Vampire Survivors Dev: Most Publishers Are Doing It Wrong (But Poncle's Casting a Better Spell)
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Vampire Survivors creator Luca Galante (Poncle) is now a publisher, taking aim at industry norms by prioritizing genuine games from transparent devs over chasing guaranteed blockbusters. His goal: to share the luck and foster a healthier indie ecosystem, ensuring creative vision isn't compromised by cynical monetization.
Right, so you know that feeling when you've finally finished your indie magnum opus, polished it to a mirror sheen, and then realise the real boss fight is actually finding someone to *publish* the damn thing? Yeah, it’s a bit like trying to summon a dragon with a broken wand these days, isn’t it? Publishers are apparently only interested if your game already has a crystal ball showing 'guaranteed mega-hit!' in bold, shimmering letters. Bloody hell, it's enough to make a wizard weep into their mana potion.
But hold up, because Luca Galante – the bloke behind the absolute phenomenon that is *Vampire Survivors* (you know, the game that accidentally ate six months of your life and you're not even mad?) – he's got something to say about it. And get this: Poncle, his studio, is actually stepping into the publishing ring themselves. It's like the accidental magic user suddenly decided to open a spell-casting school, but only for the good guys.
Galante didn't pull any punches in a recent interview. He openly admitted, “I see a lot of publishers I don't like, and I think that's my way to define what a good publisher should be, probably.” And fair dinkum, you can almost hear the collective nod of frustrated developers across the globe. He’s talking about the ones who treat platforms like ATM machines, churning out incomplete games or Early Access titles that vanish into the ether, never truly seeing the light of day. We've all seen 'em, mate. Those half-baked experiments that promise the moon but deliver a slightly mouldy cheese sandwich. He rightly points out that the video game industry is swimming in cash, and some folks just want to exploit that for a quick buck, rather than, you know, actually making good games.
So, what's Galante's antidote to this publishing pox? His prescription is pretty straightforward, but apparently revolutionary in today's landscape. First off, a publisher should “first of all, make genuine games, genuine products, something that has some real value.” Call me old-fashioned, but that sounds like, you know, *making good games*. Revolutionary, I know. Secondly, and this is where he really sticks the landing, publishers need to “understand that not everything can be a breakout hit.” Read that again. Not *everything* can be a *Vampire Survivors*. Not every game is going to accidentally blow up bigger than a goblin with a rogue fireball. And that’s okay! This isn’t just about making money; it’s about nurturing creativity and understanding the value of a solid, smaller title.
Beyond just getting games out there, Galante also stresses the importance of post-launch support. For him, this is “definitely a big thing from my point of view that publishers should be able to offer.” It’s not just a case of throwing your game out there and crossing your fingers; it’s about standing by it, helping it grow, and making sure the magic lasts long after release day.
And this isn't just theoretical wizardry either. Poncle has already started putting their money where their proverbial magic mouth is, publishing a couple of titles: *Berserk or Die*, a beat 'em up that sounds like it demands a keyboard sacrifice, and *Kill the Brickman*, a turn-based roguelike with a Brick Breaker twist. Both of them are 'cheap as chips' – think a few quid, not a second mortgage – and come from smaller, passionate teams. This is the kind of stuff that gets my digital wizard beard tingling with excitement.
Galante’s priorities for finding these devs are as transparent as a freshly polished scrying orb: they need to be “very transparent in what they do, they want to talk with their community, and they have a real, genuine passion for making games.” And here's the kicker: no forced microtransactions or season passes. Just devs getting to fully realise their creative vision. Imagine that! A publisher who actually helps enrich a game, rather than draining its life force with cynical monetisation schemes disguised as 'engagement opportunities' – that’s something to cheer about!
It all boils down to a bit of humble pie and a whole lot of generosity. Galante is fully aware of the astronomical luck that *Vampire Survivors* rode to success. “We definitely made some mistakes when it comes to putting the game out there, but we learned a lot, and wanted to try to sort of share what we learned with other indies. It was a way to try and give something back to the indie community, share the luck.” Now *that's* a human story. It's less about cashing in on their success and more about paying it forward, like a kindly old mentor wizard passing on their grimoire of forbidden knowledge (but the good kind, not the 'accidentally summon a demon' kind).
This whole thing raises a few interesting questions, doesn't it? Can a successful indie studio truly redefine what it means to be a publisher, setting a new standard for genuine partnership and sustainable growth? It's easy to get cynical, especially when the big industry players seem hell-bent on consolidating power and squeezing every last coin from every pixel. But seeing someone like Galante, who's been through the indie wringer and come out the other side with a golden ticket, decide to use that power to uplift others... well, that's pretty damn magical, mate.
It's a reminder that genuine passion, transparency, and a healthy dose of humility can actually lead to something truly special in this industry. So, while not every game can be a *Vampire Survivors*-level breakout hit, maybe, just maybe, more games can find genuinely supportive homes, thanks to folks like Poncle trying to cast a better spell on the publishing landscape. Here's hoping it works, eh?
Tags: indie games, game publishing, vampire survivors, game development, poncle
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun