Let’s Beer Together — a VR game from Kazakhstan gaining international attention

Aldiyar Naukanov, Almaty, game development, co-founder of Some games, LinkedIn

About me

I am a game designer with a background primarily in game development. I earned my bachelor's degree in Computer Science from SDU University. Later, I transitioned into the gaming industry and started working on game projects. Currently, I am leading our game studio, aiming to establish Kazakhstan as a trusted hub for game development and production.

How it all started

We founded our studio in 2023 and initially focused on developing test games. The idea for our current project came to me while visiting an old town. I had always wanted to create a VR simulation game that allowed players to experience an unusual role. One day, after visiting an antique shop, I became intrigued by what it would be like to work as an antique dealer — handling unique items that people do not usually come across in their daily lives.

That is how the idea of a tavern simulator was born. A medieval tavern setting is widely appealing, especially in the United States, where such themes are well recognized. We decided to avoid focusing on Kazakh folklore or Eastern culture and instead centered our concept around a traditional medieval tavern.

We started testing the idea by documenting thoughts, developing concepts, gathering references, and ultimately creating a game design document. Initially, I presented it to the founder and our team, then shared it with friends and industry colleagues. The idea gradually expanded, and at some point, I realized it was time to begin full-scale development. That is when the project truly started taking shape

The team

Hakim Yesenzhanov is my co-founder. We have known each other for a long time and first met at the N.Factorial programming school, where he mentored me in mobile app development during my university years. Hakim impressed me as both a technically skilled and kind person.

After working together for a while, our paths diverged — I moved into game development, while he started his own business. Then, one day, Hakim called me and said he wanted to launch a game studio and work on gaming projects.

We reconnected and began building the studio, which we officially launched last year. From the start, we focused on assembling a strong team. Some of the team members who joined us last year stayed on, while half of the current team was recruited this year through traditional hiring processes.
Target audience

During closed testing, we have been conducting various playtests with participants accessing our game through Steam — currently, we have around 1000 players. Our target audience is relatively niche, primarily men aged 18 to 30 who own a PC or a VR headset.

Our project is designed for individuals seeking social interaction and an escape from reality. The game immerses players in a medieval fantasy setting, making it a perfect way to unwind after work. We even joke that if a bartender comes home and plays as a virtual bartender, it creates an amusing full-circle experience.

The core goal of our game is to simulate the atmosphere of a tavern, where players can have fun with friends, pour drinks, serve customers, and interact with others — creating memorable moments and adventures in the game.

Incubation programs

I have previously participated in incubation programs, but our team has yet to go through one together. However, we have a strong chance of joining two or three accelerator programs by the end of the year. The most promising one is SpeedRun by Andreessen Horowitz, which has a $30 million funding pool for startups. Since VR game applications are relatively rare, we believe we have a strong chance of being accepted. We have also applied to several other accelerators

Challenges

We faced technical challenges, but listing them is unnecessary — those are common in any development process. One issue we encountered was linking the tavern mechanics to multiplayer functionality, but that was manageable.

A more significant challenge has been staffing. Our team is relatively small, yet we are trying to tackle a massive workload. To enter the global market, we need to expand our team and strengthen our marketing efforts.

Our primary focus right now is securing investment to scale our team and execute a solid marketing strategy. We also faced minor challenges during the pre-production stage. I would advise future game designers and developers to dedicate more time to this phase. We developed the game quickly, but in hindsight, we could have refined our concepts further.

Achievements

We have been selected for two major industry events.

The first is DEVGAMM 2024 in Lisbon, where we will participate in a competition. Our game was chosen from a pool of 500 titles, and we have been nominated in three categories — a huge achievement for an indie team. This recognition will generate media buzz and help us connect with potential publishers. DEVGAMM is essentially the Oscars of indie game development.

The second event is Steam Next Fest, a festival that supports indie studios preparing for launch. The selection process is rigorous, and we are proud to have made it in.

I am incredibly proud of our team. We have a solid background in game development and 3D design, and some of our team members have even worked on music videos for well-known artists like Kanye West and The Weeknd.

Plans

Our goal is to conduct a soft launch — a controlled release with a focus on strategic marketing rather than immediate profits. We are aiming for a holiday season release, targeting the U.S. market. This year, we are not striving for massive revenue but rather focusing on fundraising and attracting ambitious investors to build a global gaming studio.

In the short term, we are preparing for Steam Next Fest and Almaty Geek Festival. We are also participating in DEVGAMM and have applied for the SpeedRun accelerator, where we have a good chance of being accepted.

We are actively working on user acquisition, following a structured pipeline. We have advisors and publishers interested in our project, and we are in the process of finalizing agreements. A newly joined specialist, who previously launched a $1 million game on Steam, is helping us refine our strategy for the remainder of the year.

We aim to attract not only foreign investors but also local backers. Having a Kazakhstani investor who shares our vision would strengthen our confidence and allow us to navigate this journey together. While there are many international investors willing to fund gaming projects, securing local support is particularly important to us.