Project
Scaling a freemium detective game
Overview
Co-founded and scaled Solvenest, an immersive freemium online detective game. Built on a shoestring budget as a passion project, the game successfully carved out a niche in the Hungarian market, eventually securing angel investment and growing to 10,000 monthly active users.
The Challenge
Creating a high-engagement digital experience with virtually no initial capital required massive world-building without a large production team. The goal was to bridge the gap between a casual game and a deep, multi-media ARG (Alternate Reality Game) while maintaining a sustainable growth model in a specific geographic market.
The Solution
I spearheaded the end-to-end creative direction and growth strategy, partnering with a developer to bring the vision to life. I was responsible for the design of the entire game, crafting 16+ hours of base playtime through hundreds of pages of narrative and dozens of characters. To make the investigations feel real, I built a digital ecosystem of 100+ custom websites using Wix, WordPress, and Netlify that acted as in-universe evidence, complemented by 3+ hours of multimedia content.
On the growth side, I led the marketing efforts by focusing on high-impact influencer outreach, PPC, and unconventional corporate collaborations—the largest being a partnership with Tesco. This multi-channel approach helped us reach beyond the core gaming audience and establish Solvenest as a unique cultural phenomenon in the Hungarian market.
Results
- ▹10,000+ monthly active users reached in the Hungarian market
- ▹Successfully secured angel investment following initial traction
- ▹Developed 100+ in-game websites and 16+ hours of core gameplay
- ▹Executed major corporate partnership with Tesco to drive mainstream awareness