Korean Developer Devsisters Aims to Expand into Western Market
Korean developer Devsisters, known for popular mobile games Cookie Run Kingdom and Gingerbrave, has set its sights on establishing a presence in the Western market. We had the opportunity to interview Chris O’Kelly, the managing director and “boss cookie” of Devsisters Europe, during Devcom 2023 to learn more about their plans.
Devsisters has achieved tremendous success with Cookie Run, with the IP being prominently featured on various items and collaborating with K-Pop supergroup BTS. Now, Devsisters is looking to expand its multimedia presence by launching a new physical trading card game featuring talent from franchises like Digimon and YuGiOh. Despite their success in Korea, the company is determined to become a major player in the Western market.
The Appeal of Devsisters’ IP in the Western Market
According to Chris O’Kelly, Devsisters believes that the IP of Cookie Run has a wide appeal due to its diverse and family-friendly message with a touch of humor. They believe that the IP’s look and feel will resonate with Western audiences, and their success in the American market has already proven this. Devsisters aims to double down on their efforts to bring the IP to other Western markets.
My ‘secret, evil masterplan’ is to use success in the Western market to leverage talent in Europe for the development side of things.
– Chris O’Kelly
The Importance of European Offices for Devsisters
Devsisters currently operates German and French offices, with German staff working three days a week in the office and French staff working fully remote. According to O’Kelly, having local expertise is crucial, and while remote work can provide that, there is a growing appreciation for face-to-face collaboration in creative environments post-pandemic.
O’Kelly stated, “It’s nice to see the people you work with, sometimes. We like to do three days a week, especially to start, but we could go down to one or two days a week. So far it’s much appreciated, especially post-pandemic when everyone was so isolated.”
Upcoming Games for the Western Market
Devsisters has six games set to release later this year, with a focus on two games for the Western market. The first is Brick City, a simulation and city-builder block-building game that encourages self-expression and allows players to share their creations with the community. The second game is Cookie Run: Witch’s Castle, which is based on Devsisters’ popular IP, Cookie Run. It is a story-based casual match2/match3 game where players unlock stars to progress the storyline and aid the cookies in escaping the Witch’s Castle.
O’Kelly emphasized that Cookie Run: Witch’s Castle offers a mix of familiarity and unique twists, making it appealing to both fans of the IP and players who enjoy match2/match3 games.
Devsisters’ Ambitions in Europe
Aside from their new releases, Devsisters has a grand plan to leverage their success in the Western market to attract talented developers in Europe. Chris O’Kelly humorously referred to this plan as his “secret, evil masterplan,” with the goal of using their Western success to build a strong development team in Europe.