Vampire Survivors has firmly established itself as a phenomenon in the gaming world, with its publisher, poncle, experiencing remarkable growth since the game’s launch in 2022. In a recent conversation with The Game Business, Matteo Sapio, the studio’s chief strategy officer, shared insights into the game’s success, which has attracted over 27 million players and generated significant revenue.
Organic Growth and Creative Ventures
Reflecting on the game’s meteoric rise, Sapio noted, “Vampire Survivors exploded, and in two or three months, it sold more than one million copies.” He highlighted the creative spirit of solo developer Luca Galante, who opted to invest his earnings back into the game rather than indulging in personal luxuries. Instead of purchasing a yacht, Galante collaborated with Square Enix to develop the Emerald Beyond DLC, which was released for free, further fueling the game’s popularity.
Expanding the Universe
Looking ahead, poncle is not resting on its laurels. The studio is working on Vampire Crawlers, a deckbuilding dungeon crawler spinoff, and has plans for additional projects. Sapio explained the studio’s innovative approach to development: “Our idea is to have little teams of people—five, 10, 15—working on different projects. The structure will be, we will have a designer, a bunch of producers, and this little team that’s agile and flexible.” This strategy aims to preserve the indie ethos while scaling up operations.
Future Aspirations
Among the exciting developments is Warhammer Survivors, which, while being crafted by a different team, remains a part of the official Survivors lineage, showcasing the versatility of the franchise. When asked about his vision for the company in five years, Sapio expressed an ambitious goal: “I’d like to see 40 projects in parallel development at all times everywhere in the world.” He emphasized a preference for nurturing multiple smaller games rather than focusing on a single, large-scale title, indicating a commitment to innovation and diversity in gaming experiences.
