The Story Behind Cooking Fever Duels: From Fan Request to Fully Fledged Game
The popular mobile game developer and publisher, Nordcurrent, known for their casual games, has achieved great success with their Cooking Fever series. With almost 400 million downloads and 15 million monthly active users, it is their biggest hit to date. Now, Nordcurrent is set to release a highly anticipated online PVP spin-off entry called Cooking Fever Duels, which will be launching on December 7th.
An Interview with Tomas Šiukščius, Games Project Manager
Prior to the game’s release, we had the opportunity to interview Tomas Šiukščius, the games project manager, to gain insights into the game development journey. We discussed the initial inspiration behind the Cooking Fever PvP game, the challenges faced by the team, and the careful balance between attracting new players while staying true to the essence of the Cooking Fever series.
The Birth of a PvP Game
We asked Tomas Šiukščius about the origin of the idea to create a Cooking Fever PvP game. He revealed that the idea came directly from the Cooking Fever community itself. The players actively expressed their desire for a PvP mode within the game. Listening to their players’ feedback, Nordcurrent embarked on the development of Cooking Fever Duels to fulfill this request.
Tomas Šiukščius shared that the game was in development for a total of five years, with one year as a Cooking Fever mode and four years as a separate game.
Tomas Šiukščius
The Game Development Process
When it comes to the game’s development timeline, it is quite intricate. The PvP aspect was initially introduced as a special play mode within Cooking Fever. However, it was later decided to develop it as a separate game, targeting a mid-core audience. This decision allowed Nordcurrent to cater more specifically to their passionate fan base and address necessary code-related improvements. In total, Cooking Fever Duels has been in development for five years.
Balancing Familiarity and Innovation
A significant challenge faced by Nordcurrent was striking the right balance between staying true to the essence of the Cooking Fever series and introducing new elements to attract fresh players. The team ensured that Cooking Fever Duels expanded on the core identity of the series while maintaining familiarity. However, they also incorporated new magical elements such as avatars, events, and upcoming guilds to create an engaging experience.
Blending Casual and Mid-Core Genres
Merging the casual and mid-core genres presented another obstacle, as the game needed to appeal to both audiences. Nordcurrent aimed to achieve a delicate balance between competitive gameplay and casual accessibility. Cooking Fever Duels was designed to be easy to learn but challenging to master, offering various mechanics and gameplay styles that lead to different outcomes. This approach appealed to mid-core players who enjoy strategic decision-making.
Tomas Šiukščius emphasized the importance of creating a unique twist for the spin-off game that engages players without deviating too much from the core essence of the original.
Tomas Šiukščius
Looking Ahead and Supporting the Game
We asked Tomas Šiukščius about the future plans for Cooking Fever Duels. He assured us that there are already numerous updates in the pipeline for the game. Nordcurrent aims to grow the spin-off to the same heights as Cooking Fever itself, promising an abundance of fresh content. Furthermore, he hinted at the possibility of introducing a cooking guild feature in 2024, where players can battle bosses and other guilds.
What’s Next for Nordcurrent?
Wrapping up the interview, we asked Tomas Šiukščius if there was anything else we should know about the game or Nordcurrent’s upcoming projects. He encouraged readers to stay updated by following Nordcurrent’s LinkedIn page for the latest news and game releases.