Lizard Express: Slitherine interviewed

Fellow passengers in Train Sim World rarely make eye contact let alone start conversations. Last Wednesday, however, while riding the virtual 15:11 from London Victoria to Epsom, my daydreams were interrupted by a cheery “Hello Tim!”.

The greeting came from Marco Minoli, Director of Publishing at Slitherine Software. By the time our whiny Electrostar had reached Clapham Junction, pleasantries had been exchanged, and, voice recorder in hand, I was quizzing my travelling companion about Slitherine’s year.

THC: Which was the fastest selling Slitherine/Matrix release of 2024, and, if you had to make a prediction, which game is most likely to earn that accolade in 2025?

Marco: The award goes to Terminator: Dark Fate – Defiance (with the correct colon and dash).

This year saw an impressive line-up of new releases, including Headquarters: WWII, ICBM: Escalation, Field of Glory: Kingdoms, and Scramble: Battle of Britain. It’s also worth noting that established titles like Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector, Command: Modern Operations, Panzer Corps 2, and Starship Troopers: Terran Command delivered strong performances across the board.

In 2023, with the only notable new release being Rule the Waves 3, our catalog of past games accounted for 80% of total sales. This year, despite a greater number of new releases, the back catalog still contributed over 75%. This highlights the remarkable longevity and enduring appeal of our games.

Looking ahead to 2025, I’d wager that Broken Arrow has the best chance of claiming the “fastest-selling” title for Slitherine. On the Matrix Games side, the competition will be exciting, with Modern Naval Warfare and Armored Brigade II poised to lead the charge.

THC: What’s been the biggest challenge Slitherine has faced during the past twelve months?

Marco: We are shifting towards a new balance between games developed internally and externally. Recently, we’ve acquired the Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector engine, Combat Mission, and released Field of Glory: Kingdoms and Scramble: Battle of Britain. This represents a significant increase in internal development efforts, alongside ongoing projects like Command: Modern Operations and Modern Naval Warfare.

This change addresses two key challenges. First, while we have many game ideas, we sometimes struggle to find external developers who fully embrace our vision. By building internal capabilities, we ensure we can execute our designs when necessary or keep that option open. Second, it allows us to concentrate on projects where we can deliver long-term value.

For example, Modern Naval Warfare, Command, and Combat Mission have clear applications in the professional defense sector. The Battlesector engine offers versatile core gameplay that we can adapt creatively, while Scramble features an innovative gameplay loop with a promising future. Each of these projects reflects our commitment to owning technologies and products that will drive the company forward.

THC: The acquisition of Battlefront in the summer was a surprise for many. If the opportunity arose to buy other pillars of PC wargaming such as Wargame Design Studio and Graviteam, would you be interested?

Marco: We have acquired Battlefront after many years of collaboration, driven by a shared belief that Slitherine could significantly enhance the franchise’s future. Over the years, we explored closer partnerships, ultimately agreeing that a more substantial investment was the best path forward. It’s been a long and thoughtful process.

At Slitherine, we strive to be a source of added value for our projects. Any future acquisition will prioritize this principle, focusing not just on financial aspects but also on our ability to contribute meaningfully. This includes having the capacity to support projects effectively, ensuring internal commitment, and leveraging commercial opportunities. Equally important is a shared alignment of values.

To answer the question directly, yes, we are open to collaborating at any level with partners who are equally committed to nurturing the niche and have a long-term vision for its growth.

THC: When are we likely to see the first fruits of the Battlefront takeover, and what form are they likely to take?

Marco: At this stage, there’s not much I can share. We’re transitioning to a new engine, and we’re in the middle of making critical structural decisions. While Combat Mission’s core gameplay loop remains solid and effective, many of the elements that contributed to its success are now outdated, and technology has advanced significantly since the original release of the first CM2 game.

Our goal is to preserve what works while modernizing what needs improvement. The core Battlefront team is still here, dedicated to creating the next generation of games that will continue to evolve in the future. While I can’t reveal much yet, you might be able to read between the lines.

THC: I love Armored Brigade II’s utilitarian 3D graphics. Was Slitherine involved in the decision to ‘go 3D’?

Marco: The transition to 3D was almost inevitable for creating a sequel to Armored Brigade. Our goal was to unlock the game’s full potential, and a significant portion of the audience simply avoids the “wargame + 2D graphics” formula.

That said, you’re absolutely right in suggesting that moving to 3D can sometimes hinder playability and introduce unnecessary complexity in design and development. However, what Veitikka has accomplished with the use of 3D is remarkable. Not only does it enhance the player’s understanding of the battlefield, but it also avoids the typical trade-offs. The team has managed to maintain development efficiency without compromising on the quality or depth of content offered to the players.

THC: There doesn’t seem to have been much news of Modern Naval Warfare of late. Should sub simmers be concerned?

Marco: I certainly don’t want sub-simmers to be concerned, so I’ll try to explain why we are so late.

Since we began our partnership with Maslas Bros, which evolved into the joint venture known as Wave Ops, we’ve had to significantly reassess our development priorities and expand the development team substantially. The Maslas team has been committed to building the team locally in Greece, but hiring game developers in the region proved to be a challenging and time-consuming process, taking over a year to accomplish.

At the same time we’ve been focusing on professional development and designing modular systems to future-proof this simulation. However, we underestimated the difficulties involved and also faced a shift in the project’s scope. It took us time to recognize these challenges, adapt our schedule, and ensure the new staff was settling in well.

From my past experience working on the launch of Dangerous Waters, I know how complex these processes can be. Integrating new systems into a wider simulation engine often takes much longer than developing the systems themselves. With dozens of physics-based systems interacting with one another, the process becomes even more intricate.

Despite these challenges, we are fully committed to this project. We are investing significant time, resources, and effort, and I am confident it will set a new benchmark in the simulation space.

THC: Which was the last of your releases to secure a print review and how important are games magazines to Slitherine nowadays?

Marco: I had to ask about this! I believe the last major review of a strategy game in a UK magazine was for Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector, which was four years ago. Print media has become largely irrelevant to our business today. Very few publications have dedicated strategy games experts on staff, and strategy games, in general, are under-represented on major websites.

It’s astonishing that last year, PC Gamer didn’t even have a Strategy Game of the Year Award. Many reviewers and editors can’t distinguish between an RTS and a turn-based game; everything seems to be labeled “X-Com style.” There’s little to no strategy gaming culture, which leads to games like Clash of Clans being seen as benchmarks for depth and complexity.

It’s disheartening, especially since the market for strategy games is large and still growing. Perhaps it’s up to us to invest in fostering a culture around strategy and wargames. If we take that responsibility seriously, I believe we’ll see the benefits of those efforts in the years to come.

THC: Does Slitherine have a policy regarding AI-generated game assets?

Marco: We do, and it’s going to be a moving target for the foreseeable future.

We collaborate with a diverse range of developers, from very small studios to larger, more structured teams. Each developer has unique needs and perspectives on this sensitive topic. Our priority is ensuring developers understand the risks of using AI-generated assets and that players are informed when assets are not entirely created by humans. Transparency is key—both for developers and customers alike.

For internally developed products, we primarily use AI for artistic inspiration. However, we have not yet incorporated AI-generated content directly into our games.

As development costs continue to rise, leveraging new technologies is essential to help game makers deliver products on time and within budget, particularly in niche markets like traditional wargames. While it would be unwise to ignore these opportunities, it is equally important to reflect these process changes in our communication with customers and in the pricing of our products.

This is an intriguing and complex area, and we are monitoring it closely.

THC: I think I’m right in saying, Slitherine will celebrate its silver jubilee next summer. Do you have anything big planned?

Marco: You’re absolutely right. We even have a shiny new logo for the occasion.

There’s not much I can reveal just yet, but expect plenty of activities to celebrate our anniversary. Not only is it our 25th, but Matrix Games is also celebrating its own milestone at the same time. We can’t overlook how wargames and strategy games have evolved over these years, and we want to celebrate both the past and the present of the genre.

We’re also committed to playing an active role in shaping the future of strategy games.

THC: Thank you for your time, and apologies for the amateurish Photoshopping.