Let’s Beer Together — a Kazakhstani VR game that attracts the attention of international players

Aldiyar Naukanov, city — Almaty, game development, co-founder of Some games, Linkedin  

About Me

I am a game designer, and my experience is primarily related to game development. I received a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science at SDU University. Then I moved into the gaming industry and started working on games. Currently, I work at our game studio. We strive to become a reliable producer and developer of games from Kazakhstan.

How It All Started 

We opened the studio in 2023, at which point we began developing test games. The idea for the current project came to me while I was in one of the old cities. For a long time, I wanted to create a VR simulator where players could try themselves in an unusual role. One day, after visiting an antique shop, I became interested in what it would be like to be an antique dealer — dealing with items that people do not encounter in everyday life.

Thus, the idea for a tavern simulator was born. A medieval tavern is ideally suited for a broad audience, especially in the US, where such a setting is familiar to many. We decided not to touch upon Kazakh folklore or Eastern culture, but to focus on the concept of a medieval tavern.

After that, we began testing it. I wrote down my thoughts, developed concepts, and gathered references, creating a Game Design Document, GDD. First, I presented it to the founder and the team, then shared it with friends and acquaintances in the industry. The idea gradually expanded, and at some point, I realized it was time to start development. Thus, the project began to take shape.

The Team

Khakim Esenzhanov is my co-founder; we have known each other for a long time. We met at the N.Factorial programming school, where he was my mentor for mobile app development when I was studying at university. Khakim impressed me as a technically savvy and kind person.

After we worked together, our paths diverged: I went into games, while he focused on his own business. One day, Khakim called me and said that he wanted to open a game studio and work on projects in this field.

We got in touch and started working on the studio, which we opened last year. We immediately began assembling people. Part of the team assembled last year stayed with us, and half of the new members were recruited this year using standard hiring methods.

Target Audience

In closed testing, we conduct various tests with participants playing our game via Steam; currently, there are about 1,000 such people. We target a niche audience — mainly men aged 18 to 30 who own a PC or a VR headset.

Our project is designed for people seeking social interaction and wishing to escape reality a little. Our game allows players to immerse themselves in a medieval fantasy setting, which can be particularly interesting after work. We even joke that if a bartender goes home and plays as a virtual bartender, it looks quite funny.

The main goal of our game is to simulate the atmosphere of a tavern where players can have fun with friends. They will be able to pour drinks, serve customers, and communicate with each other, creating exciting moments and adventures in the game.

Incubation Programs

I have previously participated in incubators, but our team has not yet had the chance to go through such a program. We have good chances to participate in two or three accelerators by the end of the year. The most promising one is SpeedRun from Andreessen Horowitz, with a total investment pool for startups of $30 million. Given that there are few applications for VR games, we believe we have good chances of getting in. We have also submitted applications to other accelerators.

Challenges

We have faced technical difficulties, but there is no point listing them — such things always happen. One of the problems was the connection between the tavern and multiplayer, but this is solvable. 

Another issue is staffing difficulties: we have a small team, and we are trying to accomplish a large volume of work. To enter the global market, we need to expand the team and strengthen marketing.

Our main focus is finding investments to increase the team size and develop a confident marketing strategy. There were also minor difficulties during the pre-production stage. I would advise future game designers and developers to spend more time on this stage. We developed the game quickly, and perhaps we should have worked more on the concepts.

Achievements

We were selected for two major events. The first is DEVGAMM 2024 in Lisbon, where a competition will take place. We were chosen from the top 500 games and are nominated in three categories, which is a significant victory for an indie team. This will create media buzz and help in building relationships with publishing companies. DEVGAMM is something like the Oscars for indie developers. 

The second event is the Steam Next Fest festival, which also supports indie teams preparing for release. The selection here is also serious, and we are proud to have been chosen. 

I am proud of the team — we have good experience in game development and 3D design, and there are also people who have worked on music videos for famous artists such as Kanye West and The Weeknd.

Plans

Our goal is to conduct a soft launch, a gentle release without a global launch, focusing on the right first steps in marketing. We plan such a launch by Christmas, targeting the US market. We are not aiming for huge revenues this year, but want to focus on fundraising and attracting ambitious investors to build a studio on the global market.

In the short term, we have scheduled Steam Next Fest and the Almaty Geek Festival. We are also participating in DevGAM and have submitted an application to the SpeedRun accelerator, where we have good chances.

We are engaged in user acquisition, following a established pipeline. We have advisors and publishers of interest to us, with whom we need to complete processes. A new specialist with experience launching a game for $1 million on Steam is helping us formulate plans for the rest of the year.

We strive to ensure that among the first investors are not only foreigners but also locals. Having a local partner who shares our spirit and goals will give the team confidence and help us navigate this path together. There are enough foreign investors willing to invest in games, but support from a local investor is extremely important for us.