At 35, Zhenghua Yang stands as the visionary founder of Serenity Forge, a game development studio that has made significant contributions to the industry with around 70 titles, including acclaimed games like “Lifeless Planet” and “Doki Doki Literature Club.” The studio boasts a workforce of over 40 employees and generates annual revenues ranging between US$10 million and $15 million. Yang’s journey to this success is rooted in a mission he first articulated during his university days: “We create meaningful and emotionally impactful experiences that challenge the way you think.”
This mission gained urgency in 2008, when Yang began his first semester at the University of Illinois. What should have been a routine college experience turned into a dire medical emergency after a seemingly minor nosebleed left him critically low on blood platelets. Doctors informed him he had only three hours to live. Yang defied the odds and survived, but the recovery process was grueling, involving two years spent in and out of hospitals.
During this challenging time, video games became a refuge for Yang. Titles such as League of Legends, Minecraft, and World of Warcraft provided solace amid his struggles with isolation and pain. Through the gaming community, he connected with a player who recommended a renowned hematologist, whose guidance was instrumental in saving his life. Despite the significant role this player played, Yang has never learned their real name, which he recounted in a 2016 interview with Colorado Public Radio.
“Games like League of Legends weren’t really made to help me, but in the end, they basically saved my life,” Yang remarked in a recent interview with Fortune. This pivotal experience ignited a question in his mind: What if he could create games designed to help others? “What kind of power would that be able to unlock?” he pondered.
With this vision in mind, Yang transferred to the University of Colorado Boulder to study business and eventually founded Serenity Forge in 2014. For him, success is not merely measured by sales figures or revenue, but by the profound impact his games have on the lives of players. “There will be all these fans, teenagers, that would line up, talk to me,” he shared. “They will cry, they would give me hugs and tell me, ‘you’re the reason that I realized that I was in an abusive relationship and I’m now way healthier and way happier because of the art that you created.’” Such testimonials drive Yang far beyond profit margins or employee counts.
Yang’s advice to aspiring game developers is straightforward: fail often, and do it quickly. In a competitive industry where thousands of studios vie for attention, mastering the art of navigating failure is essential for success. The gaming landscape is vast, with over 3 billion players worldwide and projected revenues hitting $184 billion in 2024. However, challenges such as post-pandemic market corrections, layoffs, and increasing development costs present ongoing hurdles for studios.
Emerging technologies like generative AI, mixed reality, and cloud infrastructure are revolutionizing game development and player engagement, demanding more meaningful, social, and customizable experiences, according to a report by N-iX Games. Serenity Forge has also encountered its share of challenges, with Yang acknowledging that not every game the studio produces has achieved hit status. Nevertheless, he emphasizes the importance of how founders respond to setbacks, advocating for diligence and discipline in recovery.
“Life can be complicated,” Yang reflects. “When you’re starting a business to do things, be as nuanced as you can about it and try to keep an open mind about the realities of the world.” His commitment to Serenity Forge’s core mission remains unwavering; he prioritizes the creation of innovative and emotionally resonant gaming experiences over financial gain. He is willing to turn down lucrative opportunities that do not align with his vision.
A quote from John Mackey, cofounder and former CEO of Whole Foods, resonates deeply with Yang: “Just as people cannot live without eating, so a business cannot live without profits. But most people don’t live to eat, and neither must a business live just to make profits.” As Serenity Forge continues to navigate the complexities of the gaming industry, Yang’s dedication to meaningful storytelling and community engagement underscores the studio’s potential for enduring impact.
