How to develop IPs that succeed | Yarr Rash interview

We interviewed Yarr Rash, CEO and Founder of Mad Crusader, about how their program creates successful IPs and the overall state of the gaming industry.
mad crusader logo on the left, yarr rash photo on the right

Yarr Rash is the CEO and Founder of Mad Crusader, a Cyprus-based pioneering Game IP incubator from Wargaming and EA veterans that aims to revolutionize the entertainment industry.

The founders, backed by $200,000 of their own investments, will invest $30M in 4 rounds within 2 years in IP creators.

This funding will further develop graduates’ concepts into commercial products with franchise potential.

Our interview dives deep into the Mad Crusader program, and Yarr shares his insights on how to develop IPs that succeed in the market.

The video version of the interview is available on Mobidictum’s brand-new YouTube channel.

How did you start your career?

As a matter of fact, it was a pure accident. It was back in 2006 or something like that. I never thought that working in games was an actual job. I thought it was a privilege for people who didn’t need to think about money, you know?

Like, if you have everything handled in your life, you can have fun developing games. But to my surprise, at some point, I stumbled upon a job posting for what turned out to be a marketing manager position for Sony Online Entertainment’s portfolio in Russia and CIS.

Games like EverQuest, PlanetSide, and Pirates Over the Burning Sea. I went to the interview and had never left the games industry since that moment.

What year was that?

It was 2007, I guess—2006, somewhere there.

Before that, I did a bit of journalism, music promotion, organizing music festivals and concerts, and different types of cultural events—basically culture, science, humanities, and social projects. It was called that back then.

I gained a lot of experience organizing and promoting things. I was self-taught, even though I have a master’s degree in international law. But I never did that seriously.

I was always attracted to the entertainment industry.

Then, I found my way into the games industry. The games industry, even now, but especially back then, used to be a melting pot of different professions. We didn’t have any universities or schools for it back then—and honestly, we still don’t have many educational programs for games. That’s an interesting topic to cover later. But the games industry attracts people from different industries, makes them fall in love with games, and absorbs their experience.

If you’re good at something, there’s a high chance you can find your way into the games industry by bringing that expertise to the table. That’s what happened to me.

After that, I continued in marketing and PR and then switched to building media projects and creating user-generated content for gamers. From promoting games, I transitioned to building something for people who love games—gamers.

I spent several years there, building a huge media outlet with user-generated content, an editorial team, and digital distribution.

After working on a platform for games, I joined Wargaming and worked on the Wargaming platform, which was a huge undertaking.

You can imagine—publishing Wargaming’s portfolio on all continents, across all time zones, and supporting 30+ languages. There were a lot of aspects to that. I worked as a product director, as well as publishing and marketing director for Wargaming’s third-party publishing portfolio.

That journey took me from marketing and PR to brand management and product management. It was during this time that I encountered the importance of IP in the entertainment industry.

At Wargaming, I gained hands-on experience with IP management. The World of Tanks franchise alone is a massive enterprise—a model for how to manage and work with IPs.

The World of Tanks IP expanded far beyond games. It became part of interactive entertainment—covering mobile, console, PC, and even tabletop games like World of Tanks Monopoly. That experience gave me valuable insights into how IPs function within the entertainment industry, not just in gaming.

I see you left Wargaming around December 2019 and started Mad Crusader in 2022. When did you first have the idea to start your own company?

That was a process. After Wargaming, I became the director of a video game school. I moved from Cyprus back to Moscow and was invited by a university to create a bachelor’s degree program for game development.

This wasn’t just an online course—it was a serious educational program. While researching and designing the curriculum, I made some important findings about the industry’s underlying problems.

One of the biggest problems is that everyone wants new IPs, but nobody is willing to invest in them because they’re seen as too risky. It’s a vicious circle—you want it, but you don’t do it.

The industry needs new IPs and creative leaders to manage them—like showrunners in TV or game directors in gaming.

However, the mainstream education system focuses on producing junior-level specialists rather than developing leaders or IP directors.

Even in the rare instances where people invest in new IPs, there are insufficiencies in the process.

People, understandably, tend to get carried away by the creative process. While creativity is an essential part, there are many other factors that need to be considered. There’s a big difference between a funny character or a cool story and an actual entertainment IP. These are different in scale and complexity.

Most of the time, people focus on storytelling and visuals but fail to ask a critical question early in the design process:

What will we do if this project succeeds?

It might sound strange to ask this, but it’s a crucial question. It’s one thing to create a successful game or IP, but what happens after that success?

One of my favorite examples relates to the statistics in the industry. People often say there’s about a 20:1 ratio in games—you need to launch 20 projects to get one successful one. That’s an enormous amount of effort, and you don’t want to spend all that effort only to find yourself in a difficult position after your success.

Take the game Journey, for example—one of the best indie games in history.

It was hugely successful in terms of copies sold and was released on multiple platforms. But from an entertainment IP perspective, what is it?

Visually, it’s a story about two black triangles floating over a yellow texture. You can’t make a movie, action figures, or even stickers out of that. You don’t want to reach a point where your project is successful but has no scalability.

Gameplay footage from Journey

Of course, some creators might say they don’t care about scaling; they just want to create something unique or popular. That’s fair—not everyone wants to be Disney, Warner Bros, or Blizzard. But what we focus on are creators who aim to build commercially successful and scalable entertainment franchises.

What is your definition of IP?

That’s a great question. IP stands for intellectual property, and technically, anything can be intellectual property. A character in your game is intellectual property, especially if it’s published or protected. However, our definition of IP goes beyond that.

We believe that, in order to build a billion-dollar company in the entertainment industry, you need a portfolio of entertainment franchises that can be distributed through different types of media. Think of the Star Wars universe—it has movies, games, LEGO products, comics, books, and so much more. That’s a cross-media franchise.

When you start from scratch, you want to build that cross-media potential into your project, even if you’re just starting with a single game. For scalability and to increase your chances of success, you need to analyze the project’s setting, genre and how it compares to the best examples in the market.

Star Wars films, books, and games.
Image Credit: Starwarsnews.net

Highly successful products tend to educate the market. They set the audience’s expectations for what they want to see from similar games or media. So, when developing a new project, it’s crucial to consider these expectations.

In our system, we define three levels of intellectual property:

  • IP Concept – The foundational idea that can evolve into a complete IP.

  • New IP – The developed intellectual property, ready to launch as a product.

  • Cross-Media Franchise – The fully scaled IP that spans multiple media types.

    You start with the IP concept and develop it into a new IP. If the conditions align—such as market demand, proper development, and effective marketing—that IP has the potential to transform into a cross-media franchise. It’s like a three-layered cake.

    So, if you want to develop a game and aim for billion-dollar possibilities, you need to think about IP opportunities from the very beginning. This could include books, movies, action figures, and more. While not every game can become a billion-dollar company, approaching it with this mindset minimizes limitations.

    When do companies come to you—before making the game or after it’s already successful?

    We work with companies at all stages. First, we offer the full cycle of IP development, from ideation to development, publishing, and licensing. We ensure our framework is implemented at every stage.

    Typically, we work with three types of partners:

    • Aspiring Creative Leaders – For them, we offer an IP incubation program. We teach them how to formulate ideas that can be converted into successful commercial entertainment products. A good idea is one thing, but a commercially viable concept is entirely different.

    • Established Studios or Companies – For those already developing a game or product, we help refine their approach, ensuring their IP has scalability and cross-media potential.

    • Investors or Publishers – These partners may want to understand how to best support an IP or franchise to maximize its commercial and creative potential.

      We focus on helping these partners see the difference between a fun idea or cool story and a fully developed commercial entertainment product.

      The first batch of our incubation program finished in May of this year. Now, we have a portfolio of new IP concepts that we are pushing into production. We approach production differently because, typically, in the industry, there’s this assumption that the person who came up with the idea is the same person who will ensure it’s executed as a high-quality entertainment product. That’s rarely the case.

      Not everyone who is talented at coming up with ideas or articulating a vision is suited to be the executive producer of a high-quality product. However, many companies convince themselves otherwise, believing it will work if they just trust the visionary to handle it all. Unfortunately, most of the time, this approach fails.

      We advocate for a different system. Let’s take Hollywood as an example: successful projects rely on a combination of a strong script, a skilled scriptwriter, and a production partner with a proven track record in that specific genre or type of content. These production companies specialize in certain styles, whether it’s CGI-heavy projects, atmospheric films, or something else.

      We partner with game development and outsourcing companies that have a strong track record of delivering high-quality titles. We then connect them with trained IP directors and creators who bring well-structured concepts to the table. This partnership ensures that everyone can communicate effectively and work toward creating something exceptional.

      The reality is that someone with no experience in content creation is unlikely to succeed in producing a AAA-quality project in just a few years. However, if you have a well-trained IP director, a market-validated IP concept, and a production partner experienced in that specific type of game or content, your chances of success increase significantly.

      For example, if you’re developing a third-person PVP action game, you partner with a production team that specializes in that genre. Similarly, for real-time strategy or top-down action RPGs, you work with developers who have proven expertise in those areas.

      We also focus on training IP directors, maintaining a list of proven developers, and starting the production process with well-thought-out ideas. These ideas are generated during incubation, and we ensure they’re backed by funding to support their development.

      How do you handle funding?

      We handle fundraising as part of our model. The goal is to have a strong portfolio where new IPs are not generated randomly but strategically. It’s not just about creating new IPs for the sake of it—this is a complex and deliberate process.

      The target audience is a crucial question. Let’s take a step back to help listeners understand the broader landscape we operate in. There’s often a debate about whether mobile games are “real” games or whether games should only be premium, free-to-play, or rely on microtransactions. Are loot boxes gambling? Can someone who plays Gardenscapes be considered the same type of gamer as someone who plays Grand Theft Auto?

      Technically, all of these are games, but the differences lie in their target audiences. For example, middle-aged housewives interested in casual games like Gardenscapes represent one specific audience. Office workers who enjoy browser-based games they can play during work breaks represent another.

      Our target audience, however, focuses on geeks and hardcore gamers. To understand their preferences, you can look at the Metacritic top 100 games of all time across platforms. These titles show the types of content, themes, and settings that resonate most with this audience.

      The dominant themes include sci-fi, fantasy, dark fantasy, cyberpunk, post-apocalyptic settings, action, and heroic adventures. We’ve identified 12 key settings that resonate well with this audience, and this list is available on our website. It’s not a secret—these are the themes and genres that the market demands.

      If you look at top companies like Disney, Warner Bros., or Blizzard, their portfolios are filled with content that targets these specific themes. On the other hand, if you examine companies like Zynga, their content caters to entirely different audiences, though they’re also successful in their niche.

      What are the successful IPs you’ve seen over the last five years?

      It depends on the scale, but the easiest answer is Marvel. Marvel’s success is a fantastic story—they had no guarantee of success at the start. Today, people think it’s obvious that superhero characters would succeed, but back then, it wasn’t.

      If you compare Marvel to DC, however, you’ll see a stark difference. While Marvel has managed to establish a cohesive and wildly successful franchise, DC is still struggling. I mean no offense to DC fans—they might feel it’s the best thing ever—but in comparison to the Marvel universe, DC has yet to figure out how to consistently bring their franchise to mediums like movies and games.

      Don’t get me wrong, DC has examples of huge success. However, Marvel’s story seems far more consistent in terms of releases and the results of those releases. Their consistency of success is remarkable and something many aspire to.

      Marvel has invested in a lot of different game genres in the last couple of years
      Image Credit: Marvel

      But let’s be clear—you don’t need to be Marvel. There’s a lot of space for medium-level IPs as well. Marvel is an ideal example of what’s possible, but there are plenty of other projects and studios operating at different scales.

      One strong example of a successful medium-level IP is Atomic Heart. It was a complete surprise for many and demonstrates how a single product can embody principles similar to what we advocate on a larger scale for a portfolio of IPs. The creators of Atomic Heart clearly understood the importance of building a fictional universe, choosing the right medium, and delivering a compelling product to gain traction commercially.

      Atomic Heart is a great example of how to approach IP development in the 21st century. It shows that ambitious creators—both creatively and commercially—can succeed by understanding their market and building their projects with scalability in mind.

      That said, not everyone needs to have commercial ambitions. The beauty of the industry is that it’s diverse, much like the music industry. Some creators focus purely on artistic expression and don’t care about commercial success, while others aim to build scalable cross-media franchises.

      The Approach We Advocate
      We focus on creators with both creative and commercial ambitions. If you’re more focused on artistic projects without considering scalability, that’s great, too, but this discussion might not apply to you. Our approach is for those who want to create billion-dollar companies in the entertainment industry.

      The AI Era and Its Impact on IP Development
      We’re also living in the AI era, which has fundamentally changed content production. It’s not about robots taking over humanity—it’s about the speed and ease of producing content. AI technologies are evolving rapidly, and this has a direct impact on how we create and manage IPs.

      Dos and Don’ts of IP Development
      As we talk about the dos and don’ts of IP development, I want to remind everyone that we’re focusing on cases where there are both creative and commercial ambitions. If your goal is to build a billion-dollar company, here are some key considerations:

      Do Create with Intentionality
      Every aspect of your IP should align with both creative vision and commercial potential. Randomly generating ideas without a strategy will lead to missed opportunities.

      Do Understand Your Target Audience
      Research their preferences, habits, and expectations. Look at top-performing IPs to identify themes and genres that resonate with your audience.

      Do Build a Fictional Universe with Scalability in Mind
      Start with a strong IP concept and consider how it can expand across multiple media formats.

      Don’t Rely Solely on Visionaries
      The person who comes up with the idea isn’t always the right person to lead production. Partner with experienced developers and production teams to bring the concept to life.

      Do Leverage Emerging Technologies
      AI and other tools can drastically reduce production time and costs. Embrace these technologies to stay competitive.

      Don’t Ignore Market Trends
      Keep an eye on competitive landscapes, audience preferences, and technological advancements. Failing to adapt can make even great ideas obsolete.

      The rapid advancements in technology became especially evident during the pandemic and lockdowns. At first, we heard about new technologies replacing certain professions every few months. Then, it became monthly, and now it feels like we hear about groundbreaking developments almost weekly.

      This trend signals a significant shift in the entertainment industry, particularly in audiovisual and interactive entertainment—movies, animation, video games, and digital art. These industries are going through a transformation similar to what happened to mainstream media during the rise of social media.

      Before social media, creating and distributing content required an editorial team, thoughtful planning, and significant resources. Then, social media arrived, making content creation and distribution as simple as opening your phone or laptop. Suddenly, billions of people were producing billions of low-quality, user-generated content pieces every day.

      Image Credit: Ross Draws YouTube Channel

      What this means for our industry is similar: the sheer volume of content being created will raise the bar for professional content creators. The pressure will be on to maintain high-quality standards in an environment where everyone can create content.

      At the same time, investors will face challenges. Previously, they could plan to invest in specific content types—movies, games, or platforms like PC or mobile—over a 10-year horizon. Now, with technology advancing so rapidly, new types of content and distribution methods appear quarterly.

      This creates a dilemma. For example, an investor might fund a project based on NFTs or a particular type of video game, which can take at least two years to develop. However, by the time the project is ready for release, technological trends may have shifted multiple times, leaving the content outdated and irrelevant.

      This rapid pace of change requires investors and creators to rethink their strategies. How do you ensure that the type of content you’re investing in today will still be relevant in two years? And how do you adapt to a world where technological trends evolve faster than traditional production cycles?

      For the entertainment industry to thrive in this new era, creators and investors alike must recognize these challenges and find ways to navigate them effectively.

      Focusing on cross-media entertainment franchises is the safest way for investors to navigate the complexities of today’s entertainment landscape.

      Owning the rights to a cross-media franchise provides stability, no matter what type of content becomes popular next. Take Disney, for example—they don’t need to worry about which format will dominate next because their IPs can easily adapt to any medium.

      As one of my friends put it, “The grand prize for winning the technology race is the exclusive right to license content from the IP owners.” This underscores the importance of owning cross-media IPs for investors.

      For creative professionals with both commercial and creative ambitions, the goal should be to build something investors want, and investors increasingly want cross-media franchises. Previously, creating a cross-media franchise was considered desirable but vague in terms of execution. Our framework provides a shortcut by embedding cross-media potential into products from the start.

      We simultaneously design, produce, and publish products while embedding cross-media franchise potential into them. This ensures that if the product succeeds, the franchise potential can be unlocked and expanded further. This approach avoids situations where a successful product lacks scalability.

      From an investor’s perspective, it’s essential to focus on IP rights. However, there are challenges. Investors have two traditional options:

      1. Establish a company, wait 80+ years, and hope to build a portfolio like Disney.
      2. Spend billions to acquire a company like Disney or Warner Bros.

      Neither of these options is practical for most investors. Instead, our approach offers a middle path. It allows investors to see results in as little as two years, building momentum toward a billion-dollar company within six to seven years. And instead of needing hundreds of billions of dollars, investors can start with as little as $30 million.

      The Number One Advice for New IP Developers

      Ask yourself a fundamental question and give an honest answer:

      What is more important to you—delivering your personal creative statement or creating something that people will love and want to engage with?

      This question highlights a critical challenge faced by creative people, especially those with a strong personal vision. Many creators fall in love with their ideas. They see something extraordinary that no one else sees, and they become passionate and protective about it. However, at some point, it’s essential to step back and evaluate whether the idea aligns with what people actually want.

      Market Orientation vs. Personal Vision
      Creators need to define the group of people (the audience) who would love and expect projects like theirs. Then, they need to actively listen to this group’s expectations. Successful products teach audiences to expect specific things. For example:

      • In sci-fi, people expect starships, teleportation technology, beam weapons, and aliens.

      • These tropes exist because earlier successful products taught audiences to associate them with the genre.

      If your product lacks these expected elements, you risk disappointing your audience. At the same time, it’s essential to innovate and bring something fresh to the table.

      Balancing Expectations with Innovation
      Creators must balance meeting expectations with introducing new ideas. Study your competitors and see what works in your field. Analyze the cool features, narratives, or elements that people love in similar products. Then, synthesize these learnings and incorporate them into your IP in a way that feels authentic and innovative.

      Why Research Matters
      Some creators resist this advice because it feels like they’re compromising their artistic vision. However, understanding and respecting your audience’s expectations is not about limiting creativity—it’s about creating a strong foundation for success. Innovation is most impactful when it builds on what people already love.

      Many creative people feel insulted at the idea of borrowing from what has already been done, seeing it as a personal affront to their originality. However, this mindset can be a significant obstacle to success in creating commercially viable IPs.

      Key Takeaways on IP Development:

      1. Listen to Your Audience:
        Understand what people want and expect from the genre or medium you’re working in. Listening to your target audience is critical to aligning your creative ideas with market demand.
      2. Study Successful Examples:
        Look at what others in your industry have done successfully. These prior works set audience expectations and provide valuable insights into what resonates with your target demographic.
      3. Differentiate Between Art and Commerce:
        Recognize the difference between creating a piece of art and developing a commercial product. Both are valid pursuits, but they serve different purposes. A commercial product must balance creativity with audience expectations and marketability.
      4. Embrace Research and Innovation:
        Researching and learning from successful projects is not a limitation—it’s a foundation. Once you understand the standards and expectations of your field, you can innovate on top of them, creating something fresh and exciting.

      As content creation becomes easier, the opportunities for those with strong IPs grow exponentially. Owning an IP provides the flexibility to expand across multiple channels, from games to books, movies, and beyond, creating endless possibilities.

      Closing Thoughts:
      In today’s industry, those who hold IP rights have a significant advantage. By understanding their audience, respecting industry trends, and balancing creativity with commercial goals, creators can unlock the full potential of their IPs.

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