Rebuilding House Flipper 2 from the Ground Up

The original House Flipper was a Steam sensation in 2018, defying critics' expectations and garnering a dedicated community that drove its long-term success. This allowed developer Empyrean to continually update and improve the game, release several DLCs, and port it to all platforms, ensuring its sustainability and cementing House Flipper as a standout success. Empyrean collaborated with co-developer, publisher, and fellow Polish company Frozen District throughout the original House Flipper's development and to deliver its sequel, set to release this Thursday. Frozen District lead producer Jakub Bujas shared with GamesIndustry.biz that the team didn't anticipate the massive success of House Flipper at the outset. 'I started working on House Flipper one year before its release, and at the beginning, it was a small indie project focused on renovating and flipping houses,' Bujas explained. 'It was a nice idea, but we weren't sure if it was a gold mine. That was the biggest project of our company.' As the release date approached, the team realized the game's potential, with people showing significant interest in it. After the release, a large community formed, and they thoroughly enjoyed playing the game. Bujas attributes the game's success to its 'chill vibes' and the fact that it tapped into a specific niche. Additionally, despite encountering bugs and optimization issues, the community was understanding and supportive, recognizing that the team was still learning. With a team of over 20 people, Bujas began working on House Flipper 2 after the original title's console ports in 2020. The team created the sequel's architecture from scratch over the course of a year and a half, led by Frozen District's veteran developer Rafał Kańka. The decision to start from scratch was driven by the need to address constraints in the original game, such as the lack of a sandbox mode. For House Flipper 2, the team aimed to achieve consistent visuals, addressing the issue of items not feeling like they belonged together in the original game. Bujas noted that the team had learned how to use Unity effectively, allowing them to create a more cohesive art style. The developer also focused on providing tools for the community to create their own levels, increasing the game's replayability potential. This led to the creation of House Flipper 2's sandbox mode, which gives players the same tools used by the development team. When asked about the possibility of adopting a free-to-play model with paid DLC, similar to The Sims, Bujas stated that he's not responsible for that aspect of the business but mentioned that being on Game Pass has been a successful strategy for the studio. The future of House Flipper after the release of its sequel remains uncertain, with the team waiting to see how the community reacts and what they want. Bujas expressed his hope that House Flipper 2 will make the community happy, given the high expectations surrounding its release. Looking ahead, Bujas is already considering what Frozen District could create next, potentially beyond the House Flipper franchise. 'We think about maybe creating some new projects, maybe some prototypes, because we are experienced right now in the genre that we are working in, and I'm sure that many of our developers would appreciate the opportunity to work on something else.'