Keynote: Starting Over & Over: The Story of Hyper Light Drifter & OFK
summary
Argues that time is the riskiest currency and describes concrete time practices: using timers, a 52-week layout, weekly vocal training for two years and blocking milestones around show demos. Chronicles outcomes: four iPhone games shipped with a 1.5‑year studio lifespan, Hyper Light Drifter’s Kickstarter with ~24,000 backers and a 2.5‑year build (including a Vita port), a two‑year Square Enix project cancelled, OFK taking 4.5 years and peaking at ~20 collaborators then shrinking to two at release, plus live shows to 2,000 people and a Peabody.
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chapters (13)
- 0:00Conference opening
- 3:59Keynote introduction
- 4:43Time in game dev
- 13:24Early career struggles
- 20:25Indie studio behind scenes
- 22:28Hyper Light Drifter development
- 28:49Kanye West collaboration
- 33:04Square Enix Montreal move
- 34:48Project cancellation recovery
- 36:55OFK founding
- 41:31OFK challenges
- 43:39Rediscovering passion
- 46:10Q&A
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