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26.11.2025

The creators of the mobile games War of Rafts and Countryballs are seeking $85,000 to $130,000 to develop a noir puzzle game for Steam and consoles

Continuing our column "Developer/Publisher Wanted," where indie teams share about themselves and their projects. This time, we feature KORO GAMES again. In addition to developing the puzzle game Greeded, which we have already covered, they are working on the noir puzzle game Death Sketchbook.

If you're an indie developer, ready to talk about your project, and are also seeking investments, a publisher, or someone to join your team, feel free to contact us through our column on Telegram at https://t.me/overwordly.

The CEO of KORO GAMES, Vladimir Korobeynikov, shared insights about Death Sketchbook.

Vladimir Korobeynikov

About the Team

KORO GAMES is an independent studio founded in 2019 by the Korobeynikov brothers. The team currently consists of 13 full-time employees. The studio is sustained by the profits from its projects. Their portfolio includes Abodtion, Alveole, Necroking, Garage: Bad Trip, as well as mobile hits War of Rafts and Countryballs, which have generated over 150 million installs.

About the Project

Death Sketchbook is a noir puzzle game where the player assumes the role of a detective with a cursed notebook, solving cases through sketches.

The project originated from the idea of replacing any game interfaces with a pencil. Currently, we have:

  • a completed vertical slice;
  • a demo on Itch.io;
  • implemented a sketch recognition system;
  • a clear plan for the entire game (6 episodes, 45+ scenes with options for choices, replayability, and alternative outcomes).

Gameplay and Mechanics

Each episode represents a short but intense puzzle with an emotional payoff.

The key feature is that the game interprets what the player draws. If a knife is drawn, it triggers a memory of violence, potentially leading to murder in the future. The situation can be resolved if a key is drawn. If the player leaves a blank space, something or someone may not materialize at all.

The core mechanic is our proprietary sketch recognition system, which transforms the game from "choosing from options" to "drawing your truth" based on previously discovered hints in the game.

Target Audience

For those who have completed Return of the Obra Dinn, Chants of Sennaar, The Case of the Golden Idol, and Edith Finch and are looking for "something new with a twist," we're crafting an experience that can stand alongside the titles mentioned.

Our players are streamers and their audiences, those who take screenshots, debate on Reddit, and leave reviews saying "now I dream of this."

Bloggers like Kubz Scouts (6.1 million subscribers) have played and spoken positively about the game, highlighting the UGC and the integration of creative tools into the gameplay.

Business Model

Death Sketchbook is a premium game, with a release planned on Steam, and later on consoles.

We are targeting a price of $13–18. DLCs or add-ons may be considered if the game performs well. The expected sales: 50-100 thousand copies, based on similar games' metrics.

Metrics

On the game's demo page on Itch.io:

  • 50 thousand page views;
  • 25 thousand game launches;
  • 3 thousand downloads;
  • 141 reviews, 81 comments;
  • 31% of players reached the finale;
  • average full gameplay time — 15.6 minutes;
  • median time per player — 14.9 minutes.

Players engage quickly (better on PC than in-browser), state they "want more," and some (9%) even replay the demo.

Whom We Are Looking For

To complete the project at the highest quality, we need a publisher or investor.

The desired amount of investment is $85,000–130,000, allocated to:

  • content, art, code (45%);
  • marketing, promotion (35%);
  • QA, translation, support (20%).

We are not just looking for money; we are seeking a partner with whom we can launch many more games.

A detailed P&L is available upon request.

How to Contact Us?

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