From One Game to Global Success: The Rise of Outfit7
After launching Season 4 of the Talking Tom and Friends animated series and the stylized new spinoff, Talking Tom Heroes, Outfit7 is getting ready for a live-action movie based on its global mobile game sensation.
“We approach everything we do as a creatordriven enterprise, which our team treats as a passion project instead of a business development task. We put our heart and soul in it, which is what makes it spark in the end.” — Outfit7’s chief product officer Boris Dolenc
Nine years ago, global game developer and entertainment company Outfit7 introduced the world to Talking Tom, a hilarious digital talking cat. In the company’s first game, Talking Tom Cat, Tom would repeat everything you said in a helium-pitched voice, and you could poke and stroke him just like a living pet! As Outfit7’s Chief Product Officer Boris Dolenc recalls: “Our game really took off thanks to its humor and simplicity, and it received millions of downloads in the first year, proving we had created something special. It was quickly followed by sequels and new characters that expanded the universe.”
These days Outfit7 brings joy to fans in 190 countries around the world through games, video content, and licensing products. Dolenc says: “Like our characters, our team is young, or at least young at heart, and we want to entertain the inner child in everybody. We like to believe that, with almost 10 billion mobile game downloads and billions of video views, we must be doing something right!”
After starting out with mobile games, Outfit7
expanded, going on to create an award-winning animated series, digital video content, and more. It’s now in the process of developing a Talking Tom and Friends live-action movie.
Dolenc says that one of the most interesting challenges the creative team has faced was in figuring out how to take a successful mobile game and transform it into a character-based entertainment universe. “When preparing the animated series, we wanted to keep the humor that the audience had grown to love in the Talking Tom and Friends games and translate it into an animated
adventure,” he notes. “The process of evolving the franchise from a mobile game into an animated series with an all-star voice cast, including actors Colin Hanks, Tom Kenny, and James Adomian has been quite a feat, but at the same time a very rewarding process.”
Digital Pioneer
Being among the first in the industry to use digital streaming as its main platform for the distribution of premium content also allowed Outfit7 to unleash its creativity and passion for these characters by exploring different styles
and formats of animation. “Thanks to our incredible animation and production teams, we were able to give fans what they wanted — a deeper connection to our characters that adds to and upgrades their mobile gaming experience,” says Dolenc.
“All combined, this has resulted in over 28 billion global views to date.”
Dolenc says that Outfit7 has always loved the idea of adding superhero elements to its popular characters. That’s why they have just launched Talking Tom Heroes, a new animated adventure which sees its popular characters, enhanced with power crystals and cool new gadgets, setting out on a mission to save the world. “This new spinoff 52 x 6’ series complements the launch of our new endless runner game, Talking Tom Hero Dash, which features
the same ‘hero’ characters,” he explains. “In addition to the new animated series and the game, we’re also launching a comprehensive licensing program.”
As Outfit7 continues to expand on a global scale, it remains focused on how to keep developing content that will connect with people from different cultures around the world.
“When we approached the Chinese market, for example, we went beyond simple translation to adapt the names of our characters, which allowed us to add more life and meaning to the characters themselves and illuminated the role they played in the Talking Tom and Friends universe. For our character-based brand, this connection with the audience is of paramount importance.”
As the company continues to expand the franchise, it hopes to work with partners that can help tell new stories in a compelling and interactive way. “What we look for in an animation partner goes well beyond perfect technical execution,” Dolenc notes. “We look for partners who are able to bring our characters to life, and who can add to the creative spark with their creative vision and passion. Similarly, in licensing, we look for partners who are willing to bring this same passion, heart, and ambition that we so strongly believe in into retail and help us fulfill our mission — to bring joy to our fans.” ◆ For more info, visit outfit7.com