Hijacker Jack

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.newideagames.hijackerjack&hl=en&gl=US

Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1422730/Hijacker_Jack__ARCADE_FMV/

Recreating the famous action FMV game, Hijacker Jack in Unity for long-term support and porting purposes.

The founder lacked both the source code and keystore for the game "Hijacker Jack," which had over 2 million Google Play downloads. With apps below a certain API level facing removal, and the desire to create a versatile FMV game engine, a solution was imperative.

Recreating the Android game in Unity with all its features and building an "engine" capable of porting similar games to both mobile and desktop OS. It was crucial to ensure a flawless transition from the current published version.

Unity - AVPro - Admob - Unity IAP - Steam API

I teamed up with a developer friend for this project. While he handled the core engine functions, I focused on refining the UI and input mechanics. Finding the right video plugin was tricky, but AVPRO proved accurate enough for our needs.

Enhancing the UI based on user feedback was crucial. I suggested adding button-pressed animations and visual trails for swiping inputs. Addressing control challenges, especially for desktop platforms, required innovative solutions. We connected keyboard buttons to in-game actions and provided users with input customization options.

The project hit a snag with Google Play's file management changes, transitioning from .obb expansion files to .aab packages. This caused file limit issues and complications with AVPRO. Despite initial struggles, reverting to the .obb + APK setup resolved the problem, thanks to Google's continued support for existing projects.

Despite marketing efforts, the iOS version saw limited success, with installs ranging from 10k to 50k. However, the paid desktop version on Steam performed well, generating five times the development investment.

Updating the Android version, where we had access to the source code and Keystore, didn't significantly impact install numbers but reduced the risk of removal from the store.

Sometimes, it's crucial to step back and rethink the problem. Despite spending months exploring solutions, including extensive testing, the answer turned out to be simpler than we thought, unrelated to our initial assumptions.