Minh Le (Counter-Strike): "VDS is a tech event giving global visibility to Valencia’s talent"

Minh Le, co-creator of Counter-Strike and currently Lead Game Designer at Ultimo Ratio Games, reflects in this interview on how the industry has evolved since the birth of one of the most influential titles in history. He discusses the challenges indie studios face in today’s highly competitive market, the importance of creativity and collaboration, and the role of events like VDS in giving visibility to emerging talent and connecting it with a global audience.e.

 

What was the creative process like behind the birth of Counter-Strike, and what personally drove you to develop a project that would go on to become a turning point in the history of video games?

In 1998, when I came up with the idea of Counter-Strike, I was a big fan of games like Rainbow Six. I was also fascinated by counter-terrorist forces such as the French GIGN and British SAS. I had been doing a lot of research into their operations and it inspired me to make a game about counter-terrorism. I wanted to make a game that would capture the sense of tension that is involved in real life counter-terrorist operations, and so that was the main inspiration for creating Counter-Strike.

I also realized that I had to make the game a bit unrealistic in order for it to be fun because in real life, CT operations can be quite lop-sided and the terrorists usually were outnumbered and poorly equipped.

 

25 years later, Counter-Strike remains an undisputed benchmark in the world of competitive gaming. How has your perspective on game development evolved since then, and what key lessons do you still carry from that time?

I’ve witnessed the game industry evolve over 25 years and what I’ve noticed is that as more people have gotten into games, we’re starting to see new genres of games appear. These genres include Battle Royal, Extraction Shooter, etc. We’re also seeing more “niche” games find their own audience, for example games like “Squad”, “Arma”, “Hell Let Loose”, and many other PvP FPS games are able to thrive in such a competitive FPS market.

I feel that the industry is in such a mature state, that it is very difficult for new FPS games to find success in such a crowded market. In order to find success, a game must either be truly innovative and offer such a unique experience from what is currently available OR it must be an incredibly polished game that can mimic the success of an established FPS game (for example Marvel Rivals successfully taking players from the Overwatch crowd).

 

From your experience, what are the main challenges and opportunities today for independent developers aiming to innovate within an industry dominated by major studios?

I think the main challenge for smaller indie developers is to create a game that can offer something unique from other games. It may be a different theme or the introduction of some new game mechanics, but I feel it’s important to have something that can lure players away from the FPS game they are currently playing.

I remember when we were working on Rust, the game was so unique and even though it looked incredibly poor in the early stages, we were able to grow a player audience because it offered an experience unlike any other game out there.

I do believe there’s an opportunity for new game developers to find success, they just have to be very creative in their game design and I also feel it will help them to develop a prototype of their game on a platform that has an abundance of players, such as Fortnite or Roblox. I think these platforms offer an easy way to reach an audience that are looking for interesting new game ideas.

 

In a globalized market, what value do you see in video games that reflect local identities and original narratives when it comes to connecting with new audiences?

I’ve always loved playing games that can offer me a unique perspective on a culture. I feel there’s great value in developing games that can inject local perspectives that are native the developer’s country. But it is important to make your game accessible to a global audience and sometimes that means copying the design mechanisms / themes of more established popular games. This will allow players from around the world to look at your game and say, “Ah.. this reminds me of another game.” This familiarity will allow new players to better understand how to play your game.

I find that many players prefer to play games that feel similar to other games that they have played because it means they do not have to learn a new control scheme or different game design mechanisms.

 

Valencia is steadily establishing itself as an emerging hub in the video game industry, and on October 22–23 you’ll be speaking at VDS in Valencia. How do you see the city’s potential to grow into a globally competitive hub, and what impact do you hope to make through your participation at VDS?

It’s an honor to be speaking at VDS and I am seeing a lot of great talent come out of Valencia. I hope my presence at VDS will allow me to connect with some of the wonderful talent in Valencia. I think VDS is a wonderful event that can bring more awareness to the game development talent that this city has to offer the world.

 

What’s one piece of advice you wish you’d been given when you started out in game development?

As a game developer, I’ve always focused all of my time just sitting at my computer and developing games but I would advise new game developers to take the time to build more personal connections with fellow developers. This means attending more conventions to meet people face to face. This is incredibly valuable and something that gets lost in the internet world where trust can be a difficult thing to come by. I have met so many wonderful colleagues that I have worked with by building connections and growing my network of fellow developers.