Mina the Hollower, the next game from the creators of Shovel Knight, is "make-or-break" for indie developer Yacht Club Games, according to studio head and co-founder Sean Velasco.
In a new Bloomberg interview, Velasco said in order for Yacht Club Games to remain independent, Mina the Hollower needs to be a success, and if it could sell 200,000 copies, "that would be really, really great." The studio recently underwent layoffs and put a second in-the-works project on hold until Mina the Hollower releases.
"It's make-or-break for sure," Velasco said. "If we sold 500,000 copies, then we would be golden. If we sold even 200,000, that would be really, really great. If we sold, like, 100,000, that's not so good."
Originally slated to release in October, Mina the Hollower underwent an indefinite last-minute delay just a few weeks prior to launch and currently does not have a new release date.
Velasco told Bloomberg the delay happened in order for Yacht Club to improve on various elements within the game that were only recently identified. At the time of the delay, the studio said it "wasn't a major delay" and was to done in order to "apply some final polish and balancing to make the game truly shine." The studio said it didn't want to announce a new release date until the game was submitted to platform holders.
It was only in 2024 that the entire studio shifted to work on Mina the Hollower, a top-down Zelda-like with Game Boy-era visuals, with the studio having previously been split into two teams. One team worked on Mina while the other worked on an unannounced 3D Shovel Knight sequel, according to Bloomberg.
Yacht Club released its debut Shovel Knight, a throwback platformer starring a knight that wielded a shovel, to great success in 2014. The character struck a chord with players, and Shovel Knight even received an official Amiibo from Nintendo and was included in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as an assist trophy.
The studio spent the years after Shovel Knight's release crafting various expansions and spin-offs. Yacht Club's most recent release was 2022's Shovel Knight Dig, developed in collaboration with Nitrome.
Source
In a new Bloomberg interview, Velasco said in order for Yacht Club Games to remain independent, Mina the Hollower needs to be a success, and if it could sell 200,000 copies, "that would be really, really great." The studio recently underwent layoffs and put a second in-the-works project on hold until Mina the Hollower releases.
"It's make-or-break for sure," Velasco said. "If we sold 500,000 copies, then we would be golden. If we sold even 200,000, that would be really, really great. If we sold, like, 100,000, that's not so good."
Originally slated to release in October, Mina the Hollower underwent an indefinite last-minute delay just a few weeks prior to launch and currently does not have a new release date.
Velasco told Bloomberg the delay happened in order for Yacht Club to improve on various elements within the game that were only recently identified. At the time of the delay, the studio said it "wasn't a major delay" and was to done in order to "apply some final polish and balancing to make the game truly shine." The studio said it didn't want to announce a new release date until the game was submitted to platform holders.
It was only in 2024 that the entire studio shifted to work on Mina the Hollower, a top-down Zelda-like with Game Boy-era visuals, with the studio having previously been split into two teams. One team worked on Mina while the other worked on an unannounced 3D Shovel Knight sequel, according to Bloomberg.
Yacht Club released its debut Shovel Knight, a throwback platformer starring a knight that wielded a shovel, to great success in 2014. The character struck a chord with players, and Shovel Knight even received an official Amiibo from Nintendo and was included in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as an assist trophy.
The studio spent the years after Shovel Knight's release crafting various expansions and spin-offs. Yacht Club's most recent release was 2022's Shovel Knight Dig, developed in collaboration with Nitrome.
Source