Interview with the developer of "Heart of the Atom" to introduce the new work "The CUBE" in detail

2025-06-29 21:08:09|Myriagame |source：minecraft skins

The announcement of "The CUBE" undoubtedly surprised the players of "Heart of Atoms".Although the original work has long laid the foundation for the development of the sequel with a base of over 10 million players, no one expected that the official will simultaneously launch an online multiplayer derivative work that integrates MMORPG elements.

Robert Bagratuni, founder, CEO and game director of Mundfish Studios, was interviewed recently, and had an exclusive conversation around this exciting project and its new split-screen rendering technology specially developed.Bagratuni also talked about the team size that has been expanded to support multi-project development, the game's current internal testing status, and the plan to continue to operate The CUBE after the release.

How many developers have Mundfish involved in the production of The CUBE?

Since the development of "Heart of Atoms 1", our team has expanded significantly.At that time, the entire game was created by about 50 developers, and by the time of release, it increased to about 80 people.The architecture is now completely different: the team size has doubled, and multiple special teams have been set up - one team focuses on the fourth DLC of "Heart of Atom 1", the other team is responsible for "Heart of Atom 2", and the independent team develops "The CUBE".

After the "The CUBE" project was approved internally, many new members joined the studio, especially the multiplayer game development requires professional talents in a completely new field.Of course, there is a collaborative intersection between teams, especially at the narrative level – we have to ensure consistency in the worldview, and the same goes for shared characters and cutscenes.Therefore, although it is difficult to give an accurate number of people, it is obvious that the team size of each project is far beyond the "Heart of Atoms 1" period and is of equal strength.

How did the concept of this game come about?

It all started with a phone call - in that long and plain conversation, thoughts began to float.Unconsciously, I drew tic toe grids and squares on my notepad, and suddenly thought: What if these cube blocks could rotate? What if its surface could be moved, folded, and expanded?

What if this structure is not only abstract, but "living" - a space that can affect movement, physical rules, logic and even multi-person interaction? This moment ignited inspiration.I quietly quit the call with executive producer and co-founder Oleg Gorodishining, and the next two hours were completely immersed in the creation—eventually, The CUBE came into being.

From the timeline, does it happen before or after "Heart of Atoms 2"?

This question is good, but we are not inconvenient to disclose too much for the time being.It is confirmed that the story of "The CUBE" takes place after "Heart of the Atom 1".As for the connection to "Heart of Atoms 2", the timeline does have a connection, but we hope players will piece it together by themselves when the subsequent information is released."The CUBE" is not an independent concept, but a core part of an ever-expanding worldview.

Can you talk about the split-screen rendering system? What is its uniqueness and working principle?

To bring the dynamic world of The CUBE to life, we must develop new systems that support this space of continuous change at both structural and technical levels.At its core is a split-screen rendering system—a breakthrough technology that allows thousands of objects to move and rotate in real time on what we call "blocks" (or clusters of the world), suitable for large multiplayer environments.This is not only a visual wonder, but also directly affects how to play, how to move and physical rules in the world.

The system enables functionality by splitting the client and server's handling of motion, rendering and synchronization, and maintains seamless transitions, dynamic gravity and precise object tracking even if the entire environment changes.It creates what we think is a “real living environment”, and the technology is currently patent-pending.

The CUBE is developed based on Unreal Engine 5, and we have made several custom modifications to its physical and rendering subsystems to fully adapt to the requirements.UE5 provides great development freedom and visual fidelity, matching our concept scale and ambitions.Ultimately, it’s not about technology—but about giving The CUBE a unique, unpredictable and vital experience in the hands of players.

You positioned the game as an "MMORPG shooting game". Can you share what MMORPG elements will be included?

At the heart of The CUBE is a deep narrative built on an ever-expanding atomic universe.It is called the MMORPG shooter because it combines a strong narrative foundation with a large-scale system: deep and continuous character growth, customizable loading configurations, long-term equipment upgrades, missions, and community-driven expeditions.But unlike traditional MMOs, The CUBE does not rely on static mission centers or repetitive monster swipes, but focuses on exploration, discovery, and adapting to surreal environments that change over time.

Players will participate in cooperative missions, dynamic world events, and may confront other players in specific areas (depending on the scene).The CUBE itself is a living system—both structures and mystery—and your behavior in it will affect your own journey and change the world form of others.

Does the game contain evacuation shooting game mode or element? How does PvP work?

Although The CUBE offers a wide range of gameplay experiences from exploration, continuous growth to narratively driven missions and deep social interactions, combat is just one of the tools for players to achieve their goals.Essentially, The CUBE is closer to the classic MMORPG than the evacuation shooter or battle royale genre—the latter usually doesn’t focus on the above elements.However, common elements like evacuation gameplay (such as going deep into dangerous areas and bringing back valuable loot) exist in many RPGs such as Diablo, World of Warcraft, and Destiny, right? The CUBE has similar logic at this level: players have the opportunity to explore, take risks and receive meaningful rewards.But this is just one level of "The CUBE" - the overall experience will incorporate more gameplay elements.Our goal is to bring fresh and untired content to players.

Although not ready to reveal the full details, attentive players may have found some clues on the game's Steam page.A careful observation may reveal interesting new details - please continue to pay attention, more details of the game system will be announced soon.

Will there be a dungeon-like experience?

Yes, as part of the exploration, players will find dungeon-like areas that are risky, powerful enemies and unique rewards.The deeper you explore, the more singular the experience.

How is the character growth system different from "Heart of Atoms 2"?

This question is good, but it is too early to explain in detail.We will share more when the time is right.But it is certain that, as a multiplayer project, The CUBE will allow players to shape and adjust the gameplay style to effectively deal with changing environments.

Can you reveal the business model of "The CUBE" (free play or paid)?

We are still finalizing the business model of The CUBE and are not ready to be announced yet.Our current focus is to create an excellent game that will focus on fairness and player experience no matter what mode you choose.

What is the current development status of the game? Are you planning to collect player feedback through multiple tests?

Currently, The CUBE is in an active internal testing phase, and we use this phase to optimize the core system to ensure that the experience is in line with expectations.At the same time, we are already planning public testing – of course we hope to get the community involved and collect feedback as soon as possible to polish the final gaming experience.Relevant information will be released soon.

What are your plans for the operation after the release of "The CUBE"?

"The CUBE" has been positioned as a continuous evolutionary experience since its inception.After the release, we will regularly launch new content, tasks, plot points, events and functions to keep the world evolving.This world is destined to grow, shock and bring surprises.

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