"Kickstarter is Not Just About Money - it's About Proving That the Game Resonates With People."

Prelude: Dark Pain is the debut game from Seville-based Spanish indie studio Quickfire Games, founded in 2020. In mid-June 2025, the studio successfully concluded a Kickstarter campaign for the game, raising €132,685 — exceeding their €40,000 goal — from 3,194 backers. In this interview, we spoke to Arturo Martín (Co-founder & Creative/Art Director - Project Manager) and Pablo Castellanos (Co-founder & Music/Sound Producer) from Quickfire Games about the turn-based gaming market, their game Prelude: Dark Pain, proving that the game resonates with people, and about developing games in Seville.

GamesMarkt: How would you currently assess the market for turn-based games? What is doing well and what is not doing well in the genre?

Arturo Martín: "In recent years, we have seen a very interesting resurgence of turn-based games. For a long time, the genre was considered somewhat niche, but titles like Baldur’s Gate 3 and Darkest Dungeon have shown that there is still a strong audience for strategic and thoughtful experiences."

"What seems to work best today are games that combine solid mechanics with a very clear identity. Players are looking for turn-based systems that feel meaningful and dynamic, rather than slow or repetitive. On the other hand, games that rely purely on nostalgia without bringing something new to the experience tend to struggle to stand out."

"In our opinion, the genre is evolving towards more dynamic turn-based systems that maintain strategic depth while keeping players constantly engaged."

GamesMarkt: How does Prelude: Dark Pain fit into this market, and what makes it stand out?

Arturo Martín: "Prelude: Dark Pain fits within this renewed interest in turn-based combat, but it approaches it from a darker and more atmospheric perspective. Our goal was to combine turn-based strategy with a strong dark fantasy identity."

"One of the elements that we believe makes it stand out is the presence of synergies between characters, game modes, and mechanics inspired by games like League of Legends, which have not traditionally fit well within turn-based combat systems. We have tried to translate that kind of interaction between abilities and characters into a tactical turn-based environment, aiming to create more dynamic and strategic combat."

Pablo Castellanos: "Additionally, the game features a system where collecting heroes and making decisions throughout the story has a real impact on the game’s progression. The ending of the story and the heroes that can join your team vary depending on the choices you make during the adventure. For example, deciding whether to spare or kill an enemy can change the course of events, just as choosing to save or abandon a companion can also influence the final outcome. This adds an extra narrative and strategic layer, making each playthrough feel different."

GamesMarkt: How are you trying to generate interest in Prelude: Dark Pain and excite your intended audience?

Pablo Castellanos: "As a small indie studio, our approach has been very community-driven. We aim to share the development process openly and build a relationship with players who are interested in dark fantasy and tactical combat."

"Kickstarter was a very important moment for us, as it allowed us to present the game to a wider audience and confirm that there was genuine interest in the project. Beyond that, we rely heavily on community interaction, frequent updates, and showcasing how the game evolves throughout development."

"Additionally, within the game’s design, we are focusing on highly varied environments. We have large, open, closed, and small maps, as well as moving scenarios, such as battles on carts, trains, or even on top of giant creatures. In many cases, players can interact with the environment, which forces them to constantly adapt to each situation on every turn and adds an extra layer of strategy to combat."

GamesMarkt: How important is or was Kickstarter to you? After all, community building, marketing and communication are surely more important than money…

Arturo Martín: "Kickstarter has been very important for us, but not only for financial reasons. Of course, funding helps an independent studio like ours continue development, but the most valuable aspect was the validation from players."

"Seeing people believe in the project and choose to support it gave us a huge amount of motivation. It also allowed us to build an initial community around the game, which is incredibly valuable during development."

"In the end, Kickstarter is not just about money—it’s about proving that the game resonates with people." - Arturo Martín

GamesMarkt. What's your assessment of the Spanish games industry, and what's it like to develop games in Seville?

Arturo Martín: "The Spanish video game industry has grown significantly over the past decade. There are many talented developers, and we are seeing increasingly ambitious projects emerging from Spain, which shows that the ecosystem is maturing."

"Developing games in Seville is both exciting and challenging. On one hand, the city has a lot of creative talent and a strong cultural identity, something we are very proud of. On the other hand, the local industry is still smaller compared to other major European hubs."

Pablo Castellanos: "Additionally, one of the challenges we have encountered as an independent studio is the lack of understanding that still exists in some financial sectors regarding how the video game industry works. This can make it difficult to access funding, as many banks are not yet familiar with the production and return models of this sector."

"For us, however, building a studio like Quickfire Games in Seville has always been part of the dream. We started from nothing five years ago, driven mainly by passion and determination, and seeing the project grow step by step is incredibly rewarding."