Watch out for the Pomps!
These insatiable fiends from Auto Defense by Gameloft Cluj have recently been given proper names of their own, and they’re hungrier than ever!
Released in June 2021, Auto Defense is a rogue-lite tower defense game where players must protect their castle from the Pomps by strategically placing turrets on the battlefield and synergizing them to create destructive combinations.
This might sound simple, but the rogue-lite elements force players to adapt and improve their strategies with every new battle, bringing a new layer of challenge and excitement.
It was originally created as a prototype by the Game Lab, the R&D team at Gameloft Paris, before being handed over to the game team in Gameloft Cluj, and we spoke to them to get a behind-the-scenes look at the development process.
Two Teams, One Game
Auto Defense is the result of the collaboration between two teams in two different countries all working towards one goal: creating a fresh, new take on the tower defense genre!
Not only is this the first time two studios have collaborated so extensively on a game, but it’s also the first one to have been created through the lean pipeline, which is a development process that focuses on creating games with small teams in a short period of time.
The two teams were in constant communication, from the early prototype stages until the worldwide release, overcoming challenges and adapting frameworks and work methods to fit the new pipeline.
Passing the Pomp
It isn't always easy adopting and building on someone else's vision, but the team in Cluj were confident they would be able to do it justice.
For starters, everyone on the team is passionate about the tower defense genre, and the first time they played the prototype, they recalled it being "like love at first sight."
They immediately fell for the game mechanics but also the art style. Seeing the bright colorful world and quirky characters filled them with excitement about having the world of Auto Defense as their creative playground.
When asked about what excited them the most about the prototype, they said, "The Pomps are so funny and cute, and we realized the possibilities were endless when it came to their story. With every new feature or piece of content, we can let our imaginations run wild!”
Building on a Vision
But before diving into the Pomps and their backstory, the team had to turn the prototype into a full-fledged game.
When the team received Auto Defense, it already had established gameplay mechanics, so they focused on polishing the overall look of the game.
This meant testing as many potential features as they could, consolidating the monetization strategy and progression via new worlds, and developing engagement with the help of interesting time-limited events.
Once they were satisfied with each element, Auto Defense was ready for the next step: worldwide release!
Their work isn’t over though. The team is constantly looking for ways to improve all aspects of the game and to make it even more enjoyable.
This includes coming up with new, funny enemies, and some standouts have been a wand-wielding magician who makes the turrets’ stars disappear and sentient pineapples that want to chow down on the castle. Everything is fair game!
Just the Beginning
All game launches are special, but seeing Auto Defense go live worldwide on iOS and Android was a particularly proud moment for the team.
As the first game to go through the lean pipeline, they faced many new challenges, like figuring out the team format and tools for development, but they were able to overcome them all with the support of multiple different teams and departments across Gameloft.
Releasing Auto Defense was a big achievement, but according to the team, there’s still a lot to be done, and they’re more motivated than ever “to make this game even better and provide updates that bring new, fun, and interesting content for all our players!”
To the Castle
Auto Defense’s latest update featured a special contest to reveal the official names of the cute but deadly invaders.
The community had to guess each letter Hangman-style, and the first player to guess the full name correctly received an in-game reward!
Check out the new update and the other great events the team has in store by downloading Auto Defense on the App Store and Google Play today. Also be sure to follow them on Discord and Facebook to get the inside scoop on all the Pomps’ antics!
