Cowboys and Indies
A Brave New Independent World
I talked to a creative, talented and renowned indie developer. Get to know who is behind your favorite games.
Gamers, worldwide, are growing fearful of AAA games. Assassin’s Creed Unity, the latest entry of the million-selling series, disappointed thousands of dedicated fans when it hit shelves last Monday. One of those fans, known online as “4chan”, even said that it is “a fucking piece of flamming shit”. A gigantic budget doesn’t mean your game is good, like it meant before. The tides are turning. I had the amazing chance to meet a man who’s rowing stronger than ever.
John Merdovich seems like a normal man, at first glance. He isn’t, though. His indie studio, Kandiru Productions, has developed more than 5 games in the last four years. Their most famous game is, undoubtedly, “Super Retro Popsicle”, the 2013 sleeper hit that has, to date, selled more than 4 million copies on Steam. “What’s your secret?” — I asked Merdovich. His answer will surprise you.
“Nothing! Do some shit that makes you wonder how the fuck gaming survived the 80s and it will sell like fucking hotcakes!”
Merdovich is a divisive figure in the gaming world. His many fans praise him as an almost-messianic figure, capable of changing the world with a wave of his hands. His detractors think he is an egocentric cunt. I asked John about what he thinks of his haters.
“I really couldn’t care less, friend” — he says — “at the end of the day, I am more famous and richer than those fuckwits will ever be.”
“Super Retro Popsicle” surprised a lot of people when it was released, a year ago. Its pixel-art visuals awed many a gamer, and its steep learning curve proved to be a challenge even to the most seasoned one. “You know, we at Kandiru are all really big Dark Souls fans. I mean, who isn’t, right? Those lame-ass bitches who aren’t fans are exactly that, lame ass bitches. It’s their choice… So, what I was saying? We at Kandiru are all really big Dark Souls fans, so we tried to blend in that challenge, that difficulty, in SRP. But, you know, creating a hard game that seems fair to the players is really hard, too. So we just put a lot of mobs in the same room, like they did in Dark Souls 2. Besides, our game has that retro feeling that it’s really hip nowadays. People buy every single game that looks straight out of a NES. If that same game is hard, they buy it twice.”
Fame, talent and fortune has its toll, though. Two months ago, the now-famous “Merdovich Twitter Meltdown”, or MTM, happened. John, apparently in contradiction, started tweeting about his “cyberbullying”. Once an obscure indie developer, he was now a rockstar of the gaming world seemingly unable to cope with his new-found recognition.
MTM itself happened when an online troll, known as BroodyWhiteKnight, called Merdovich a “fuckwit” and asked him about “Super Retro Popsicle 2", the eagerly-awaited sequel. John Merdovich reacted violently and promptly said that “SRP2" “will never be released”. His uncommon reaction was the source of much talk on the days to follow. I ask John what was in his mind on that faithful day.
“Man, you know… You know, a bit earlier you asked me what I think about my haters, and it’s true, I don’t give fucks. But when I saw that fucking idiot’s tweet, I realized that humanity isn’t ready for my genius, for my gifts. Super Retro Popsicle 2 was a pet project of mine and I would love to release it, but I just can’t when I know that animals like him will be able to feel it and enjoy it. They don’t deserve this little slice of heaven I’m providing.”
Merdovich is still heading Kandiru Productions, though. What’s the next big thing? “We’re currently developing some seriously cool shit for PC that I probably can’t talk about. SRP is done because of the apes, but that doesn’t mean I’m done, too. They wish.”
I left John knowing more about this hugely known figure that so few comprehend. He is the genius that gaming deserves, but not the one it needs right now. So we’ll mock him online. Because he can take it. Because he’s not our genius. He’s an artist, a visionary. A fuckwit.
