Kokku On Work Organization at the Company & Game Dev Market in Brazil

Game Market in Brazil

From the heart of Latin America emerges Brazil as a powerhouse in the global gaming industry. With a vibrant and dedicated community of gamers, the country has not only cultivated a massive player base but has also captured the attention of both local and international game developers and publishers. As we say, in the country of football, people spend more time playing video games than kicking the ball. This mutual interest has transformed Brazil into a dynamic ecosystem where creativity, innovation, and passion converge to shape the future of gaming. 

The game development landscape in Brazil and Latin America has undergone a significant transformation, shifting from a focus on domestic markets to embracing a global perspective. This transformation aligns with the remarkable growth observed in the Brazilian gaming industry, which saw a staggering 152% expansion in 2022, highlighting the region's rising influence in the global gaming ecosystem, becoming the 10th global game market and the 5th largest in mobile gaming. The Brazilian market is the #1 in Latin America, reaching $2.3 billion in 2022, surpassing Mexico as the largest video game market in Latin America and accounting for 47.4% of the total revenue in the Global South by 2026 (ABRAGames report 2023).

Kokku, with its forward-thinking approach, ventured into international contracts early on and established strategic partnerships. These collaborations have not only boosted global recognition but have also positioned Brazil as a formidable player in the global gaming arena. 

Work Organization at Kokku

Kokku has a structured organizational framework that categorizes disciplines into distinct departments, including Art, Dev, Creative, and more. Within each department, there is a standardized hierarchy, featuring a Head of Department with Managers reporting directly to them. This setup allows us to effectively manage the team's personnel and careers, ensuring a continuous improvement in our internal talent pool.

When it comes to Project Management, the Production Department plays a pivotal role. For every project, assign a dedicated Project Manager and a Producer. These project managers are responsible for creating synergy within the team, overseeing project deliverables, and facilitating seamless communication between our team and the Partners Team.

The Art department is divided into three distinct teams, two of them regrouping the 2D and 3D experts and the third one, the “central team”, focuses on onboarding, development, and training. This department works by production, where we provide experts for the job and set up the pipeline, and provide maintenance support.  It’s all about collaboration with the production team to get the best out of everyone, and solving everyday problems together.   

Working with the Partners

We need to understand their need. We understand that it is important to solve more than the immediate needs,  it's knowing the product and understanding the context of the assets in order to build an optimal and high-quality product. That step sometimes looks easier than it seems, but if you establish a good relationship and great collaborative communication it helps us be better partners.

Studios often approach us for work in 2D concepts, 3D modeling, and hard surfaces. With extensive experience in AA and AAA titles like Horizon Burning Shores, Zero Dawn, and Forbidden West also collaborating with various publishers, we are well-versed in both short and long-term relationships.

In the realm of development, we have been called upon for platform porting (from console to mobile, web to mobile, and gen8 to gen9) and staff augmentation to expedite development timelines. What sets apart is proficiency in handling custom or proprietary engines - the development team relishes the challenge of understanding and elevating game engines to new heights.

In terms of full-cycle development for mobile, Roblox, and Fortnite. In the Roblox sphere, Kokku boasted substantial experience working with IPs and brands leveraged the production with AAA quality. Notably, three of the top 25 most-accessed branded experiences in Roblox were developed by our team, collaborating with esteemed companies like Netflix (Stranger Things), Warner/DC (Wonder Woman), and Samsung.

Also, the portfolio includes several projects that make us immensely proud. This includes involvement in the Horizon franchise, spanning all its games, as well as contributions to the Sniper Ghost Warrior franchise and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. These projects not only highlight the ability to participate in AAA games but also underscore how far we have come.

Additionally, Roblox projects such as the spaces created for Netflix's Stranger Things and Samsung's Space Tycoon. These immersive experiences have reached millions of players worldwide, reinforcing our commitment to delivering excellence.

Educational Approach 

That is a challenge! The industry has grown considerably. Schools are now providing quality training, but there's still a lot to learn for someone coming into the industry. There's no way out getting closer to the standard is getting practical work done. 

One of our Art Department's approaches to always be a pair of the best practicals, is to get artists shadowing others, exchange experience, and knowledge, work with peer reviews, and use coaching to stimulate the learning experience. The team also works on our own portfolio to develop skills and show innovative assets for the market. Try to keep that loop of development. We're always looking for what is the best in class of Art Production in the market, such as master classes, workshops, and conferences. 

Tips for Artists 

Keep an open mind, there's always a lesson to learn. "Fail Often" has become kind of a buzz concept. I would say that it's how you get back up that is difficult but necessary in order to grow. Our industry is getting more and more mature, information is accessible and vast! I can't believe the new generation privilege they have to navigate through so much experience. It's extraordinary how a small little research can open your mind and nourish your skills.

Kokku's Offer

Our art expertise over the years has grown towards Concept Art, 2D and 3D game asset creation. We have some notable experience with AA and AAA titles, such as Horizon Burning Shores,  Zero Dawn, and Forbidden West. We developed hard surface expertise capable of ramping up to expectations. We can provide quick solutions and long-term solutions. Wanna know more about these Kokku? Let’s talk about Art Production, Co-Dev, and Porting, click here and talk with our team: https://kokku.com.br/contact/. 

Jean-François Carrier, Head of Art at Kokku

Alberto Lopes, Chief Producer Office at Kokku