From Shovel Knight’s Success to a Tough New Era
Shovel Knight is one of the biggest indie success stories in modern gaming. It sold more than three million copies, holds an overwhelmingly positive rating on Steam, and became such a recognizable brand that it crossed over with games like Bloodstained and For Honor. For a while, it felt like Yacht Club Games could do no wrong.
But being an indie hit once does not guarantee long term security. It has been ten years since Shovel Knight first launched, and Yacht Club has struggled to land another full scale breakout hit. In a recent interview, studio founder Cris Velasco admitted that the company is now in a make or break moment. Their next game, Mina the Hollower, needs to perform well if the studio is going to stay comfortable.
Mina the Hollower is a gothic, retro style action adventure that has often been compared to The Legend of Zelda Link’s Awakening, with a darker twist. It was revealed in 2022 and immediately caught attention for its Game Boy Advance era vibes and clever, fast paced combat. For many fans of Shovel Knight and classic handheld games, Mina instantly landed on the must watch list.
How Mina the Hollower Became So Critical
The story behind Mina’s development explains why this one game matters so much. Yacht Club first proposed Mina in 2019, and serious development began in early 2020. At that point, the studio split into two teams. One team would focus on a full 3D Shovel Knight sequel. The other would handle Mina the Hollower as a smaller, more manageable project.
Then the Covid 19 pandemic hit just as this new structure was forming. Like many studios, Yacht Club was hit hard by the shift in working conditions and the wider chaos in the industry. The two team approach did not work the way they hoped. At the same time, Mina the Hollower gradually grew in scope. What started as a modest game became more ambitious, more complex, and more demanding in terms of time and resources.
Eventually, Yacht Club laid off some employees and regrouped around a single focus. They pointed everything they had at Mina the Hollower, putting the 3D Shovel Knight project on the back burner. That decision effectively turned Mina into the studio’s main bet for the future.
Velasco has been very direct about what is at stake. He says that selling around 500,000 copies of Mina would put the studio in a great position. Even 200,000 copies would be solid. But if the game only lands at around 100,000 units, that would be a serious problem. In a crowded and unforgiving indie landscape, those numbers are not guaranteed, even for a beloved studio with a hit in its past.
All of this is happening while the wider game industry goes through its own brutal adjustment. After the pandemic era boom, there has been a wave of contraction and layoffs. Many studios are downsizing or closing, and large publishers are leaning hard into generative AI in search of cost savings. It is a tough time to be an independent developer trying to launch a premium game.
Delays, Hype, and an Uncertain Future
On paper, Mina the Hollower has a lot going for it. A Kickstarter campaign in 2022 raised more than $1.2 million, showing there was real demand and a passionate fanbase ready to support the project. A playable demo released earlier in 2024 impressed critics and players alike. One writer described it as awakening the GBA kid in him, which is exactly the nostalgic sweet spot the game is aiming for.
However, strong early impressions do not mean the launch will be smooth. Mina the Hollower was originally planned to release on October 31. That Halloween date was perfect for its gothic style, but on October 6 Yacht Club announced a last minute delay. The team said it needed extra time for final polish and balancing to make the game truly shine. They emphasized that the delay would not be major, yet they did not offer a new release date.
Delays for polish are common, especially for studios that care about quality, but every shift in schedule adds pressure when a company has tied so much of its future to a single title. The indie market is busier than ever, with countless games hitting Steam and other platforms every week. Standing out requires not just a good game, but the right timing, strong word of mouth, and a bit of luck.
Looking ahead, Yacht Club is making more structural changes. The studio plans to close its physical office and go fully remote at the end of 2025. It also wants to work on just one game at a time after Mina ships, instead of splitting its focus. That strategy could help keep future projects under control and avoid the scope creep that turned Mina from a small game into a make or break release.
As for what happens if Mina the Hollower is not a big hit, Velasco says Yacht Club will still be around, but they would need more money. That could mean seeking new funding, taking on work for hire projects, or making tough decisions about scale and ambition. None of those paths are easy, but the studio is not planning to disappear quietly.
For players, Mina the Hollower is more than just a cool retro inspired action adventure. It is a snapshot of the modern indie scene and the risks that even successful developers have to take. Fans of Shovel Knight and classic handheld style games will be watching closely when Mina finally lands, knowing that the future of a beloved studio may depend on how many people decide to pick up a whip and dive into its gothic world.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/shovel-knight-developer-yacht-club-games-will-be-in-serious-trouble-if-its-next-release-isnt-a-hit-its-make-or-break-for-sure/
