Hours out from the Mochi website closure, I started feeling nostalgic and a little sad. I began reflecting on what Mochi meant to me, and the impact it had on my career.
I reminisced back to 2005 when I was first introduced to Flash. It was a great discovery for me at the time, and one that would change my life, as I realised I could create games… I could create my dreams.
I made countless little flash experiments, however they weren’t really games, as they weren’t really complete. I had no comprehension of distribution past my family and friends, so there was no need for menu systems and leaderboards. I made games for me, and In each game package was a part of me.
Them I stumbled upon mochimedia.com.
I was bewildered, enchanted and mezmorised. Could it be that I was able to share my creations with the entire world as easily as clicking an upload button, AND make money? It blew my goddam mind.
Mochi motivated me to change my focus to creating ‘complete’ games, it taught me discipline and about the infamous ‘brick wall’ of development – and to overcome it.
Mochi was more than an ad network, it was a community, a dream factory, a place where I could find like minded people to overcome challenges together.
My first game submitted to the Mochi network was One Too Many.
It was a hacked together as2 timeline game – where the player tested their alcohol knowledge by shooting up a bar with a revolver. Looking back on it, I consider its a pile of crap (although it got decent reviews on NG, and 1 million game plays). But it taught me something incredible… that I could make money from building my own games.
I remember when Mochi mailed me my first payout cheque. I was a student, working casually in a bar and living at home. I looked at this check and exclaimed “I made this money by making games!”, and “I am my own boss!”
I was officially a ‘game developer’ . The amount of money I made was small, but it was quantifiable. I used to think to myself , “If I make 50 games like this, i will be rich!”. It was a hell of a motivator and driving force.
As the years went by, I released a couple more games, before falling into full-time employment as a developer – games I made for Mochi serving as a show piece to get me though door.
Today, I am employed at a game development studio whilst conceptualizing/making indie mobile games in my spare time. I’m in a relatively happy place in my life, and I can confidently say Mochi’s existence paved the way here. If only by placing that first stepping stone before me.
In my opinion Mochi built one of the strongest and supportive game development communities in history, and it is this community that most members are scared to lose. Its a crying shame that Shanda (the company behind Mochi), refused to pass on the torch, instead letting it extinguish, and with it a decade of knowledge.
Mochi, although I outgrew you many years ago, you were there to lead me with a guiding light in my greener years.
You will not be forgotten.
Farewell Friend.
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