The Vision Behind BattleBit Remastered: A Large-Scale Shooter for Low-End PCs

In the ever-evolving gaming industry, where the focus is on the latest and most powerful technology, it's unusual for developers to create a game that can run on virtually any device. However, the team behind the indie hit BattleBit Remastered has accomplished just that. By significantly reducing the graphical fidelity, the game can support large-scale battles with up to 256 players without overwhelming lower-end PCs. Prior to the game's release on June 15, 2023, the BattleBit team had modest expectations. They were surprised by the overwhelming demand for the title, which exceeded their projections. The team's 3D artist and head of moderation, Max Fink, explained that they were underwhelmed by their initial expectations, but the final playtest, which attracted over 32,000 players, exceeded their predictions. The project was born out of frustration with the demanding system requirements of modern action games. Okyanus Mutlu and Uladzislau Shalashou, the founders, were unable to play Squad due to their outdated hardware, so they decided to create a similar game that could run on lower-end devices. The core idea was to deliver an experience similar to other games, but on less powerful hardware. BattleBit Remastered draws inspiration from games like Squad, Arma, Battlefield, and Insurgency: Sandstorm, which typically require high-performance PCs. The minimum system requirements for BattleBit Remastered are mid-tier hardware from 2011, making it accessible to a wider audience. The team focuses on optimizing the game for the best possible performance, taking into account the hardware capabilities of their player base. One of the challenges the team faced was their lack of experience in game development. The "Remastered" part of the title is a nod to the fact that the game had to be restarted five times during development. Fink recommends this approach only for hobby projects, as it allows for a more flexible and enjoyable development process. The team only began to take the game seriously when they saw the overwhelming interest from the community. They switched to Steam playtesting in January 2022, and the game quickly gained popularity. The development was funded entirely by the community through a public Patreon, which provided the necessary resources to build the game's infrastructure. When the game launched, the team was too busy ensuring stability and handling incoming tickets to monitor sales and player numbers. It wasn't until two and a half weeks later that they checked the game's performance, and they were astonished to find that it had sold 1.8 million units, with sales now exceeding two million. The team has opted for a straightforward monetization model, with no additional costs beyond the initial game purchase. Fink explains that they prefer this approach, as it allows players to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to buy additional content or complete tasks. The team's goal is simple: to create a fun game that players can enjoy without feeling exploited. The success of BattleBit Remastered can be attributed to its focus on lower-end specs, community engagement, and regular playtests. The game is a throwback to a simpler time when the primary objective was to create an enjoyable experience for players. Despite its massive success, the team's ambitions remain humble, and they are now able to pursue their passion for game development full-time.