Unleashing Imagination: The Demand for Outrageous and Independent Video Games
Davide Soliani, the mastermind behind Mario + Rabbids, believes that players are seeking out unique indie games that are “eager to narrate diverse stories”.
After spending 25 years at Ubisoft, Soliani departed from the company last year and has now partnered with creator Christian Cantamessa (known for Crimson Dead Redemption, Middle-earth: Shadow of War, and the upcoming Perfect Dark reboot) to establish a new studio called Day 4 Night.
Together with several former employees from Ubisoft Milan, they are developing a new “passion project”, despite acknowledging that it is a challenging time in the gaming industry to be setting up a new studio.
“I believe that naivety led us here,” Cantamessa expressed to VGC, reflecting on the potential of establishing a new studio. “This industry is truly at a pivotal juncture right now. We’ve arrived at a stage where overhead costs are substantial, and recovering those large investments becomes increasingly difficult.”
He elaborated that the studio’s funding, from creator Krafton and Ed Fries’ 1Up Ventures, is solely based on equity, providing them with complete creative autonomy.
“On one hand, you’ve got an environment where investors are more cautious,” noted Soliani. “Simultaneously, there’s a rising interest from gamers in titles that are somewhat unconventional. They seek experiences that offer different narratives…that’s what we’re seeing both as developers and players.”
Cantamessa drew a parallel between the current state of the gaming industry and the collapse of Hollywood, alongside the rise of independent filmmaking. “What we observe now is the audience is shifting away from traditional studio offerings towards indie productions,” he stated. “It feels like we might be in the late 1960s or 70s of cinema, witnessing the emergence of the Bonnie and Clyde of the gaming world.”
Regarding their new project, Soliani confirmed that it is indeed a new intellectual property, emphasizing that while gameplay takes precedence, it fundamentally “intertwines with storytelling in a significant way”.
Soliani previously discussed his departure from Ubisoft and stressed that the decision was not prompted by disappointing sales of the Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle sequel, Sparks of Hope.
“The reason I left wasn’t due to any specific grievance with Ubisoft; rather, I was in search of something I couldn’t discover there…something that we are now bringing to life here [at Day 4 Night],” he expressed.
“To me, Kingdom Battle was a deeply personal endeavor, similar to what we are working on now at Day 4 Night,” he added. “It was truly a love letter to Nintendo. It’s no secret that I’m a Nintendo enthusiast. In my office, I currently possess a large Mario plushie that a friend gifted me from Tokyo.”
Moreover, while Kingdom Battle was a “pleasant surprise” hit, it meant that the sequel was “more challenging to create”. “There was an overwhelming amount of overthinking surrounding it all,” he admitted. “So for me, it was a bit…it was still a delightful process, a wonderful experience, because I’ve always loved collaborating with Nintendo and always will.”
Conversely, Ubisoft’s comments regarding the game’s reception have been “somewhat disheartening for the morale of the team,” Soliani mentioned. “We had just dedicated three and a half years and were fully committed to crafting a quality game. So, naturally, it was not received as anticipated.”