Competitive multiplayer games live or die by their player base, and it can be tough for a new game like MINTROCKET’sWakerunnersto break into a genre with so many well-established franchises. However,Wakerunnersaims to bring something new to the table for fans of fast-paced multiplayer titles that reward team cooperation and individual player skill with its emphasis on physics-based movement. Developer MINTROCKET hopes to foster a community of dedicated fans around the type of active gameplayWakerunnersoffers, and this community development is baked into its game design philosophy.
In a recent interview with Game Rant,Wakerunnersdirector ChaeHyun Lim detailed how the developer hopes to build a community of players forWakerunners.MINTROCKEThas plans in place to helpWakerunnersgrow the player base it needs by utilizing community interaction and feedback to craft a multiplayer experience that makes players want to continue to play and improve their skills. Despite not yet being released,Wakerunnersis taking advantage of as many avenues as it can to establish a community around the game ahead of its full release.
Wakerunners' Community Support Starts with the Steam Next Fest
The Steam Next Fest is a great way for smaller developers to get eyes on their game, as Steam promotes playable demos for many upcoming titles during this event. Last year,Dave the Diversaw a huge boost in popularitythanks to its Steam Next Fest demo, so it’s not surprising that MINTROCKET would use this event again as a chance to giveWakerunnersthe exposure it needs to succeed. The demo forWakerunnerswill let players try out the game’s physics-based movement system and combat mechanics, and allow the team to make adjustments based on player input before the final release. As Lim says,
We’ll be listening to your feedback at Steam Next Fest to ensure you feel the best possible improvements in the next release, but we also want to keep you updated on our progress so you don’t get bored waiting for Wakerunners.
Utilizing theSteam Next Festin this way seems like an all-around win for both players and MINTROCKET since it gives players a chance to experience the game at no cost while giving the developer important feedback for tuningWakerunners' gameplay ahead of release. Working in tandem with the community in this way sets the tone for how the developer will be supporting the game following its launch, and should be a good sign for players who end up enjoyingWakerunners' unique gameplay.
Player Feedback is Important to Wakerunners' Development
A key part of anyteam-based multiplayer gamethat features different playable characters is how those characters stand out from one another. WhileWakerunnerswill only feature seven playable characters in the Steam Next Fest demo, the team has plans to incorporate more after release based on player feedback. Lim notes that
When the time comes for the official release, we’ll be adding more characters to showcase to our players. We’ll use the feedback from this playtest to make improvements and add more compelling characters.
While it’s unclear just what kinds of characters MINTROCKET has in mind for future additions toWakerunners' roster, it’s encouraging to hear thatplayer feedback from the Steam Next Fest demowill play an important part in developing future content for the game. In an industry where fan feedback often falls on deaf ears, it’s a great sign forWakerunnersthat MINTROCKET is baking player input directly into the development of the game. This reciprocal relationship between players and developers forms the basis of a game’s community, and for a budding game likeWakerunners, this type of support is exactly what it needs for long-term success.
Wakerunnersis now in development for PC. A demo of the game can be played during the February 2024 Steam Next Fest.
