The world of Occultical tells the story of cosmic horrors and nightmarish creatures that threaten humanity. In this alternate universe, these creatures, called mythics, run rampant, and a secretive organization called Mythic Protocol is the only one that can stop them. Riftstorm takes place in Occultical, where players are elite secret operatives equipped with unique abilities and weapons. They must use their strengths and skills while tackling the numerous challenges caused by mythics and the areas they inhabit.
Confiction Labs has been building Riftstorm for the past two years. It is a multiplayer co-op looter-shooter action RPG with roguelite elements and is being developed for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox, Switch and mobile. Imagine Diablo meets Hades, but with guns. On track to launch in Q1 2025, Riftstorm is the first of three planned games that are part of the Occultical universe.
Riftstorm Gains Traction with Successful Playtests
Consistent market testing and product iteration yield mass appeal and traction unrivaled within the space. Riftstorm has undergone a couple of playtests over the past year, the most recent of which occurred on March 8-15, 2024. With the tests, more players have been able to try the game through Steam, providing invaluable data necessary for the game’s continued development through direct player feedback.
Riftstorm had the highest pre-alpha player count on Steam during the week of its second playtest. The second playtest had 22,027 players, peaking at 684 concurrent users. Comparatively, the first playtest only had 2,773. Here are some of the other relevant data brought about by the testing:
- A total of 831 content creators covered Riftstorm, amassing 326,000 hours of viewership.
- Social media accounts of Riftstorm exploded from 15,000 followers to 337,000 after the playtest.
- Day 1 retention was 59%. Any game with a value above 40% is considered a hit. While Riftstorm had no progression mechanics yet, many testers continued to play.
- Riftstorm achieved a net promoter score (NPS) of 28.1. An NPS above 20 is considered outstanding. Grand Theft Auto V had an NPS of 24.1, while The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild had an NPS of 20.2.
By taking a methodical approach to product iteration and development, Riftstorm has managed to find a great product-market fit, with supporting data placing the game in the top 1% of web2 games. Since the playtest, Confiction Labs has gained interest from many major publishers and distributors. The team is currently in exploration with a few of the top 20 global game publishers. There have also been talks with Sony, Xbox, Nintendo, Google and Apple for distribution on their platforms.
Collaborative Entertainment in Riftstorm
Riftstorm takes gaming a step further by introducing a new modality of media called Collaborative Entertainment. To put it simply, players can have a lasting effect on the world of Riftstorm through their contributions. Their in-game actions in events affect future updates, while user-generated content can also be submitted to a database called The Repository. UGC can range from short stories to art, music, videos, and more. All content submissions are organized by a protocol called the ConFict Data Layer (CDL), where they then go to a dedicated team for review.
If approved, a player’s story can be published in Riftstorm’s newsletter, or it can even be implemented in a future game update. If Confiction Labs uses a player’s content, the player also gains rewards and incentives for their contribution. The goal is to create a dynamic ecosystem where players become part of a larger living and breathing story.
From the Creative Minds at Confiction Labs
Confiction Labs, formerly known as Mythic Protocol, is a software and entertainment company pioneering Collaborative Entertainment to draw users into the creation process of immersive digital experiences. Our game, Riftstorm, is the first of three titles to inhabit the world of Occultical. Confiction Labs is building products, IPs and platforms designed to scale and evolve collaboratively.
The core leadership at Confiction Labs has an average of 15 years of experience in leading roles. We have 120 gaming veterans with diverse backgrounds and each with at least seven years of experience. Team members have worked on world-class titles such as Magic: the Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, Fairy Tail, and Legends of Runeterra. Among us are award winners who have won Emmys, International Game Awards, and more.
Chris Lie, founder of a world-class art studio, leads Riftstorm’s art team as the Art Director of Confiction Labs. His skills and experience have led him to work with some of the giants of the entertainment industry, including HBO, Netflix, Disney, Sony and Warner Bros.
“Designing a world-class game like Riftstorm has been a blast because there are a lot of interesting themes intersecting,” said Chris. “You have mythics, which are cosmic horrors that could come from anywhere in the dark corners of the universe. On the other side, you have a secretive organization that holds as many mysteries as the mythics themselves. All of the feedback we’ve gotten so far has been positive, speaking to the mass appeal that the game has. It’s the combination of great elements from roguelites and looter shooters, with deep lore that players can really immerse themselves in.”
Development for Riftstorm continues, with Confiction Labs building upon the success of the most recent playtest and carefully considering feedback from testers. For those interested in joining the next playtest for Riftstorm, updates will be posted on the Confiction Labs and Riftstorm X accounts. The Riftstorm Steam page and the website will also post updates.
To learn more about Confiction Labs, read this article.
