Creating meaningful and impactful titles that challenge the way we think, Serenity Forge is a true trailblazer in the gaming space.
We recently spoke with Serenity Forge’s Founder and CEO Z at Anime Expo 2026 on the importance of community, physical media, and even “cannonballs” – learn more with our interview…
Serenity Forge Z Anime Expo 2026 Interview – Founder & CEO Talks Community, Physical & More
Gamers Heroes
It’s an honor!
You need no introduction – the best dressed man around! So glad we are finally able to meet.
Starting things off, I got a chance to meet Sev at the GDC Xbox Play Anywhere event earlier this year.
She was thrilled to show off her new game Delphinium – it’s a fantastic title!
How did you discover Delphinium in the first place?
Z
It’s actually a really interesting story!
I first came across Delphinium when Sev was finishing up High School. She was Tweeting about it online, and I reached out to her.
I told her:
“This game looks really great! I’m happy to chat about it.”
She was entering College at the time, thinking about what her path would be.
We really hit it off – we were talking about some of our favorite games, like Pathologic and Disco Elysium.
We chatted about how those games are huge inspirations for her – as well as for me.
From there, we became really good friends!
Throughout her College years, the game continued to develop as well.
She would show me builds, and I’d give feedback on certain things. It got to this point where both of us really wanted to work with each other on this project.
Once that was established, the rest was a dream come true.
Gamers Heroes
“It just works,” Todd Howard style!
On that note, with Anime Expo 2026 now on day three – and I always love asking this question…
What are some of your favorite community stories? The community is here for sure!
I saw some of the cosplays, including the one for Fractured Blooms.
What are your personal favorite fan and community stories?
Z
This is actually the first Anime Expo that Serenity Forge has shown up at, along with mine – overall it’s just been phenomenal!
We had a couple of panels on the first day with Yara, the creator of Needy Girl Overdose and Sister Other Paranoia, as well as Dan Salvato.
They were packed – there were so many fans! Just being able to interact with all of them has been really great.
As you mentioned, what really shocked me was having a cosplayer stop by from Fractured Blooms.
I mean, the game is not even out yet!
Gamers Heroes
I hear you!
For DELTARUNE, I just saw a Flowery yesterday…
They’re fast!
What are some of your favorite experiences working with different partners like Fellow Traveller and Chorus Worldwide?
All great companies too – legends are working with legends here!
Z
These are all really good friends of ours! We’ve known each other for years, and we’re doing a lot of the physical publishing and distribution.
This is a longer story, but when we first started doing it, a lot of our games really popped off in stores.
When we do physical publishing, we do mass retail, right? We’re selling our games to Walmart, Target, Best Buy, GameStop, and all over the world.
When we first started, there was this weird turning point where a lot of people were pulling out of physical.
Because, you know – quote unquote – physical is dying.
Retailers are now looking for more content, but at the same time the content that kind of goes into retail stores – your Pro Bass Fishing 2 or whatever!
It wasn’t really resonating with a lot of the people who are buying games.
So when Serenity Forge entered that space, we brought games like Doki Doki Literature Club!
It provided a totally different perspective of what mass retail could do for a particular game, and it really resonated with people.
Once we started hitting that success, retailers were like,
“Whoa, Doki Doki was the best-selling physical game on Amazon!”
I think we shipped 200,000 units on the first day!
As a result, people said:
“Okay, give us more! What is this Serenity Forge thing; what other games do you have?”
At first, I panicked – I was like: “Well, we don’t have more.”
But then, we said:
“This is a really valuable opportunity for us to spread meaningful games, games that have strong narrative content for a much larger retail audience.”
I essentially started hitting up all of my friends in the industry – people who are making games that we really love and respect. Games like Coffee Talk, A Space for the Unbound, and Paradise Killer.
That’s how we got into this space overall, and it’s been phenomenal working with all these partners.
Gamers Heroes
There’s strength in community! We’re all in this together, and we’re all fans – turning that passion into professionalism.
That actually leads to my next point…
I’m sure you’ve seen this physical news with Sony – that bag I brought is full of physical copies; signed physical copies!
I love that tangible element that comes with physical releases; I even used to read the little Game Boy instruction manuals!
You mentioned Doki Doki Literature Club!, but have you seen physical demand for any specific platforms or games?
Z
We’re seeing a lot of the same kind of sentiments…
Nintendo is obviously a huge platform for physical sales – it’s definitely the largest portion of physical sales when you’re looking at our catalog!
Switch 2 is obviously very exciting for a lot of people; we support both Switch 1 and Switch 2.
PlayStation has historically been very strong for us as well, and frankly has been very supportive for us in doing physical.
We also do Xbox physicals, so we’re able to see a slightly more unique dimension of things.
I’ll just say this…
Xbox physical collectors are some of the most passionate collectors around!
For me, I love bringing physical games to Xbox – you’re rewarded with so much passion! You’re really engaging with some of the most excited people!
That’s definitely a big part, but it’s not news to anyone there are a lot of decision makers in the industry that are pushing for physical to be in a specific space.
Ultimately, I think from the Serenity Forge perspective – from my perspective – our company’s vision is to create meaningful and emotionally impactful experiences that challenge what you think.
We will always pursue the best avenue possible to create meaningful experiences for people.
To us, physical has been a core pillar of that goal.
Being able to distribute games like Doki Doki Literature Club! to a much wider audience that otherwise might not have ever been able to play is very meaningful and important to us.
These are things obviously we’re going to be passionate about!
Gamers Heroes
it’s definitely genuine!
You don’t want to “Fellow Kids” it 30 Rock-style – and I just dated myself with that reference too. [laughs]
That actually leads to another point too. At Summer Game Fest last month, my badge said “Media + Creator.”
We’re in an interesting spot ourselves – we’re media, with our site on aggregate platforms like Metacritic and OpenCritic.
However, we also have a strong YouTube channel – and there are designated creator programs in place there.
Have you noticed any trends when it comes to content creators? I have tremendous respect for them as well, but I am all too aware it’s a different approach.
You mentioned the cosplayers, but who would you say are your biggest advocates are when it comes to the content side of things?
Z
It’s a very natural and very authentic progression!
I personally believe that’s how information spreads in society. In the past, you had centralized press, the media, and official news networks.
If you think about the early days of TV, it set a precedent not just how things were – because of technological limitations – but also cultural limitations.
As technology gets better, anyone can go out there and do their own videos. That’s very powerful!
It puts a lot of power in people’s hands, to be able to have their own interpretations and essentially be their own news anchor.
Again, it kind of goes back to how we look at things.
“What is the best way for us to spread meaningful messages around the world?”
Our approach is always going to be as diverse as possible, right?
We love the press, and we love journalists – we have always had strong relationships with them! We love giving them that access.
At the same time, this new emerges – the streamers and content creators. That is a very large demographic!
In order for us to achieve our goals of spreading meaningful awareness around the world, that’s part of the core way we support people.
I think you know – day-to-day wise – the work is always changing, but the ultimate goal has never changed.
It has always just been how can we communicate to our fans and let them know that there are games and content made for you, and is here to support you!
That’s really the point!
Gamers Heroes
Agreed!
On one last note – with the day-to-day changing as you said…
What do you suggest to those looking to enter the gaming space themselves? It could be press like me, what you’re doing at Serenity Forge, or content creators…anything really!
Speaking to students at Cal and USC on my end, they want to get into the space too. It’s changed quite a bit since I first went to E3 2010!
What would you personally suggest? There’s no wrong answer, but I’d love to hear from you!
Z
Back when I was in college, I picked up this book about kind of running your own startup companies. It’s called The Lean Startup by Eric Ries, and it was a very influential book for me.
He listed out a few steps on how do you do a startup. A lot of times it’s actually easier for your startup to take off than it is for it to grow, right? His focal point was teaching you how to do that.
His second step – which I think a lot of times people kind of miss – is this concept of shooting bullets, then cannonballs.
In a Navy battle, it’s all foggy and you don’t know where anything is. Since you only have limited resources like gunpowder, you’re shooting little bullets at things to see what hits.
You want to maximize that as well! You don’t want to load up everything.
I think the problem is that a lot of people do the shotgun approach.
You hit some stuff, and if you’re not paying attention – if you’re not receiving that feedback – you never progress to that next step.
You have to first shoot the bullets, and then see what hits. Once it hits, you then load up that cannonball – and shoot that cannonball you have.
I think a lot of influencers and YouTube streamers in the beginning make the mistake that they’re going to be this one thing – but it never works that way!
That specific thing actually might not work, and that’s really painful.
However, the next mistake someone might make means you did something weird – and that ends up taking off.
And then you’re like: “That’s not what I really wanted – I wanted to do this other thing.”
You then try to course correct, and that ends up hurting as well.
You really have to juggle when to be specific and when to be broad!
Gamers Heroes
That’s perfect – thank you!
I actually just finished reading Atomic Habits last week, and they talked about that very thing. We’re of sound mind, and I definitely follow that advice!
Thank you so much!
Z
Absolutely!
Thank you so much for your time.
Learn more about Serenity Forge via its official website.
For those feeling social, be sure to follow Serenity Forge on Facebook, Twitter/X, YouTube, TikTok, Discord, Bluesky, Twitch, and Instagram social media channels.
One can also follow Z on Twitter/X and Bluesky!
Thank you to PR for arranging this Anime Expo 2026 interview, and Z for his time!
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