The hyper-casual industry has taken off over the past few years and now dominates the mobile gaming charts. Thanks to simple gameplay and mass-market appeal, games developed in just a few weeks can rack up hundreds of millions of downloads. But hyper-casual can seem like a daunting industry for any new developer or artist looking to make games. It’s a fast-paced and competitive environment where you need to learn and fail fast in order to build long-term success. Entering the industry without the right knowledge, mindset or experience is a slow process of trial-and-error which can take years to perfect before becoming a successful studio - but it doesn’t need to be this way.
The brand new Voodoo Academy program is designed to support and inspire all newcomers to the hyper-casual industry by providing all the knowledge, tools, and even financial support you need to transform into fully established, hit-making studios. It’s open to all game development students, recent graduates and newcomers to the hyper-casual industry that have not yet published a game with another publisher. The idea is to get you up and running as quickly and efficiently as possible, making sure you start your hyper-casual experience in the best possible conditions - and not waste years trying to make it on your own.
There are three key components to the Voodoo Academy program:
1. Access an online training platform with extensive hyper-casual guides 📚
Our Publishing Team has created an exclusive online training platform for Academy participants and partner studios with extensive courses on hyper-casual. The courses are designed to take you through everything you need to know, from ideation to launch - and everything in between. You can follow them at your own pace, and more courses will be uploaded regularly.
2. Participate in events with the Voodoo Publishing Team and experienced studios 🎙
Voodoo Academy participants will be able to join live Q&A sessions and presentations with mentors from both the Voodoo Publishing team and studios with years of valuable experience in hyper-casual. With six hit games with Voodoo under their belt, OHM Games are one of the studios already scheduled to participate in Voodoo Academy events. Arthur Duvergne, co-founder, said:
“We are delighted to be able to share our knowledge of developing and launching successful hyper-casual games. We believe newcomers to hyper-casual can bring fresh ideas, start new trends and become key members of a great community. We hope that the experience-driven input we’ve shared with the Voodoo Academy will help fellow developers to succeed”.
3. Pick up financial and coaching rewards for each milestone 🏆
We’re offering prizes for each milestone you reach during the Voodoo Academy program, for example; when you test your first game, test the next two games within a short period of time, or reach high metrics on one of the games you test. The idea is that the more your progress, the more resources you’ll have to build up your future studio. Rewards include financial support and coaching sessions with the Voodoo Publishing Team.
What happens after the program? 🚀
The program is designed to last up to one year after you sign up, with regularly uploaded training courses, dedicated sessions with trainers, and interactions with the Voodoo teams. Participants who complete the program then have the opportunity to join our community of studios as an official game-making studio.
Join the movement toward market innovation ⚡️
Watching the market develop over the past few years, it’s clear that innovative games are the ones that ultimately go futher and reach more players. The industry needs innovation just as much as players need innovative gameplay experiences. We expect a lot of industry growth to come from newcomers with fresh perspectives, fresh ideas, and a determination to bring new things to the table.
Stanislas Marchand, Voodoo Academy Lead, added: “We believe that with the right training from Voodoo experts, budding hyper-casual game developers can gain years of experience in only a few months. With Voodoo Academy, we’re putting this belief into practice by offering a free-to-access pathway for students to learn, share, and build long-lasting success with Voodoo’s guidance. We’ve always been passionate about supporting our partners, and the Voodoo Academy is a true embodiment of our commitment to this”.
Want to find out more?
We’re hosting a live stream with our Publishing Team and Blue Monkey Studio on Thursday, April 14th, starting at 3 pm CEST. Stay tuned on our Linkedin page for the link.
