2020 results: Nikolai Dybovsky from Ice-Pick Lodge on the main thing for the year

In what direction will Ice-Pick Lodge experiment next year, — he saidNikolai Dybovsky, head of the studio. 

Nikolai Dybovsky

How was 2020 for the company?

If you are referring to the pandemic and the economic crisis, I think that we did not feel much difference from previous years. Everything was about the same as after any long-term release — a difficult recovery time, overcoming fatigue, reducing cash receipts; attempts to rebuild the workflow, take into account mistakes and understand how to develop further. It always takes effort, nerves and hard work. Against the background of the problem of preserving the studio, the pandemic seems secondary.

What new trends in your niche do you consider worth paying attention to?

There is an excessive abundance of good games, movies and events that do not have enough time. Time is becoming one of the most expensive resources. The art of packing a concentrated and intense experience in the shortest period of time (half an hour or an hour), but enough to fully assimilate this experience, can become the key to the survival of an indie developer in the near future. Twelve Minutes is a pretty close example, we are waiting.

What will be the stake in the development of the company in 2021?

For experiments with a small form. But in general, our company has been betting on the same sector since 2001 — on survival. And it doesn't really sound that bad. Just keeping the studio on the go, continuing to work despite the difficulties, is already a huge achievement.

Which third-party game releases are you interested in this year? Which ones did you pay attention to as a gamer?

Among Us, of course, I will not be original here. Control. One Hour One Life. I was interested in the "Sea of Thieves".

During the quarantine, I spent an unforgettable week at Animal Crossing. I also had to actively study everything that somehow relates to the tamagotchi genre and communication with a virtual interlocutor (such as Simulacra).