Developer Ember Lab has revealed that its PS4 and PS5 exclusive Kena: Bridge of Spirits became profitable in a month. Kena — led by brothers Josh Grier and Michael Grier — was Ember Lab’s debut game after a decade of commercial animations.
It was ‘really cool’ to debut Kena on PS4 and PS5, says Ember Lab
Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, the Griers recalled pitching Kena to obtain funding for the project. The pitch caught Sony‘s attention, who not only provided funding but also marketing support. Michael says that launching his debut game for a large number of players on PS4 and PS5 was “really cool” but it also suddenly put Ember Lab under a lot of pressure.
“We’re a very small team, it’s an indie game, and we went from no one knowing about it to a bunch of people wanting it after the show,” Michael recalled, adding that Ember Lab was under pressure to deliver.
The studio’s efforts paid off. Kena broke even and became profitable in a month’s time. The game also received robust post-launch support, complete with an anniversary update.
Kena’s success has encouraged Ember Lab to make an effort to do even better on its next project. However, the studio has no desire to expand the scope of the project beyond its capabilities.
The Griers declined to reveal anything about the project.
