Bleak Faith put Montenegro on the global map of the video game industry

There are only three people behind our product, but also an extremely defined vision and work pace that made such an intrusion of the Montenegrin scene into the global market possible.

The exciting story of Bleak Faith, an action RPG video game that originated from the heart of Podgorica, intrigues with its uniqueness and success. Through the vision and work pace of three young men - brothers Rad and Miša Vukčević, and their friend, programmer Mirko Stanić - this game not only became a symbol of the potential of local talent, but also put Montenegro on the global map of the video game industry.

Thanks to perseverance, imagination and discipline, Bleak Faith has grown into a remarkable enterprise that has attracted the attention of not only gamers, but also investors. The support of the Innovation Fund of Montenegro, through the program line for strengthening the innovation of newly founded or existing micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, further enriched this story and opened new horizons for them. The game has already passed the soft launch stage on the PC platform through the Steam service, and with the support of the Fund, it will be possible to expand the availability of the game on the SONY PlayStation, allowing players around the world to use it.

"You can find a lot about Bleak Faith as a project on the Internet, but perhaps the most important point is the one where it becomes clear that only three people stand behind our product, but also an extremely defined vision and work pace that made such an intrusion of the Montenegrin scenes to the global video game market. Such a feat consists of a lot of things, but most of all, perseverance, imagination, drive, but also, thanks to our parents, discipline. To that must be added the fact that entering the world of the independent video game market is one thing, marketing an idea that has been brought to the product stage is another, but pushing that energy to the end to bring the whole dream into reality still requires some special strength." explains Rade Vukčević, co-founder of Achrangel Enterprises and one of the creators of Bleak Faith. Vukčević points out that "such strength, when an idea like ours is finally launched, only comes to life when there is someone else to stand behind it".

"That's exactly where the Innovation Fund fell to us like a nuclear blessing, because such a chance as they provide in our country simply does not exist in Europe. We know from experience, even from other industries, that when it comes to official support of a movement for a relevant creative project in the dominant economies of the EU, no one measures anything against the bare profit potential and cultural hyper-adaptability of the project. Fortunately for us, with a high-quality team behind the fund, in our case the same limitations did not exist, but in terms of the project, what counted most was what we actually do, our talent and will, but also what we sincerely strive for in relation to formal goals," says one from the masterminds behind Bleak Faith.

Rade Vukčević points out that this type of support means everything, because "although we two brothers, together with Mirko Stanić, as the creative heart of Bleak Faith stood on our own, what is impossible is to extend the same energy and ethics to the collective as well, without some form external support".

"It's just that we're already actively working to expand the dream and activate every millimeter of local talent and potential for the benefit of something that, with luck, will be one of the national brands that compares to the biggest in the world. The role of the fund here and in addition to our project is consolidated in its intention to create a single financial force in which that part of our youth who dream globally, but perhaps for too long has been limited by local frameworks, can also participate," adds Vukčević. Perhaps, according to his words, the most important thing is that money is not the decisive thing, but the idea and character - and then every sector of society progresses.

"Technically speaking, although the domain of video games may not be the greatest innovation of our time in a scientific sense, video games are a world that provides opportunities for a spectrum of interests that spans everything from technical innovations to expressive urges that in this sense manifest as a unified platform through which places every talent, not only in something formative for the work team, but also in something to tread through the largest global markets. When such moments come, it's already incredible for all small communities, but with a good idea, a lot of work, and then the persistence of everyone who helps each other in markets like the Montenegrin one, the impossible becomes achievable, everything that seems unachievable," he says at the end. Rade Vukčević, co-founder of Achrangel Enterprises and one of the creators of Bleak Faith.

Visual and musical effects

The game is enriched with recognizable graphics inspired by the atmosphere of Montenegro and urban-architectural landmarks, which contributes to the visual recognition of our country in the virtual world of the game industry. At the same time, the sound segments of the game bring an atmosphere enriched with the sounds of Montenegrin ethno style translated into cyber punk, thus contributing to the complete experience of the Bleak Faith world.