year before its release, and at the beginning, it was a small indie project focused on renovating and flipping houses. We were not sure if it was a gold mine, but it turned out to be a huge hit." As the release date approached, the team realized the game was gaining massive attention, and after its launch, they received a large and supportive community. Bujas attributes the game's success to its relaxing atmosphere and the fact that it filled a specific niche in the market. After the original game's console ports, Bujas moved on to work on House Flipper 2, which was created from scratch by Frozen District's veteran developer Rafał Kańka over the course of a year and a half. The team had grown to over 20 people, and they aimed to address the issues present in the first game and create a more cohesive and flexible experience. For House Flipper 2, the team focused on creating a consistent visual style, unlike the original game, which had items that did not mesh well together due to different design teams and the use of asset store packages. They also wanted to provide the community with tools to create their own levels, increasing the game's replayability. The creation of House Flipper 2's sandbox mode allowed players to use the same tools as the development team, enabling them to create their own houses and levels. The team hopes that this feature will cater to both creative and non-creative players, providing a more engaging experience. Regarding the business model, Bujas mentions that going on Game Pass has been a successful strategy for the studio, as it allows players to try the game for free and potentially purchase DLCs. However, the decision to continue supporting House Flipper after the release of its sequel depends on community feedback and the reception of the new game. Bujas hopes to make the community happy with House Flipper 2 and is already thinking about potential future projects, possibly beyond the House Flipper franchise. "We are experienced in the genre we are working in, and I'm sure our developers would appreciate the opportunity to work on something else," he says. The team is open to creating new projects, prototypes, and exploring other genres, and they will depend on community feedback to determine their next steps.