Meet Christophe Galati | Game Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christophe Galati and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christophe, how do you think about risk?
Risk taking has always been part of my career, which is why I often don’t feel confortable giving advices to others, as what worked for me had really high chances of failure. When you survive growing up with trauma, it kinds of gives you the feeling that you are now invicible, that the worse is already behind you. I felt like I had gold in my hands, and that I should follow my path no matter the risks, because I had nothing left to lose, as I felt my life was already broken. With this mindset, I did a student loan to study game programming, moved out to Paris to live in a tiny appartment and started creating games as an indiependant basically at 19. Right at the start of my carreer, the big risk was already taken. I kind of burned myself up making my first game on my own with no money in my free time for 4 years. It basically became my identity, I was always talking about the project and spent most of my time on it, which alienated some friends. But in the end, it paid off, I was selected to Tokyo Game Show, found a publisher, and released the game on Nintendo when I was 23. We are now a few years later, since then I created a proper company, and took the risk of creating an other game, while the indistry is in a big crisis and publisher not funding anything anymore. I had to rely on crowdfunding this time, which was another big risk. It also paid off for me, which then allowed to apply to public funds. For both project, I always took the risk of pouring my soul into it, talking about subject dear to me and that we don’t often see in commercial games, because as I am a survivor, I want to become an inspiration to other and help them survive trauma by bringing them worlds to explore. You’ll always have to fight the impostor syndrom, but what helped me was also to apply to programs that seemed out of my field like artist residency or the world of drag, to broaden my view and get inspired. Making games are always a risk, and you should follow the voice in your head if you believe in your project and go for it, while keeping in mind what you can lose and prepare yourself for the worse, as the industry is not kind.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a game creator. I started making games when I was 12 using RPG Maker, and then did study in game programming which gave me many skills that allowed me to make game mostly by myself. My first game Save me Mr Tako was a journey in itself, and made me known in this industy. By keeping myself productive, communicating a lot and going to event, I manage to reach the finish line and release the game. I now lead a game company call Deneos, and we work on a new game with my team. Our goal is to create great adventures with a JRPG spirit to pay homage to classical eras of gaming while sharing modern and personal stories.
It’s never easy to make games, but bringing my story to life is very motivationnal. I had to overcome my personnal traumatic events and creating game was my way out of darkness. I hope I can inspire people with my games as games from the past did inspire me in these dark times.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I never went to Los Angeles. But a few years ago, I became the first game developer to be selected in an artist residency in Kyoto called Villa Kujoyama. I spent 5 month in Japan, and received many people from the industry there. I would first take them to eat something nice in town, walk by the Kamogaway river and then up to my mountain to make them visit the Villa, which look like a grey fortress in the forest. There I serve them tea, while showing them my work and enjoy the view. Then, we go out again to visit an ancient temple, the Himukai Daijingu, where there is a cave where the goddess Amaterasu is said to have come. Then we go down the mountain back to town, eat takoyaki, and I bring them back to the train station.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Daisuke Amaya, the creator of Cave Story, who inspired me a lot.
Valentin Seiche, a comic book artist, and Marc-Antoine Archier, a composer, who both worked with me, believed in my universe and helped me filling the gaps where my skills where not enough.

Website: https://www.deneosproduction.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisdeneos/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophe-galati-51080838/

Twitter: https://x.com/ChrisDeneos

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chrisDeneos

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DeneosGames

Other: https://www.patreon.com/chrisDeneos

Image Credits
Credit Christophe Galati