🎙️ Podcast Appearance! 🎧
From Kickstarter Failure to Successfully Shipping Shujinkou
Special thanks to IndieGameBusiness® for hosting the podcast!
Here's the video description:
In this episode of IndieGameBusiness® we’re joined by Julian Rice, Founder and CEO of Rice Games Inc, to talk about the long, challenging, and inspiring journey of bringing Shujinkou to life. From showing the game at Tokyo Game Show in 2019 to navigating a failed Kickstarter, Julian shares how his team overcame obstacles and kept pushing forward.
We dive into the decision to shift from a 2D platformer to a 3D first-person dungeon crawler with integrated language learning mechanics, and what sets this apart from traditional educational or “edutainment” titles. Julian explains how the team managed development across seven time zones with over 20 part-time teammates, secured Sony and Nintendo development kits without publisher backing, and grabbed enough attention from critics to land Metacritic and OpenCritic scores — a rare feat for self-published indies.
We also talk about the biggest operational challenges, the future of the Shujinkou trilogy, and Julian’s advice for aspiring developers on both the creative and logistical sides of indie development. If you’ve ever dreamed of building and shipping your own game from the ground up, this episode is full of insights and lessons you won’t want to miss.
Major Section Timestamps (Linked)
0:21 - From Student to Founder: Julian's Inspiring Game Industry Start
3:18 - From 2D Platformer to 3D Dungeon Crawler After Kickstarter Failure
6:29 - Overcoming Personal Tragedy and Splitting Shujinkou into a Trilogy
10:21 - The Crucial Lessons from a Failed Kickstarter Campaign
18:49 - How Shujinkou Integrates Japanese Language Learning Seamlessly
25:02 - The Challenges of Managing a Distributed Team Across Seven Time Zones
33:04 - How an Indie Secured Nintendo and Sony Development Kits
37:45 - Indie Marketing Strategies and Meeting Reviewers with Data
45:11 - Self-Taught Skills and Relentless Work Ethic
49:41 - Navigating Day One DLC and Post-Launch Content Updates
55:31 - The Ambitious Future of the Shujinkou Trilogy and IP Expansion
58:33 - Final Message on Indie Dev Perseverance and Confidence
Feel free to listen on Spotify and Apple Music below ⤵️
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/episode/7pPUmw41GquC0V4UMKc6wM
Apple Music - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-kickstarter-failure-to-successfully-shipping-shujinkou/id1464597823?i=1000728603290
Read more on our studio website:
https://ricegames.net/2025/09/28/podcast-interview-indiegamebusiness/