Family Age: development story

What the talk is about

Vitaliy Moroz tells the story of making the mobile game Family Age, about a primitive family that lost its tribe. It began as a two-year evening project built on enthusiasm: the team kept falling apart, motivation faded, and the prototype showed that 3D wasn't needed. He then secured an investor, an art director and a tech director, and in 17 months the team grew to 16 people. He describes an "ideal chaos" setup where everyone speaks up but one responsible person makes each decision. Art went through about four iterations. Budget and timeline ended up about twice the promise, the release had to be rushed, and the game shipped unfinished. Growth was slow after launch, and a real spike came only after a store feature. He advises negotiating honestly with investors and building in reserves. Useful for indie teams and producers.