Head of Product at Outfit7, Jaka Robnik, sat down to have a chat with us and spin a few tails about Talking Tom and friends.
Talking Tom, Angela, and their gang of friends have been regular guests here at Gamespace. With the recent release of Talking Hank Islands, the long-standing virtual pet series made a break for new territory. With more than 10 million downloads in its first week of activity, it seems that developer Outfit7 fashioned a new hit with fans, so it seemed like there perfect opportunity to grab some shade and spin some tails about what it takes to stay relevant in a demanding market.
Talking Tom is over a decade old. What’s the catnip that drives such endearing appeal for this character and games?
There’s no secret sauce here. It’s a collaborative effort across the entire company that’s kept Talking Tom relevant for years. We’ve focused on keeping the games fresh and engaging by continually adding new features, mini-games, and improvements. Our distribution and marketing teams have been fantastic at attracting new players and building a dedicated fanbase, as well as identifying what players want as trends change and evolve. On top of that, our media content team consistently delivers engaging videos and series for social media, TV, and subscription services, so it’s a full package. As our GM would say, “the whole gang has been hard at work to make this happen”. Of course, let’s not forget the giggles! Tom’s funny antics and, oh he farts a lot, that’s also a big part of the charm.
Could you tell us about your history with Talking Tom & Friends?
I started as a product manager on Talking Tom Gold Run in 2016 with zero game production experience,.so it was a wild ride to begin with! Everyone at Outfit7 was so welcoming and passionate, it took me a while to believe it wasn’t a dream (seriously, everyone was so happy, I thought they were on something, haha). Learning the ropes was intense at first, but luckily I’m a fast learner. That helped me take on more games and manage some really talented and fantastic people. Out of all the characters, Talking Hank has always been my favorite. He’s so goofy and is crazy for food, how can you not love that? One of my most cherished experiences was working on My Talking Angela 2. It allowed me to put my heart into the project, keeping my family in mind because we play the games together, so it felt in some way I was making it for them. I’ve been lucky enough to be hands-on with all of our Talking Tom & Friends games, which has been very useful to learn what works and inspire new ideas for future projects.
My Talking Hank: Islands just launched, why take a step away from the likes of Tom and Angela this time?
There are multiple reasons for focusing on Hank this time around. Firstly, we at Outfit7 absolutely adore Hank and his goofy charm that sets him apart from other characters. While My Talking Hank was a fun experience when it launched, it didn’t quite reach the same heights as Tom and Angela’s games. We felt it was time for Hank to shine in his own “flagship” game. And secondly, the Talking Tom & Friends universe has a rich cast of characters, and we want to expand recognition beyond just Talking Tom and Talking Angela. Giving Hank his own island adventure allowed us to showcase his personality and introduce players to the wider Talking Tom & Friends world.
Why spin off an entirely new game rather than expand an existing one?
The original My Talking Hank game, while enjoyable, didn’t achieve the same level of success as our other flagship titles. We realized that to improve it, we’d need to fundamentally change the game, which was almost like making a new game from scratch. So, we did just that! We kept the core features and elements that players loved about My Talking Hank but went hard on innovation and expansion. Now, we have a ‘brand new-old game adapted and improved for 2024.
With new game launches come new fans but I can imagine that players simply growing up can be as big a risk to the overall player base as the series grows up too. How do you maintain a continuing pool of players? Do you look to bring in new fans, cement the relationship with older players, or turn the whole thing into a family affair?
It’s true, player demographics can shift over time. However, the strength of the Talking Tom & Friends universe is its appeal across all ages. When trends change, we adapt through bigger reworks. Beyond the games, our marketing and media content teams work hard to keep the brand successful and drive users to our titles. Coupled with the strong brand recognition we’ve built over time, this synergy ensures a steady influx of users and keeps our games performing well over the long term.
Do those concerns about the changing demographic and player populations influence the game design? MMOs are maybe not on the radar but a great example of slowing player bases creating snowballing effects
Player needs will always impact game design to some extent. The first Talking Tom game is a prime example. Released today, it might not make the same impact, as it was very much a product of its time. To stay in touch with changing trends and listen to our audience. Over the years, we’ve introduced new features and technologies, such as mini-games, enhanced character design, more animations, a needs system, and character customization. With the latest release, Hank can roam freely, explore his island and interact with animals. This evolution reflects the changing needs and preferences of our players.
As you mentioned, MMOs are probably not on our roadmap, but they illustrate how trends shift and impact the industry at large. Trends are constantly evolving; they change over time but often come back. If MMOs are losing traction now, they might regain popularity in a few years. At one point, everyone was focusing on runners, but they are less relevant today, alongside hyper casual games, which were once a craze, are also losing their appeal. Trends come and go, but as long as we stay focused on engaging players with enjoyable mechanics that stay fresh and aligned with the demands of our audience, I’m not concerned.
The new more open approach that Hank has in his new adventure feels like it balances the goal focused tasks of earlier titles with a more adventurous spirit. Was that the intention and why?
Yes, that was the intention. We aim to evolve our game design with each new release, and this freedom of gameplay is a key part of that evolution. In the earlier games, Talking Tom was quite static. As we progressed, My Talking Tom introduced multiple rooms, My Talking Tom 2 allowed for dragging and moving, and My Talking Tom Friends expanded to include the whole gang exploring their home and backyard. My Talking Angela 2 took it a step further with city exploration, and now Hank is free to roam his island, with plans to explore additional islands soon. The leap we took with Hank represents a bigger shift than in previous games. We wanted to push our boundaries with a bold and adventurous move. Why? Mainly because we thought it was cool, but also, to diversify the gameplay experience from our other titles.
Where did you take inspiration for the more open approach to Hank’s adventure and activities?
This open-world exploration has been a goal since we first released My Talking Hank. This concept has been on our wish list for a long time. Implementing it in the original game would have been as much work as creating a new title, so we decided to build it into a new game instead.
Was it challenging/scary to step out on the sand and try something new with Hank?
It wasn’t scary, It was actually quite exciting! Any type of innovation and experimentation is. We wanted to do something bold and had a solid plan for testing new ideas to build our confidence. The early prototypes showed that we had something special, so we went for it.
Outfit7 has already diversified its portfolio among the likes of Talking tom Time Rush and even the Mythic Legend Series. Can we expect more diversification in games or in fact across other media formats?
Yes, you can! Talking Tom & Friends is a successful IP, and we’re constantly evolving it. However, we’re also eager to expand into new games and media formats. Diversification is key; relying solely on one IP aka keeping all your eggs in one basket isn’t ideal. We’re also a nerdy bunch of gamers, so there’s also intrinsic motivation to go out of the one IP and explore different game genres. We’re constantly exploring new IPs and new games, and we’ll increase those efforts in the future.
What does the immediate future hold for Outfit7 and Hank?
For Outfit7, we’ll keep making awesome Talking Tom & Friends games and other media content while increasing efforts to develop games for different audiences and build new IPs. For Hank, we have many amazing new features in production designed to make his tropical world even more exciting and engaging, And hint, hint, wink, wink, we might even explore some new environments beyond the tropical setting! Additionally, we’ve also released a new YouTube series “Talking Hank’s Adventure Guide” featuring Hank as the main star, with fresh episodes every Thursday.
The gaming industry has had huge instability in the last few years. Why and how do you feel that Outfit7 manages to navigate a market that’s notoriously unforgiving while still producing free to play models.
I believe Outfit7’s success in navigating the unforgiving gaming market is due to its strong brand recognition, effective use of the free-to-play model, and our approach to monetization in our games, both on the game side as well as on the tech side handling ads. During the pandemic’s gaming boom, we avoided reckless growth and stayed clear of fleeting trends like blockchain hype or whatever was trending. To sum up, our success is the result of extensive industry knowledge, strategic decision-making, and of course, a bit of luck.
While I wouldn’t expect to see Ginger’s Ninja Arena Brawler anytime soon, Outift7’s talking friends still look likely to remain a family friendly staple available across iOS and Android. To find out more about My Talking Hank: Islands and all the games in the Outfit7 library, check out the Talking Tom website and find out what else Outfit7 is working on on too.
