Kona dev says the secret to success lies in creating something unique

What's the secret to success in the games industry? It goes without saying that there isn't one universal 'golden rule,' but if you want to make it to the top, it makes sense to heed the words of your peers.

During our recent Twitch stream, Kona developer Alexandre Fiset weighed in on the matter by dishing out some advice of his own, and explained that if game devs want to make a living creating games, they should strive to create something unique. 

"You have to create something that people want. I mean, it's an easy answer but it's tough to execute because there's a bunch of developers trying different things, so you have to stick to a vision that's your own," he explains.

"For example, some people will see that there's a new Pokemon game, like Pokemon Go, and say 'cool, that works, so I'm going to make a Pokemon Go type game.' But that's not how we work. We wanted to make a game that was unique. And it's easier to sell something that's unique, than something that's just a clone of another game."

Naturally, people want to make money, and that's why it can be so tempting to hop on whatever bandwagon is rolling through town at the time. But in the long-run, Fiset believes if you stay true to the creative process and build something that matters, the rewards will come. 

"So if I had a hint for developers looking to start making games for a living, it'd be to make things that matter to the industry and not think financially," he continues. "That's not why we make games. Yes, we want to pay ourselves a salary and eat well, but mostly we want to make great games."

To hear more from Fiset be sure to check out the full stream right here. After you've done that, why not follow the Gamasutra Twitch channel for even more developer insights and gameplay commentary.