In a submit celebrating survival-action recreation Atomfall’s launch milestone of 1.5 million+ gamers, which has since grown to 2 million gamers, Rebel CEO Jason Kingsley drew consideration to the studio’s method of constructing video games.
“Our measurement and stability imply that we are able to take dangers to create one thing as totally different as Atomfall. Fortunately, that threat is paying off.”
Amid a turbulent age of blockbuster recreation budgets, GamesIndustry.biz requested Kingsley if he believes Rebel has bought the size of its tasks – which embody the favored Sniper Elite sequence – excellent.
“I do not suppose we have it simply proper,” says Kingsley. “I believe that one of many issues Chris [Kingsley, Rebellion co-founder and CTO] and I wish to do is repeat success. So we wish to do extra Sniper Elite, we wish to do extra Zombie Military, we wish to do extra Unusual Brigade.”
“Now it seems to be like we wish to do extra Atomfall – it has been profitable, can we discover the sources to do it? I do not know. The thought has all the time been to have two thirds sequels, and one third new IP, pushing the boundaries. Partly as a result of it is truly attention-grabbing to unravel the puzzles with a brand new IP.”
Atomfall, which launched on PC, PS5 and Xbox in late March (together with Sport Move for PC and Xbox), takes gamers to an alternate historical past of the UK the place the Windscale nuclear catastrophe turned a big chunk of the British countryside right into a quarantine zone.
Escape is the aim, as gamers then sneak, barter and battle their method throughout a number of interconnected areas patrolled by rogue factions, troopers and lethal robots.
Between its reveal and launch, Atomfall drew superficial comparisons to the Fallout sequence. However its personal reference factors are extra particularly British, together with science fiction books like Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham or The Dying of Grass by John Christopher.
“We attempt our hardest to manage budgets and make them the suitable measurement for our video games”
Jason Kingsley, Rebel
Nonetheless, the Fallout comparisons did not damage. Atomfall drew a whole lot of buzz following its reveal ultimately yr’s Xbox Video games Showcase, and Kingsley factors out that wishlists for the sport “have fully damaged our projections as a result of they are much increased than they have been for the rest.”
The sport’s many influences went past Bethesda’s RPGs, too.
“The Fallout sequence, together with any post-apocalyptic video games, are clearly a reference level for us. It is onerous for it to not be. We didn’t got down to make an English model of Fallout at any stage, however we have been very conscious that it was a straightforward comparability to make, as a result of [it’s a] post-apocalyptic panorama.”
“In some methods, the Metro sequence, or the STALKER sequence, are nearer in themes…there’s been a nuclear accident, and also you’re caught in an space because of it. That is extra thematically [linked].”
Gamers appeared to agree that Atomfall had its personal identification as soon as they bought it of their fingers.
“We hoped – and it gave the impression to be the case – that as quickly as individuals began to play it, they realised, ‘no, it is making an attempt to do its personal factor’. Albeit in the same broad style of post-apocalyptic [games].”
Because the assertion about ‘measurement and stability’ round Atomfall implies, Rebel has skilled continued success whereas many builders round it have undergone layoffs in recent times.
Managing budgets is vital to the studio. “We attempt our hardest to manage budgets and make them the suitable measurement for our video games. I am flattered to even be talked about in the identical space, and even vaguely occupying related elements of the charts as unbelievable video games like Murderer’s Creed, that are costing a whole bunch of hundreds of thousands, I consider, I do not know whether or not the precise budgets are public. However I consider it is a whole bunch of hundreds of thousands.
“And clearly these video games, finally, will promote higher than our recreation. However our recreation is a really small fraction of that funds.”
Kingsley says that all the writer’s video games are worthwhile. With the evergreen Sniper Elite video games, its Zombie Military spin-offs and now Atomfall, Rebel has caught to a scope that is sensible for the corporate. “We do not intentionally match into this mid vary, however that is what we are able to do, and what we are able to do efficiently. We actually cannot afford to spend 200 million on making a recreation. We simply haven’t got 200 million!”
Discoverability is one thing Kingsley ponders often. Steadily increase Rebel’s status, game-by-game, is a part of that line of pondering. “On the finish of the day, if individuals come again and say, ‘I actually preferred Rebel’s final recreation, I am going to check out their subsequent recreation’, you’ll be able to then construct up an viewers that can simply no less than sit ahead when there is a new recreation introduced by us.”
The most important discoverability increase for Atomfall, although, was the advertising assist and sheer visibility that comes with launching on Xbox Sport Move. It wasn’t Rebel’s first day-and-date launch for the subscription service, however as a brand new IP, the circumstances labored in everybody’s favour.
“It has been an enormous success,” Kingsley mentioned. “Microsoft has been a unbelievable associate to work with, they’ve actually leaned in to serving to us. They introduced their expertise and their scale to bear on our small challenge, and it is accomplished actually, rather well for them, so that they bought a great deal, we bought a great deal out of it as nicely.”
Kingsley’s hope is that the impression of reaching Sport Move customers extends to customers shopping for the sport, too.
“With Sport Move, you will get individuals to attempt it, then because of these individuals making an attempt it, they prefer it, and so they then inform their mates on social media, ‘I discovered this recreation on Sport Move, I actually loved it, it’s best to have a go.’ After which a few of them are on Sport Move, and can [play] it. However a few of them aren’t on Sport Move, and also will wish to be a part of that dialog. So, they will go and purchase it.
“No less than, that is our idea – we do not have the information in for that. However Chris and I each really feel, one of many greatest challenges for a corporation like us is discovery. And Sport Move has allowed for lots of discovery for our recreation.”
We requested Kingsley how Rebel forecasted gross sales for Atomfall, given its Sport Move launch.
“We have now good concepts concerning the form of scale, and we often do a low, medium and a excessive projection. And we hope [that] medium is about proper. You can even have a look at issues like wishlists earlier than launch and take a look at that curve – that is all the time a reasonably good indicator.”
As talked about, Atomfall wishlist numbers blew previous Rebel’s metrics, and the sport finally carried out forward of expectations. “We have accomplished so much higher than our mid-range estimates, truly, in order that’s good. It is good when advertising comes again to you and says, ‘yep, we underestimated our high-level success’, in order that’s good, and fairly pleasing.”
“Microsoft has been a unbelievable associate to work with, they’ve actually leaned in to serving to us.”
Jason Kingsley, Rebel
Past the invention advantages, the upside of launching a brand new IP like Atomfall on Sport Move is guaranteeing some form of monetary return.
“Sure, it does mitigate threat, as a result of with out going into particulars, they assure you a sure degree of revenue, no matter what it’s going to promote for,” Kingsley mentioned. “However it doubtlessly has a knock-on impact. Locations like Xbox gross sales, for instance. You can argue that every one the hardcore are on Sport Move, and so they’re those which may purchase a brand new IP like this, so due to this fact, are you cannibalising one part of the viewers? And I believe, maybe, sure, a bit bit. However what you acquire from that price is disproportionate.”
It was flattering, too, that Xbox took an curiosity within the challenge, with Kingsley describing the association as a “confidence booster” for its new recreation.
It has been a really busy 2025 for the writer thus far, with the discharge of Sniper Elite: Resistance coming simply two months earlier than Atomfall. Kingsley says the successive launches have been a ‘suboptimal’ scenario, and that it simply “form of occurred”. Specifically, he says it was a pressure on Rebel’s advertising and communications perform – finally, although, he believes it ended nicely.
“It is labored. I would not plan it like that if we might probably keep away from it [laughs].”
Atomfall was Kingsley’s dream recreation. It was an thought he alluded to in press interviews for nearly a decade. When requested if he has one other ardour challenge he’d like Rebel to pursue down the road, the reply is one that will not shock anybody who’s watched Kingsley’s in style YouTube channel, Trendy Historical past TV.
“I might like to try to make one thing medieval and fantasy. Do not know when, [or if] we’ll ever get sources – we’re over 500 members of full-time workers, and we do not have sufficient individuals to do all of the video games we wish to do.”
“I might like to do one thing that matches in with my YouTube channel, Trendy Historical past TV, but additionally fantasy as nicely. Medieval, dragons, that form of factor. I’ve bought a number of concepts percolating in my head proper now, so possibly sooner or later, sure.”
