11-bit studios – Making and Selling Video Games during the Pandemic

We talked to Konrad Adamczewski on how 11-bit studios create and sells video games and this is what he had to say.

How are you and your family doing in these COVID-19 times? 

Konrad Adamczewski: We’re doing fine. No one in my close or distant family has had COVID, so hopefully, it will stay that way, but, unfortunately, the same can’t be said about my colleagues. The world around us changed. We must act carefully and think about ourselves and others more than before. I’m concerned that not everyone is fully aware of how much danger is out there in Poland. At the same time, we try to live as normally as possible. I have a son who will be turning three next year. We want to do everything possible so he could not feel that something wrong is happening around him.

Tell us about you, your career, how you joined 11-bit studios?

Konrad Adamczewski: I joined 11-bit studios at the beginning of 2019. Previously I worked in another gaming company here in Poland – Techland. 

How does 11-bit studios innovate? 

Konrad Adamczewski: We aim to create games that we describe as meaningful entertainment. Games capable of sparking discussions and touch topics and themes that stay with the gamers long after finishing them.

How the coronavirus pandemic affects your business, and how are you coping?

Konrad Adamczewski: The pandemic didn’t affect our work schedules. All in-house projects are continuously developed without any breaks; almost the whole company works remotely. Also, people are searching for stationary entertainment. So in terms of sales and revenues, 2020 shapes to be our best year ever.

Did you have to make difficult choices, and what are the lessons learned?

Konrad Adamczewski: So far, we haven’t had to make difficult choices like salary cuts or dismissals. We’re still hiring people and will continue to do it in the next two years since we plan to have an additional 100 people on board by 2023. And that’s a significant growth since we’re about 150 people strong now. And the lesson we learn is that not everything could be done remotely. When our projects are approaching their release dates, more and more people will be required to work stationary. But hopefully, at that time, the crisis will be mostly taken care of.

How do you deal with stress and anxiety? How do you project yourself and 11-bit studios in the future?

Konrad Adamczewski: Our company tries to take care of all the people working from homes. We get gifts from time to time, get personal protective equipment like masks, gloves, or antibacterial gels delivered to our homes. And nice Christmas packages are ready to be sent right now. In a short time, we’ll start to offer mental support for those who feel that the current situation, lockdowns, and overall anxiety tied to the pandemic are negatively affecting them.

Who are your competitors? And how do you plan to stay in the game?

Konrad Adamczewski: The gaming market is very competitive since thousands of games release every year. But we’re growing, have three in-house projects in development, and three publishing projects made by independent studios. We moved to a new office in March, actually – we bought a whole building in one of the old districts of Warsaw, which is our first own space in the company history. We have a strategy that was well thought out years before and believe that our games will be unique in the scale of the whole industry. The future looks bright. 

Your final thoughts?

Konrad Adamczewski: I hope the pandemic will end, and we will be able to function normally soon. Especially in PR, there is nothing better than regular gaming events that allow for direct contact with the media or influencers to talk about games and integrate in an old school way. 

Your website?

https://www.11bitstudios.com/