Find the Cat: Discovering success in simplicity | Burak Kar & Mustafa Daglı interview

CEO of Vento Games and the CMO of Agave Games explains the success story behind Find the Cat, the game that paved the way for $18 million in funding.
find the cat logo in the middle, burak kar photo on the right, mustafa daglı photo on the left

Hidden in the charming simplicity of Find the Cat is a game that has captured the hearts of millions.

Players are challenged to spot cleverly hidden cats within beautifully crafted black-and-white backgrounds, creating a unique and engaging experience. This delightful concept, combined with its intuitive gameplay, has made Find the Cat a standout in the casual gaming genre, appealing to players of all ages and skill levels.

Find the Cat surpassed 10 million downloads in its first quarter.

We interviewed the CEO of Vento Games, Mustafa Dağlı, and the CMO of Agave Games, Burak Kar, to learn more about this success story.

What is the story behind the partnership of Agave Games and Vento Games?

Burak: The partnership between Agave Games and Vento Games was built on a shared vision for creating fun and engaging games. Both teams bring years of experience in the industry and have a history of working on big titles together.

This collaboration wasn’t just a business decision; it’s rooted in a strong bond and mutual respect. We’ve worked very closely before, and that history of collaboration laid the foundation for this partnership. Our relationship is built on trust and a deep understanding of each other’s strengths, which allows us to work seamlessly as one cohesive unit.

Find the Cat game cover

How did the idea for Find the Cat come about?

Mustafa: The idea for Find the Cat emerged from the vision to create a product that is simple but very fun and engaging. The ‘Hidden Object’ genre has always been popular but had challenges in reaching a broader audience.

Despite having excellent games in this category, the genre struggled with scalability. I believed it had the potential to be enjoyed by everyone, so I decided to simplify the mechanics and make it more engaging and fun for a wider audience.

We also felt that ‘cat’ was the perfect character for this type of game. Cats are universally loved and their playful and mysterious nature fits seamlessly with the ‘Hidden Object’ concept.”

Gameplay footage from Find the Cat

What are the reasons behind the success of Find the Cat?

Mustafa: One of the key reasons is that we chose a genre with a proven track record. The Hidden Object genre has been around for years and has a loyal fan base. We expanded the potential of this genre by focusing on simplicity and fun. We iterated the genre and created a new experience for our users. This made gaming accessible even to those who have never played a game before.

The feeling of the game plays a crucial role in its success. The carefully designed rhythm and charming cat sounds work together to create an atmosphere that players find captivating. This combination goes beyond simple gameplay, offering users a unique meditative experience that keeps them engaged.

Another important factor is our attention to detail in level design. We are meticulous when creating each level to ensure it’s engaging and well-balanced. While the game’s structure is straightforward, we continuously add layers of depth without compromising on clarity or simplicity. This balance keeps players coming back.

Burak: The completeness of the gameplay content and the non-gameplay content helps users engage with the product as a whole. We focus on crafting high-quality content that aligns with the preferences, behaviors, and cultural nuances of our target audience.

This includes designing levels and conceptual cats that resonate emotionally while keeping players immersed.

We have a game feature where players can share the cats they have collected from levels. This feature not only fosters social engagement but also significantly contributes to organic user growth. Players love showing off their collections, and this creates a ripple effect, encouraging others to join in and experience the game for themselves.

Mustafa: The decision to focus on the Hidden Object genre was very deliberate. Match-3 and Merge games are incredibly popular, but we saw an opportunity in Hidden Object to introduce something fresh. This genre is inherently relaxing and intuitive, making it perfect for players of all ages. By simplifying the gameplay, we aimed to create a gateway experience that could attract both casual players and fans of the genre.

How do you use AI in your production process?

Burak: AI has been an integral part of our production process right from the start.

In level design, AI helps us define concepts and create initial drafts for backgrounds. For instance, we use AI to generate rough sketches or templates that our designers refine into final assets.

In marketing, AI plays a significant role as well. It helps us generate relevant assets and backgrounds for our creatives, which allows us to connect better with players in different regions.

By leveraging AI, we can quickly adapt our content to fit the preferences of diverse audiences. We give great focus to constantly improving our AI processes and enhancing our pipelines to ensure efficiency and quality.

What kind of marketing strategy do you follow?

Burak: Our marketing strategy is deeply rooted in the simplicity and clarity of the game itself. We want our creatives to reflect the simple and fun nature of Find the Cat.

Content is at the heart of our strategy. We pay close attention to cultural nuances and strive to incorporate elements that resonate with our target audiences.

For example, in the United States, we emphasize universal themes of exploration and fun, while in Japan, we integrate culturally specific motifs that appeal to players. This tailored approach helps us build a stronger connection with players.

What do you think is the potential of the game?

Mustafa: Our first aim is to keep growing our daily active users (DAU) and scale year by year.
Longevity is the key to success, and we think that this game has the potential to be one of the biggest games overall for many years to come. We understand that this is a challenging goal, but with constant improvement and dedication, we believe it is achievable.

Burak Kar, CMO of Agave Games

Mustafa Daglı, CEO of Vento Games

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