As a passionate gamer and long-time follower of the game development scene, I had the incredible opportunity to meet Victor Cardozo, the Art Director, COO, and entrepreneur at Aoca Game Lab during Gamescom Latam. His story resonated deeply with me, as his journey mirrored my own love for gaming and the industry’s potential to bring people together and create lasting impacts on their lives.
At Gamescom Latam, I had a productive conversation with Aoca Game Lab from Brazil, the creators of the survival adventure game “Arida: Backland’s Awakening.” During our meeting with Victor Cardozo, we delved into the studio’s aspirations and future plans for the Arida series.
Can you introduce yourself and your role at Aoca Game Lab?
I’m an entrepreneur, art director, and COO at Aoca Game Lab. Prior to starting Aoca in 2016, I operated a small business from 2010 to 2023, marking the start of my journey in game development and entrepreneurship.
At Bahia, Brazil, I formed a game development association with other creators. While doing so, I crossed paths with Filipe, who later turned out to be my current partner at Aoca. Over the following years, we collaborated closely on various projects. It eventually became apparent that our individual strengths greatly benefited our teamwork.
In simpler terms, I have a strong background in technical aspects and enjoy finding solutions and building, while Filipe shines in the areas of game design that focus on human connection through story and narrative. Our diverse skills created a solid base for Aoca Game Lab.
We have a video that delves deeper into our story and concepts, which you can find below:
For those unfamiliar, what is Arida all about?
ARIDA is our initial game, which came out for PC in 2019 and for mobile in 2022. A console version will be released in 2024. Currently, we’re working on ARIDA 2: Rise of the Brave.
As a dedicated fan, I’d describe ARIDA as my personal journey into the heart of survival and adventure in the unforgiving Brazilian wilderness. Braving the harsh drought, I delve deeper into the more arid territories to collect essential resources and unravel the enigma surrounding Cícera’s mysterious fate.
Can you tell us about the studio’s vision? I know that’s very important to everything you create.
For us, vision holds great importance. We value the ability to tell stories as a means of passing down our family heritage and shedding light on Brazil’s lesser-known history. Our identities are significantly shaped by our ancestry, and we strive to embody this in our projects. ÁRIDA is founded upon these core beliefs.
ÁRIDA delves into significant topics like internal migration within Brazil and its relevance to the 1896 pre-civil war – War of Canudos. This historic conflict is a crucial moment for Brazil, demonstrating the unyielding spirit of a solitary village facing off against the Brazilian Military.
At Aoca Game Lab, our vision is to create games that leave a lasting impact on people’s lives.
You have released Arida Backlands Awakening on multiple platforms. What has been the most successful and what do you see as your ‘main’ one?
I started off by releasing my game on PC back in 2019. Then, two years later in 2022, I made the exciting expansion to mobile platforms like Android and iOS. Now, I’m busy getting ready for an even bigger leap – launching on consoles towards the end of this year.
I’m thrilled to share that Android has become our most prosperous platform so far in my experience as a fan. Initially, there were worries about the prevalence of free-to-play games and the hurdles involved in monetizing paid titles on mobile devices. Yet, we’ve managed to surpass expectations with over 100,000 downloads.
Taking part in Google’s Acceleration program significantly contributed to our achievement. We received valuable assistance and direction throughout the process, ultimately leading us to become one of the 2023 Google Indie Games Fund grant recipients.
Were there any lessons you learned from Arida and how did that affect your approach to the sequel?
In our initial game, we gained substantial knowledge. Issues such as optimization, game length, adjusting difficulty levels, and translating for various regions proved to be formidable tasks. Nevertheless, the end product surpassed our predictions and granted us priceless insights.
To achieve greatness as a leading game developer, we understand the value of constant progress. Our players have expressed a need for additional content, such as new quests and a larger game environment. Watching players engage with our narratives and connect with our characters is an immensely rewarding experience.
Can we expect Arida II to come to mobile and if so, when might that be?
Absolutely! The insights gained from ÁRIDA I emphasized the vast opportunity in the mobile market and stressed the significance of providing an outstanding player experience. Consequently, we’re dedicated to going above and beyond with ÁRIDA II by creating a version for every platform.
What’s coming up for Aoca Game Lab beyond Arida II?
We’re thrilled to broaden the scope of the ÁRIDA world beyond just gaming. Our debut of “ÁRIDA: The Art of ÁRIDA – Book I – Awakening,” launched in collaboration with a prominent Brazilian publishing company at Gamescom Latam, was met with great enthusiasm. This art book provides an extensive exploration into the game’s creation process, research findings, and fundamental ideas. It is also believed to be the first art book for a Brazilian video game.
As a passionate gamer involved in the ÁRIDA project, I’m thrilled to share that we’re working on crafting intriguing storylines for possible video game adaptations. We’re also open to the idea of broadening ÁRIDA’s reach by exploring opportunities in animation, audio series, and films. Keep an eye out for official announcements, as we’re excited to introduce ÁRIDA to new communities through these engaging mediums.
Throughout Gamescom Latam, there’s been talk about Brazil becoming an important country for gaming. What’s your perspective on this?
As a passionate fan of mobile gaming, I can’t help but be excited about the immense potential of Brazil as a target market. With a vibrant and varied player base that spans an extensive range of devices, this country ranks among the global leaders in mobile gaming. Moreover, the rapidly expanding gaming population makes it an irresistible destination for game developers. Although Brazil’s gaming industry is still young, its remarkable growth over the last ten years has left me in awe and leaves me eager to witness what lies ahead.
The arrival of Gamescom Latam has the power to revolutionize the industry, similar to the influence of its European and Asian equivalents in spurring market development and promoting regional prosperity. We’re looking forward to future Gamescom Latam editions that will draw in new gamers and expose Brazil to a worldwide community.
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2024-07-17 15:18