My.Games on evolving War Robots into a billion-dollar franchise

Since launching in 2014, multiplayer shooter War Robots has become a rare 'forever franchise' on mobile, surpassing $1 billion in revenue.

The title has since expanded across platforms and continues to be supported by developer Pixonic and publisher My.Games, which acquired the studio for $30 million in 2016.

My.Games executive producer Boris Burangulov has played a key role as the team has steered the game through more than a decade of growth and innovation. In this interview, Burangulov reflects on War Robots’ journey of staying true to its tactical core while continuously introducing new features, game modes and content. 

He also offers valuable insight into the realities of long-term game development and live operations, and shares what’s next for the franchise.

PocketGamer.biz: How different is War Robots now from the game launched in 2014? How do you balance the line between keeping the core gameplay people have enjoyed for years with new features to keep the title fresh?

Boris Burangulov: Without a doubt, War Robots is a completely different game now compared to when it first launched, but at the same time, it has retained its core essence. You could say that 60% of it today is entirely new, while 40% has remained unchanged.

And that 40% is, first and foremost, the tactical gameplay. It is the foundation of War Robots and, in some ways, reminds me of chessboxing. In battle, speed, reaction time, and reflexes are, of course, important, but tactics are just as crucial - you need to know when to retreat, regroup, and plan your next move.

That’s why War Robots maintains a slower pace compared to other shooters. Though, try telling that to our top players in the legendary league, who manage to play with ten fingers as if they’re playing the piano.

But of course, a lot has changed in War Robots over the past 11 years. There are now far more mechanics and build customisation options, allowing players to fine-tune their robots and gear to suit their unique playstyle. There are also more ways to spend time in War Robots. For example, in 2022, we introduced a PvE mode for the first time, which quickly gained its own fanbase.

How do we manage to maintain balance? I’d say that we at War Robots are a rather cautious team and not prone to taking reckless risks. If we do make fundamental changes, we try to implement them gradually, conducting extensive testing along the way.

Instead of making radical shifts, we focus on expanding and enhancing War Robots while preserving its essence - ensuring that the game remains engaging for both long-time players and newcomers alike.

How big is the team currently handling live ops on War Robots?

One way or another, many people from different My.Games divisions and partners contribute to the continued development of War Robots, but the core team consists of around 150 people.

What are the biggest challenges War Robots has faced over the years?

It's hard to single out one key challenge over the lifespan of a project like this. New challenges arise constantly.

For example, at one point, the biggest challenge for us was Titans - a massive feature that took almost a year to develop - it was such an undertaking that we even started using a new term to measure development complexity: a feature of titanic effort.

At the time, it was one of the biggest changes to the game's core, making it labour-intensive and risky. Then came the graphics remaster, which required enormous effort: switching to a new graphics engine, reworking all visuals, and managing a complex and risky rollout - this became the new biggest challenge!

But last year, we launched a separate version of the game in China. A challenge in its own right and a topic worthy of a separate interview. Ask me this question again in a year, and we’ll probably have a new story about the biggest challenge in War Robots.

And these are just the most large-scale examples. However, managing an 11-year-old project is already a big challenge. Every day, we face difficulties across different areas and make tough decisions to ensure the game remains relevant.

Could you break down your strategy for in-game events and updates? The press release said you run an average of nine in-game events per year and have introduced around 100 new units.

Indeed, over the course of the year, we release nine major updates. Each of them is accompanied by an in-game event, during which we change the game and hangar visuals, release new content, and offer themed activities.

In some of our events, we try to celebrate global holidays - Christmas, Halloween, Lunar New Year, and others. The themes of other events might be specifically tied to the War Robots universe. However, both types carry the aesthetic and lore of our in-game corporations.

In the world of War Robots, there are five corporations that create combat robots. They compete not only for planetary resources on the battlefield but also for the attention of pilots - they want their models to be chosen.

Therefore, the corporations make robots that are not only powerful but also unique in style. For example, Space Tech releases high-tech robots, Yan Di values aesthetics and graceful forms, while DSC focuses on brute strength and functionality.

So, as part of each event dedicated to one of the corporations, new robots, weapons, and other content appear in the game, all in a particular style. Thanks to this constant "arms race", the War Robots universe continues to expand.

What are your biggest learnings from keeping War Robots going and achieving $1 billion for over 10 years?

Working on War Robots, I gained one of the most valuable insights that I probably couldn’t have gotten anywhere else. It’s obvious to our team, but often not so obvious to other developers.

Creating good gameplay is an art. Sometimes, it feels like no one really knows how to make great games. First and foremost, you have to feel it. However, the operational management of the game is a completely different matter. It’s more of a craft than an art.

However, many studios treat live ops the same way they treat gameplay, relying on "gut feeling", instincts, and popular stereotypes. However, the skill of managing operations is based not on intuition but on working with data, testing hypotheses, and a lot of trial and error.

We ourselves have fallen into this trap. There were times when we thought that a particular change or feature would only improve things "Everyone does it this way!", "This is definitely the right way!" only to see zero or even negative results afterward.

At one point, we even compiled a collection of the funniest cases. But we were very lucky - War Robots initially established a culture of data analysis and research. We rely primarily on tests and research, double-check our decisions, and develop our analytical tools, which sometimes even surprise experienced teams. It’s this approach that allows us to proceed cautiously and not trust "obvious truths".

To sum up: if you want to develop a game and grow its metrics, don’t rely on feelings and opinions - learn to propose and test hypotheses. But please, don’t forget that you’re making a game, and it should ultimately bring fun and enjoyment to the players.

Is there anything about the game that, in hindsight, you’d now handle differently?

A lot! If I were to list everything I would have done differently, the interview would be endless.

I have my own personal record - I try to remember all my worst decisions and what they cost us. If I were to express them in monetary terms, the number would be quite significant. And I think that’s okay! Everyone makes mistakes, even when they act as cautiously as possible, carefully weigh decisions, and analyse their consequences.

The most important thing is to realise and admit the mistake in time, and that’s often the hardest part. It’s important to correctly assess the outcomes of decisions made so that you can quickly correct the situation if needed.

In our team, we’re not afraid to admit our mistakes and don’t try to cover them up. This really helps us move forward.

The sooner you admit a mistake, the sooner you can fix it and draw the right conclusions. And if someone thinks they never make mistakes, I’ve got bad news for them. Most likely, they just haven’t figured out where they went wrong yet - and that means they can’t fix it.

How significant is the revenue you generate from web stores? How important is this for War Robots and what’s your strategy for this?

War Robots has a web store, and it plays an important role for us, primarily as a tool to support the gaming community.

For example, we have a special program for YouTube creators who produce unique content about War Robots.

Thanks to integration with the web store, they get the opportunity to monetise their activities: each streamer receives an individual promo code, which players can use when making purchases in the web store, allowing the streamer to earn a portion of the purchase value. As a result, players have the opportunity to directly support their favorite streamers.

What are your future plans for War Robots? Being such a successful game, has Pixonic looked into expanding the IP to other games or mediums? 

The plans are, of course, huge. The industry is constantly evolving, and what was once considered normal is now a sign of obsolescence. To stay relevant, we need to keep developing, and we are ready to invest so that War Robots continues to meet market demands.

One example is cross-platform play. Initially, War Robots was developed for separate stores, and this still carries some legacy. But today, the market dictates new rules: most games are cross-platform. And we’re actively moving in this direction right now.

As for the development of the IP, just recently, War Robots: Frontiers by My.Games was released. The game is designed for PC and consoles, and its action takes place in the War Robots universe, hundreds of years after the events of the original. We wish the project success and are happy that our universe continues to grow.