“Success is 50 percent development, 50 percent distribution,” said Michaël Peiffert in his session at Casual Connect Eastern Europe 2014. “Start working on how to market your game the same way you cared about crafting it.”
In 2011, Michaël Peiffert founded his own one-man studio, Mi-Clos Studio, and at the outset, as the sole employee, he was doing everything a studio requires, including code, art, marketing, business, and PR. Today, he spends the majority of his time functioning as a producer, finding the best people to make the most creative projects. Mi-Clos Studio has released two titles, Space Disorder and Out There, and has three more under development.
Before founding Mi-Clos Studio, Peiffert worked for several different agencies as a creative director. He specialized in user experience design, something which he finds very useful in producing games. And working for fashion brands taught him how to market his products.
Going Premium
Peiffert is a strong proponent of premium games; this is the model he used to break into the games business, and he believes it is making a comeback in the industry. Mi-Clos Studio’s next titles will continue this trend. And, in fact, the aspect of his career that gives him the most satisfaction is making a living without having to make free-to-play games.
He sees the gaming audience aging, so mature content and topics will continue to be central to his future releases. Out There, for instance, is an example of an almost metaphysical game, with its focus on introspection and loneliness; these are the qualities that made it stand out. And he intends to extend his emphasis on this demanding audience, with great games that incorporate excellent stories.
Enjoying Free Time
When Peiffert is gaming, he prefers to use his PC. His favorite game these days is Alien Isolation, which he believes perfectly recreates the 80s sci-fi atmosphere of the original movie. He also found The Walking Dead a memorable experience, with excellent writing that had him hooked from start to finish.
He enjoys playing many indie games and recommends: Papers Please, The Fall, Antichamber, Chasm, The Stanley Parable and The Swapper.
In his free time (when he is not gaming), he finds inspiration in watching documentary films and TV series. He is passionate about modern politics and diplomacy, considering what is at stake in modern society a rich source of future stories. He also draws and paints, both for games and just for himself.
At Casual Connect Eastern Europe 2014, Peiffert announced Out There Chronicles, a Choose Your Own Adventure book on mobile. It takes place in the universe of Mi-Clos Studio’s critically-acclaimed space exploration game, Out There and was written by interactive fiction author Fibre Tigre, who also worked on Out There.
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