Who is Mr. M
My obligatory backstory
For those who don't know, I'm a tech nerd and polyglot with a love for video games and animation. During my childhood, I had a huge fascination with all the behind the scenes action with my favorite video games, cartoons, movies, etc. At some point I had dreams of being an animator and game designer one day, and that dream never died out. I later learned around middle school that a lot of it simply involves math, computer and art skills. As a result, I went to college study Mathematics and Computer Science, mainly focusing on interactive technology. Essentially, all of this is how and why I started my personal business, Mr. M Interactive, where I make games and other content as a side hustle.
What kind of stuff do you make or plan to make?
I'm going to admit, I grew up as a 2000s kid and I took an interest somewhat in retro games and old cartoons as well. Those things hold a special place in my heart. So, I lot of stuff that I make will be inspired by the Y2K era and retro entertainment. It's also to make everything easier to produce and more accessible to people with lower end hardware. That's also why I made this website on the indie web; although it looks rough, it reminds me of the old, weird internet I grew up with (and it's not super bloated)
What platforms are you publishing on?
I'm primarily going to focus on PC and Web with mobile in the future. PC will be the main platform for any paid games. I mainly plan to use the web for making smaller interactive games similar to flash games I grew up with as a kid. Mobile will also be for free smaller phone games as well.
How are you doing all of this?
I am primarily using free and open source software to make games, graphics, music or making use of royalty free assets (but sparingly of course). I may occasionally get freelancers to do work as well when necessary. I'm mainly doing this to support the foundations, communities and small creators alike that allow free or affordable tools and services to be available for people like me. I also believe in the idea of actually fully owning what I make and not simply putting it at the hands of large corporations with proprietary software or services. This makes the games and other stuff I make sustainable to be preserved without too much copyright nonsense.
What is this "global audience"?
Well, I speak multiple languages and I like learning about and exploring different cultures. Beyond the fact that I plan to localize my games in other languages I know, I might even make some games that showcase aspects of certain cultures I find interesting. I might even consult individuals if there are cultural or linguistic aspects of something I want to display accurately and respectfully. I mainly am looking to expand my games into Asian markets, as those are often overlooked by many developers in the west. Additionally, I find their history in the gaming market to be interesting and something I'd like to try my hands in. It will primarily be India and Japan for now with further expansion into Mandarin speaking communities.