2020 in video games: Deck13's Jan Klose teases an unannounced ARPG title

With 2020 almost over, Jan Klose, co-founder and managing director at Deck13, reflects on the achievements of the year and what lies ahead.

Jan Klose, Deck13 co-founder and managing director

How did 2020 treat Deck13?

This was a very strange year with many unexpected events. I think we handled the Covid situation relatively well with reacting quickly and supporting all our teammates with a good remote environment. Also, in 2020, Deck13 became part of the Focus Home Interactive family which was a big step and will hopefully pave the way for a great future and wonderful new titles to come from Deck13.

What new trends in your niche would you say deserve attention?

We’re trying to expand our horizon and dive deeper into the Action RPG world. Despite all controversy around the release, I think that Cyberpunk 2077 will set many new standards. I’m sure we’ll find our very own spot in the genre with our new and yet unannounced title.

Any general trends across the video games industry that stand out to you?

I think that some very important discussions have gotten more attention, regarding crunch times, equality and diversity at the workplace and regarding game content, and we’re happy to do our part to create both better games and a better work environment.

As a company, what are you going to strategically focus on in 2021?

We’re in the middle of producing our new, yet unannounced project, and I have a feeling that this will take up most of the company’s time and attention in 2021. We’re very proud of the new game and we can’t wait to officially announce the title.

What third-party game releases got your attention this year? Which ones were you personally excited about as a gamer?

I have so much to still catch up from 2019, I haven’t even arrived at 2020. The closest I came to is Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order which I really enjoy. And maybe that’s not a bad thing because some releases of 2020 might be enjoyed better when waiting until a patch is out…