"We’ll need several more Expedition 33s to convince skeptics," says Valor Mortis creator on why publishers should trust AA titles

Over the last dozen years, the Warsaw‑based studio One More Level has steadily built a reputation for delivering AA‑level experiences that often rival the polish of full‑blown AAA releases. Their breakout hit, the 2020 cyber‑punk platformer Ghostrunner, was praised by critics and sold roughly 5.6 million copies, according to estimates from Video Game Insights.

The success was strong enough to merit a sequel in 2023, cementing the studio’s status as a serious mid‑tier contender. Despite these achievements, the broader AA market has been under pressure. Investment streams have thinned just as the competitive landscape has intensified.

Smaller publishers increasingly favor ultra‑low‑budget projects—often under $1 million—while the industry giants double down on evergreen, big‑ticket franchises. Even titles that have demonstrated blockbuster‑level sales, such as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, still struggle to secure the kind of financing that would make a mid‑tier game feel safe.

"Our triumph with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was huge, yet many publishers still view the AA segment as a gamble," explains Radek Ratusznik, One More Level’s game director, in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz at Gamescom. "We probably need a handful of Expedition 33‑type successes before the perception shifts. One hit isn’t enough; the industry needs to see a pattern.

There are plenty of studios capable of delivering high‑quality AA games without blowing a few hundred million dollars on development." Ratusznik adds that modern tools have shortened production cycles and trimmed costs, but they haven’t eliminated the need for a reasonable development timeline. "We can produce better‑looking games faster and perhaps cheaper, but you can’t finish a complex title in a single year without compromising quality. Proper testing and polishing still take time, and I’m skeptical about publishers who want to force an overly aggressive schedule." One More Level’s latest project, Valor Mortis, has been a roller‑coaster in terms of publishing support. After Ghostrunner and its sequel were released through Italy’s 505 Games—a subsidiary of Digital Bros that announced a 30 % staff reduction in late 2023—the studio signed a deal with Take‑Two’s indie label Private Division for Valor Mortis.

However, in 2024 Take‑Two began to scale back Private Division, with CEO Strauss Zelnick stating the company would refocus on AAA "big hits." Private Division’s catalogue was later sold, and the label resurfaced in 2025 as Fictions, now behind Game Freak’s recent Beast of Reincarnation. When the Private Division agreement fell apart, One More Level briefly contemplated self‑publishing Valor Mortis. "We realized that if we wanted to maintain the quality we envisioned, we needed a publishing partner," Ratusznik admits.

Enter Lyrical Games, a publishing spin‑off from the film company Lyrical Media—the same outfit that produced Hugh Jackman’s The Death of Robin Hood. Formed in 2025 by former Private Division executives Blake Rochkind and Roger Kurtz, Lyrical Games is one of the few publishers dedicated to mid‑tier projects.

"People call us an oasis in the desert, which is both flattering and a bit terrifying," Rochkind told GamesIndustry.biz last year. He cited Clair Obscur as the archetype of the kind of title they want to champion.

"If we could have a game like that in our roster, it would be a dream." Timing proved ideal for One More Level. "Blake and Roger remembered us and knew the project inside out," Ratusznik says.

At the time Valor Mortis was seeking funding, the studio employed roughly 40‑50 people. Rather than resort to layoffs during the uncertain period, the team leaned on reserves accumulated from earlier successes. "We had saved enough to ride out the lean months without cutting staff, which was a tough but necessary leap of faith," he explains.

"Building a cohesive development team is hard; dismantling it is far easier, and we didn’t want to lose what we’d created." As the October 13 launch approaches, the studio has expanded to more than 70 employees, though not all are assigned to Valor Mortis; a portion is working on an undisclosed future title. Many AA developers augment their core teams with external contractors for large‑scale work—Sandfall Interactive, for instance, relied heavily on outside talent while crafting Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

One More Level, however, strives to keep most production in‑house. Lead designer Łukasz Wabik notes, "We outsource QA and a few marketing assets, but the bulk of art, design, and programming stays within the studio." Looking ahead, the studio says a strong commercial performance for Valor Mortis could trigger further hiring, but they intend to grow organically rather than leap straight into AAA territory. "If the game succeeds, we’ll scale up, but we won’t abandon our identity or lose control over the creative process," Ratusznik emphasizes. Valor Mortis itself is a first‑person action RPG that blends influences from several well‑known franchises.

Its combat and unforgiving boss encounters echo the design philosophy of Dark Souls, while the plasmid‑style abilities recall the power‑up system of BioShock. What truly sets the game apart is its historical backdrop: the Napoleonic Wars of the early 19th century. The developers deliberately chose a period that is underexplored in contemporary gaming to differentiate themselves in a crowded market.

Ratusznik recounts the brainstorming phase: "We initially toyed with a more recognizable, fantasy‑heavy setting akin to Bloodborne, but we wanted something that felt fresh yet grounded. The Napoleonic era offered a rich tapestry of conflict and drama without being overused." Early narrative pitches even featured a supernatural twist—Napoleon possessed by a dark force. Over time, the team shifted toward a more realistic tone, retaining only subtle fantasy elements. "We moved from a dark‑fantasy Napoleonic saga to a horror‑infused war story with occasional mutations," he says.

"It’s less about a demonic emperor conquering the world and more about the brutal realities of war, spiced with eerie, otherworldly touches." First‑person swordplay is another unique selling point. "Our USP is the combination of a historically inspired setting, horror ambience, and visceral melee combat," Ratusznik explains. "Players get to experience a familiar period of history through a fresh lens—mutations, horror vibes, and a narrative that feels both recognizable and novel." In summary, One More Level’s journey illustrates both the challenges and opportunities facing AA developers today.

With a proven track record, strategic partnerships like the one with Lyrical Games, and a clear vision for innovative, mid‑tier experiences, the studio hopes Valor Mortis will serve as a proof‑point that AA titles can deliver both critical acclaim and commercial viability, encouraging publishers to place their confidence—and their funding—behind the next generation of ambitious, mid‑budget games.