‘Temple Run’ creator to appeal to Chinese fans
Print Edition
Keith Shepherd, 33, an ordinary software programmer at a health care firm in Washington, DC, five years ago, probably never thought he would earn millions of dollars and became well-known globally thanks to a video game.
“Five years ago, if you told me I would go to Shanghai to give a presentation at a press conference in front of journalists like now, I would say you are crazy,” said Shepherd, creator of the hit game “Temple Run.”
In 2008, Shepherd quit his job and founded Imangi with wife, Natalia Luckyanova, with the goal of creating small, fun games for everyone to enjoy.
They became the parents of the addictive mobile game “Temple Run,” even dubbing their voices for the game. Luckyanova, who plays the piano, wrote the music and sound effects.
The game — in which users play a thief running through a hidden temple — has attracted more than 500 million downloads globally, 25 percent from China. Originally released for Apple devices, it has spread to Android systems and other platforms.
Imangi’s latest product, “Temple Run 2,” debuted in January and was downloaded over 50 million times on mobile devices within 13 days, breaking the record for the fastest growing mobile game set by “Angry Birds Space” in April 2012 in 35 days.
Imangi also has joined with Disney to launch “Temple Run: Brave,” a combination with the world of Disney Pixar’s animated films, which pushed the game to number one on Apple’s App Store shortly after its release.
The couple has moved back to their hometown in North Carolina to continue developing games as part of a six-person team and raising their one-year-old daughter. In his spare time, Shepherd likes mountain hiking, sailing and photography.
With Chinese partner iDreamsky, Shepherd visited Shanghai during the ChinaJoy show held in late July to announce new versions of “Temple Run” specifically for Chinese players, such as “Temple Run” for e-sports and “Temple Run” on WeChat.
During a one-on-one interview, Shepherd talked with Shanghai Daily about “Temple Run,” new versions for China, his career and vision for mobile game including the “freemium” pricing model.
Q: What’s the story behind “Temple Run”? What happened in the temple?
A: In the game, an ordinary person has touched and taken an idol from a temple and he/she is being chased by the guardians of the temple during an endless run.
We have franchised comic books and board games based on the game and we are talking with movie studios to develop a movie.
Q: How did you get the inspiration for “Temple Run 2”?
A: We need beautiful and organic environments and new elements like riding cars. The background comes from landscapes such as Machu Picchu.
I have never been to Machu Picchu, but I am very fascinated by Indian cultures and archaeological sites.
But we are sticking to the elements people already like in the original “Temple Run” like the controls.
Q: What will happen after running hours and hours? Any surprises?
A: You will always start with the temple and the only thing you should do is to run. They are rumors (referring to conjecture about secret city scenes after running for dozens of hours).
My best record for “Temple Run 2” is about 10 minutes. It’s a little embarrassing.
Q: What do you bring to Chinese players?
A: We are working with local partner iDreamsky to develop the game specifically for Chinese players. We are interested in adding more characters and places from China. The Great Wall is the biggest inspiration now. Terra-cotta warriors are also being considered.
Q: What about the early days of Imangi Studios? How do you share work with Natalia?
A: We have six employees now, including Natalia and me. We are a very small team. We are both software engineers in charge of programming and designing the game. Natalia is very good at piano and she is also in charge of background music and sound effects. I contribute voice for male characters and Natalia for female voices. It’s awesome to be able to share this aspect of our lives. And I think our skills complement one another very well.
Q: Why did you choose the freemium model for the game?
A: We switched to a freemium pricing model, allowing users to download a basic version for free and pay for enhancements. The most popular in-app purchase is the 99 (US) cent package for gems (which bring users a second life to keep running).
With all freemium business models, the percentage of users willing to pay is small, probably one to four percent. Most people play for free.
Q: What’s your vision for mobile games? Do you have detailed business expansion plans?
A: It’s a dream. Small teams can make amazing products and distribute them to the whole world.
We are not the only successful one in the industry for digital downloading. Even now, there are still opportunities for small teams. We are now completely self-funded. Many people want to buy and invest but we don’t need external investment. We want to be independent and be creative for games, not answering investors.
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