How Xsolla Funding Club Empowered Kautki Cave to Ignite Flame Keeper's Success

Flame Keeper, an action roguelite, originated from humble beginnings as a project called Ignis, created during the TK Game Jam in 2018 by a team of developers from various Polish game studios, including Techland, Bloober Team, and T-Bull. The game took second place in the competition, and the team knew they had a promising concept. Lead developer Paweł Tomaszewski explains that the initial prototype involved playing as a piece of magical coal, collecting energy from fire to sustain life. The team wanted to develop the game further but faced the challenge of limited time and resources. They engaged 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. However, the team soon encountered another obstacle: securing additional funding. CEO Pawel Skaba notes that bigger investors were focused on backing AAA projects, but Xsolla Accelerator provided the necessary support. With Xsolla's funding, estimated to be between $50,000 and $150,000, Kautki Cave was able to bring Flame Keeper to life. The team brainstormed and created a development map, discussing additional content and ideas with external partners. Skaba emphasizes the importance of positioning and targeting, as well as playtesting on Steam, which provided valuable feedback from gamers. The game launched into Steam Early Access and Nintendo Switch in March, with the funding from Xsolla enabling the studio to add to the foundation they created. Skaba reveals that the studio is working on content updates, including new biomes, combat enhancements, and console ports, with the goal of releasing the final version across PC and consoles in the first half of 2024. The studio also received non-financial support from Xsolla, including business assistance, game design support, and introductions to partners in Asian markets. Skaba appreciates the guidance from Xsolla's mentors and the opportunity to showcase the game in different territories, receiving feedback from various audiences. Since the game's launch, the team has received positive feedback on Steam and Nintendo Switch, with plans to showcase the game at events in Japan and other territories, emphasizing the value of localization and delivering the game to different audiences.