‘Mario + Rabbids’ Creator Reflects on the Current State of the Gaming Industry: “What you see now is the audience is aligning away from the more studio fare and towards the indie fare.”

Mark
Mario + Rabbids Creator Reflects on the Current State of the Gaming Industry: "What you see now is the audience is aligning away from the more studio fare and towards the indie fare."
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Mario + Rabbids creator Davide Soliani has started a new chapter with Day 4 Night, a studio he co-founded after leaving Ubisoft. He’s teamed up with writer Christian Cantamessa, known for his work on Red Dead Redemption and the upcoming Perfect Dark reboot. The two are working on a new project, one that’s risky in today’s gaming industry.

Cantamessa admitted, ‘This industry is really at a crossroads right now.’ He explained that with large investments required for big games, it’s tough to maintain studios. At the same time, players are showing more interest in unique games.

Soliani added that there’s a growing demand for games that stand out and tell different stories. ‘They are a bit different. They are willing to tell different stories,’ he said, noticing the shift in player preferences.

Cantamessa compared the gaming industry today to the rise of independent film in the late 60s and early 70s. ‘What you see now is the audience is aligning away from the more studio fare and towards the indie fare.’ He sees it as a moment of change, similar to how Bonnie and Clyde marked a shift in cinema.

The project at Day 4 Night is set to be a new IP. While the game’s gameplay is the focus, it will also emphasize storytelling in a meaningful way. Soliani confirmed that the project is something personal, just like his previous work on Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle.

Leaving Ubisoft wasn’t about dissatisfaction with the sales of Sparks of Hope, the sequel to Kingdom Battle. Soliani shared that he was looking for something new, something he couldn’t find at Ubisoft. He’s now working on that at Day 4 Night.

Although Kingdom Battle was a surprise success, its sequel was a tough project. ‘There was too much overthinking about it all around me,’ Soliani recalled.

The comments Ubisoft made on the game’s reception were hard for the team. ‘It was a bit hurtful for the morale of the team,’ he admitted. But the team was able to move past it through internal conversations

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Mark is the kind of person who gets way too excited about new software updates and can’t resist taking apart gadgets—just to see if they can put them back together. With years of experience in tech journalism and a love for all things digital, Mark writes about the stories behind the screens, from game-changing innovations to the everyday tech that keeps life running smoothly. Outside of work, they’re the go-to “tech support” for friends and family, whether it’s fixing a printer that won’t cooperate or explaining why Grandma’s laptop keeps showing pop-ups. When Mark isn’t glued to their screen, they’re probably building their dream PC, rewatching sci-fi movies for the hundredth time, or testing a gadget that promises to “change everything.” Spoiler: they’ll let you know if it actually does.