How Xsolla Funding Club Ignited the Success of Kautki Cave's Flame Keeper

Like many indie hits, the action roguelite Flame Keeper had humble beginnings. Initially called Ignis, the game emerged from the TK Game Jam in 2018, created by a team comprising staff from various Polish game studios, including Techland, Bloober Team, and T-Bull. The project took second place in the competition, and the developers knew they had stumbled upon something special. Lead developer Paweł Tomaszewski explains that the team created a small prototype where players control a piece of magical coal, collecting energy from fire to sustain life. The prototype involved collecting resources and bringing them to the main fire camp, and the team wanted to develop it into a full game. However, developing Flame Keeper in their spare time proved challenging, prompting the team to engage with the CEO of indie publisher Untold Tales, leading to the formation of Kautki Cave as a subsidiary and a significant investment in the project. To bring Flame Keeper to its full potential, the Kautki Cave team sought additional funding, but they faced a new challenge in securing financial support. According to Pawel Skaba, CEO and head of Kautki Cave, as well as VP and head of marketing for Untold Tales, the team reached out to Xsolla Accelerator, which provided the necessary boost. With the support of Xsolla Accelerator, Kautki Cave received between $50,000 to $150,000 in funds, enabling the studio to build the game's core mechanics and release it earlier in the year. The team had never created a roguelike game before, so they brainstormed, spoke to friends from different companies, and built a development map limited by the time and money invested by Untold. They discussed additional content and ideas for later development, knowing they needed to make the game bigger to compete with other titles in the roguelite genre. Given the fierce competition, Kautki Cave and Untold Tales thought carefully about how to help Flame Keeper succeed. They decided to position the game as an action game with roguelike elements, which would appeal to a broader audience. The team conducted a playtest on Steam, receiving constructive feedback that helped development. Flame Keeper launched into Steam Early Access and Nintendo Switch in March, with the funding from Xsolla helping the studio add to the foundation they created. The team is now working on content updates, such as new biomes and combat enhancements, and plans to release the game on consoles, including PlayStation, in the first half of 2024. In addition to financial support, Xsolla provided non-financial assistance, including game design support and mentorship. Skaba appreciated the opportunity to pitch the game to partners from Asian markets, which offered a fresh perspective on action roguelite game development. The team received feedback from Nintendo players, which differed from Steam players, and is working on localization and delivering the game to different audiences. Flame Keeper is available on Steam, Epic Games Store, and Nintendo Switch, and the team is planning to showcase the game at events, including Digital Dragons in Krakow and an event in Japan. The feedback from these events has been valuable, offering insights into different territories and markets. To learn more about Xsolla Accelerator, a program that connects developers with funding and feedback, including a 16-week mentorship program, visit their website.