#CoCreate2Accelerate: The RetroEpic challenge
8 Aug 2016
Meet RetroEpic Software, a Cape Town-based game development company and one of the five high-potential startups selected for the #CoCreate2Accelerate challenge taking place at the Open Design Festival in Cape Town. This initiative, created by the Kingdom of Netherlands, brings together five South African companies and five Dutch innovators to tackle business challenges, and exchange ideas and innovations for a sustainable future.
The RetroEpic team.
Building on success
Founded by Keith and Niki Boshoff in 2007, RetroEpic has produced games for a variety of key partners both locally and abroad; including Sharkie, a game boasting upwards of 100,000 downloads on Google Play alone; and Jungle Beat, which reached the number one spot on iTunes South Africa’s top paid games in its first week of sales.
The company, now comprising 13 full-time employees, has also ventured into the production of independent game titles. Their first commercial PC title, A Day in the Woods, went on to win the Unsung Heroes competition and publishing contract with Spil Games after its art update in 2015. RetroEpic also joined forces with fellow local game development studio, Every.Single.Soldier, to bring out a number of war-themed games including Afghanistan '11 (sequel to Vietnam '65) and Carrier Deck.
Protecting the culture
Despite success enjoyed through both independent work and partner projects, the team feels that there’s room for improvement. While they are confident that technical aspects of their game development remain cutting edge, their company structure leaves something to be desired when it comes to business processes.
“Due to our flat structure, we have no single person in charge of the business itself and, while we have been successful thus far, we would really like to see what could be done to prepare us for the next ten years and ensure our sustainability,” they said. The real challenge is to ensure that the refinement of business management doesn’t occur at the expense of their much-loved open company culture.
One of their aims is to make sure all factors influencing their business are well considered – whether it be ensuring BEE compliance locally or being aware of the unique aspects involved in taking on work from European clients. “As we don't have clear oversight in these areas, and we don't have a person driving these avenues of exploration, we essentially don't know what we don't know.”
Digital nomadic doyenne
Esther Jacobs
Assisting RetroEpic Software with their business challenge is Dutch entrepreneur Esther Jacobs. She’s an author, speaker and academic lecturer, and after getting ‘fired’ from her country for travelling too much, she became a digital nomad, living and working in over one hundred countries. Some of the other notches on her belt include raising $25 million for charities without a budget, network or experience and getting knighted by the Dutch Queen.
Jacobs was selected for the #CoCreate2Accelerate programme due to her ‘no excuses’ approach towards challenges and her ability to achieve results in short periods of time. She will aid RetroEpic in the development of a plan to outline changes in business practices without having to change their business structure, and in the creation of a practical checklist of best business practices. It’s hoped that with Jacobs’ understanding of the need for flexibility in growth, she will help catapult RetroEpic into the next phase of their booming business.
The #CoCreate2Accelerate initiative takes place from 10-21 August 2016 at the Open Design Festival in Cape Town. Click here for more info.
