In this modern world, gaming and storytelling are getting closer and closer, and the line between passive and interactive entertainment is vanishing. The present-day audience is not only settling down; they are more than ready for such a change; they are looking to experience virtual worlds themselves and be part of the story. This shift has been set into motion by the evolution of the video game industry towards storytelling that emphasizes rich narratives, complex characters, and interactive plots.
EmotionLab has been able to stand out as a true trendsetter in the new gaming environment it is creating. It designs immersive text-based games that combine an enthralling story with delightful mechanics to make them participatory. The company’s success is attributed to Vlad Filler, the CEO of EmotionLab, who has the fantastic power of foresight, and the company has been standing on his solid background. EmotionLab’s latest game, “Pandemic,” is ruling the market in Eastern Europe, becoming popular at a fast pace and attracting more than 1.5 million players without spending a penny on promotion. Now, EmotionLab plans to launch “Pandemic” in the highly competitive U.S. market.
Vlad discusses the challenges and opportunities ahead. He also shares EmotionLab’s unique approaches to making its games stand out.
Vlad, I would like to express my gratitude for sacrificing your time for this conversation today. Firstly, can you share something about EmotionLab and your position at the firm?
Oh, it’s a pleasure to be here. I am the CEO of EmotionLab, one of the game development companies in Eastern Europe that is focused on creating interesting text-based games with fantastic visual effects for smartphones. We uncovered a gap in the market for high-quality text-based games that would particularly attract males who are interested in science and gaming. My background is in finance and economics. I have over eight years of experience in growing businesses across five different companies and 11 years in sales and communications. This experience has helped guide EmotionLab’s plans and growth.
That’s intriguing. Tell us a little more about your latest work, “Pandemic.”
Yes, of course. “Pandemic” is a game that connects the dots concerning the relations between the zombie apocalypse and the science fiction genre, and it is played through the use of storytelling and gameplay. It is a game book with a sci-fi background written by the best of our authors; thus, you can be sure about the duration of over 45 hours of gameplay. Players roam the open world, finish quests, solve puzzles, build shelters, and make various choices affecting the storyline. The game also contains survival mechanisms, where the players monitor their sleep, health, and mental condition. This is a profound enjoyment, which the developers knew would be liked by people who prefer reading and gaming simultaneously.
“Pandemic” has had around 1.5 million downloads. What early impressions did the “Pandemic” have?
The feedback that we have been getting is excellent. In the Eastern European market, the game has been downloaded more than a million times from direct sources without any paid promotion, highlighting the game’s popularity among players. It was also recognized by Stopgame, a reputable publication, and rated among the top five quests in the role-playing game category. Furthermore, the online game has been featured by different bloggers and highlighted by the Apple Store and the Google Play Store in their top lists due to the very high organic traffic it has gained. This popularity highlights the game’s fast-rising success.
That’s really an achievement. What do you think could have made the “Pandemic” successful?
“Pandemic” obviously captures people’s interest with its multitude of different gameplay mechanics. A survival system that comes with such game elements as sleep and health time gained by the players is presented as a genuine part of life. Furthermore, the game offers an open world to explore that is filled with quests, puzzles, expeditions, city battles, shelter building, and loot collection. Players can select 4,500 actions, leading to different twists in the plot so that players can enjoy the game differently every time. The moral and reputation systems rest in the minds of the players, making them feel significant through the decisions they make. This creates a particularly immersive environment that allows the players to engage with the story and be part of their character’s journey.
I understand the project had some issues. Can you tell me more about what happened?
In mid-2022, we had to stop working on “Pandemic” for a while. This happened because players could not make payments due to sanctions against Russia. But we did not give up. We decided to move our game studio to the U.S. We also worked on improving our game development skills. Our goal was to bring “Pandemic” to the U.S. market. Moving allowed us to reach more players. It also helped us make the game better. We developed new ways to make money from the game that would work well for players in the West. We did a lot of research to understand the new market. We adapted the game to meet the expectations of American players. We also made sure we had the right tools to support this change.
Moving to a new market must have been challenging. How has the move to the U.S. market been for EmotionLab?
The move has been challenging but rewarding. We worked hard to develop business plans. We created a roadmap for marketing. We calculated all expenses. We hired specialists to join our team. We developed new ways to make money from the game. We studied our competitors and the market. The U.S. market is very competitive. But it also offers great opportunities. We think our unique approach to interactive storytelling will appeal to American players. Our goal is to become a leading game in the interactive game literature genre. We want “Pandemic” to be very popular in the U.S. market.
With so many changes and plans, what are your long-term goals for EmotionLab and “Pandemic?”
We are quite ambitious. We want to specialize in interactive game literature and become the top company in that niche in the next few years. We are targeting other genres for new gaming projects, too. The market calls for fresh perspectives and changes that might substantially impact it, and we intend to be among those who provide those. The ultimate purpose is to create a product that will attract both the young and adult generations and will be different from the usual enticements of reading and gaming. Our action plan is to regularly come up with new ideas and expand our product mix to drastically change the market landscape and create plenty of products that could entertain and connect with our target audience.
Gaining funds is the key to expanding. What is the status of your fundraising activities now?
Yes, we are looking to raise up to $500,000 to launch “Pandemic” in America and then push our company forward smoothly and swiftly. The fund will be used to ramp up marketing efforts, expand our team, and ensure the game’s success in the highly competitive U.S. market. This money will assist us in bringing the game closer to players by doing local advertising, gaining more users, and keeping the current ones busy by developing an extra level of fun. Since we have a very strong and talented team that loves what they do, we are confident that, given the proper support, we can replicate our success from Europe in the U.S. Investors are welcome to come on board with us and get a chunk of an already-established project on the market.
One last thing, Vlad. What are your thoughts on the future of text-based games and EmotionLab’s grip on this market?
I believe that the future of text-based games is, to say the least, auspicious. The course of technology development makes it possible to integrate traditional storytelling with interactive features of the game, thus making the game world more colorful and immersive. EmotionLab is the leader in the realization of this development. We are dedicated to breaking the limits of textual games, using complicated mechanics, adding beautiful graphics, and telling gripping stories. We aim to redefine the genre and set high standards for quality and fun. We see ourselves as pioneers in this field, leading others and raising the bar for what players can expect from interactive storytelling.
This sounds like an exciting time for EmotionLab. Thank you very much for your insights. I wish you all the best with the launch of “Pandemic” in the U.S.
Thank you for having me. We are very excited about the future and can’t wait to introduce “Pandemic” to a new audience.
