Beyond the Formula: How Ebaka Games Builds Games with Emotion and Originality

🎙️Ebaka Games has a very distinctive voice. Was there a moment when you decided you didn't want to build games like everyone else?

Yes, of course. But it was not one single decision - it was more a result of a long build-up of fatigue from the oversupply of games that all felt the same. We realized that studios often create games in a formulaic way, trying to repeat someone else’s success by copying it and making only small improvements. The industry needed a breath of fresh air and a sense of risk, so we decided to build a product that grabs attention from the very first second and leaves unforgettable emotions.

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🎙️Could you take us behind one of your games and explain how you crafted its atmosphere, from the first idea to the final player experience?

All our games are developed through the same process: everything starts with a shared idea within the team, supported by market analysis, trend research, and hypothesis building. Then we discuss the mechanics and meta features, and in the end we add the hardcore layer - our Ebaka mode, which sets us apart through innovation in familiar gameplay and high volatility. When we discussing idea, we always ask ourselves: “What emotions should this game evoke in the player?” Because our goal is not to make what already exists, but to create something that makes players come back again and again, choosing Ebaka.

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🎙️ When you're creating a new game, what comes first: the emotion you want players to feel or the mechanics that drive the gameplay?

Emotion comes first, as long as it works in synergy with clear mechanics. In our industry, the entry barrier should be very low. If achieving the emotion we want requires a complicated mechanic, then it simply does not make sense. Players will not spend time learning something for too long, because all they want from our games is a quick dopamine hit and big wins.

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🎙️ How do art, sound, and mechanics come together to create an experience that players don't just play, but feel?

Usually, the secrets behind successful games stay inside the studio under NDA :) But I’ll make an exception. First and foremost, it is about the team working in sync. It is one thing to build a studio and package a product, and another to find people who share your vision and strategy, and who genuinely want to create a product they themselves would love to play. In other words, it is about finding like-minded people who create emotion through art, sound, and mechanics. You cannot fool a player with a low-quality product.

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🎙️ What's one creative principle your studio would never compromise, even if it meant saying no to an opportunity?

We would never sacrifice originality for a safe compromise. If an idea does not create a strong emotion and does not sound genuinely like us, we would rather say “no” than release another product without character.