Play as passion: Hendrik Lesser on Songs of Silence and the future of the industry

Hendrik Lesser is the CEO of Remote Control Productions and Chimera Entertainment. He is a well‑known figure in the gaming industry with many years of experience, as well as an active member of the European Game Developers Federation (EGDF). As the president of the federation since 2016, he works tirelessly to improve the conditions for the development of games in Europe and supports developers. Along with his professional achievements, Lesser is known for his active support of the Ukrainian game industry, which has become especially significant in the conditions of the challenges facing Ukraine today. In this interview, he shares his views on the role of video games as the most important media phenomenon of the 21st century, his approach to the creation of the new project Songs of Silence, and his vision of the future of games as part of cultural heritage. 00:00 Introduction 0:33 Technical aspects of the release 1:07 Information about the guest 2:28 What exactly inspired you to enter the video game industry? 4:29 How did you decide that this would be a professional path? 7:12 About Chimera Entertainment 12:48 What are Chimera Entertainment's biggest achievements to date? 15:38 The idea and development vector of Chimera Entertainment 18:32 Main differences between European and American/Asian gaming industry 23:14 What a vector of promotion of own projects 26:42 What are the biggest challenges facing European video game developers today, and how is the EGDF helping to overcome them? 33:11 Main meanings in development 34:52 What philosophical credo do you apply when developing/managing? 39:26 Work-life balance 40:30 What exactly inspired you to create Songs of Silence? Are there personal stories or works of literature that influenced the concept of the game? 44:07 Songs of Silence release 46:21 In what direction do you see the development of Songs of Silence in the future? 48:41 The potential of the game for the development of eSports or tournaments 51:02 Tips for young developers just starting out in the video game industry 56:37 What prompted the addition of Ukrainian localization to the game 58:11 Was it financially feasible to add Ukrainian localization 01:01:44 Address to the audience 01:05:54 Finishing release