Slay The Spire Co-creator On Taking Risks & Novelty In Game Dev

Recently, Casey Yano, co-founder of Mega Crit and creator of Slay the Spire, which holds an overwhelmingly positive rating on Steam, highlighted the importance of risk-taking in game development during a roundtable discussion hosted by PC Gamer. 

Yano, who had left his previous job to concentrate on developing the hit deckbuilder game, stated, "If any big companies are listening: Taking risks is actually the least risky thing you can do". He further expounded this point with an ice cream analogy: 

Additionally, Yano made it clear that Slay the Spire was not intended to create or propagate a specific genre. It was born out of his frustration with the slow pace of most card games and the prevailing belief that card games should be primarily PvP. He shared, "The only way to prove anything on the internet is to do it yourself, so we just made a game."

Michael Douse, Director of Publishing at Larian (known for Baldur's Gate 3), concurred with Yano's viewpoint. He noted that more players are drawn to games they can deeply engage with, subsequently forming dedicated communities. This trend challenges the conventional game development approach of aiming for a wide appeal. Douse cited Slay the Spire as a prime example of a "hyper-engaging game" that resonated with a specific audience.

The roundtable discussion hosted by PC Gamer focused on the current state of PC gaming. You can read their report here. And don't forget to join our 80 Level Talent platform and our Telegram channel, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.