A RAFTUR OF OPPORTUNITY
New indie publisher Raftur Games was set up late last year, partly in response to the layoffs that were blighting the industry. As well as funding, the proudly neurodivergent co-founders hope to offer unrivalled marketing and business support that will help get developers back on their feet. CMO Malize Evans told us more
You say that Raftur emerged as a response to layoffs. That implies Raftur exists to alleviate them to some degree? Yes. Currently, extensive layoffs have resulted in numerous skilled developers facing unemployment. Many of them are now seeking opportunities to initiate their independent projects. Our role is to offer funding and support to these developers, empowering them to create their own games. This, in turn, will create new studios and new jobs in development, alleviating the unemployment caused by layoffs. This is the reason why we exist in the first place.
Malize Evans, CMO at Raftur Games
How have games industry redundancies shaped what Raftur is about? Raftur Games originated from in-depth discussions within the gaming industry involving both AAA and indie developers. These conversations highlighted the issue of widespread layoffs, where major companies were downsizing despite experiencing record profits and releasing exceptional games and how developers felt powerless about it. Additionally, we discussed the impact of new technologies, such as the advanced tools introduced by Unreal 5, which were streamlining development processes and enabling the creation of higher-quality games on a smaller
26 | MCV/DEVELOP December/January 2024
scope. Through these dialogues, we gained insights into what developers believed was essential to propel the industry forward and to mitigate the damage of layoffs. As a response to these identified needs, and around these needs, we established Raftur Games.
Where does the name come from? A raftur is a rafter in Norse. As rafters, we aim at providing support.
Funding, marketing and development support would seem to be common to what most indie publishers offer these days. What makes Raftur different? In our discussions with developers, a common sentiment emerged—many expressed dissatisfaction with the current roles of publishers and investors. Concerns were raised regarding the significant control exerted over games and the inconsistent marketing support available to showcase their work effectively. Developers also lamented the disproportionate amount of time and resources dedicated to business-related aspects, often at the expense of actual game development. Some developers even pursued MBAs to grasp fundamental business concepts, such as scaling a studio. Our services are specifically designed
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