Old School Gamer Magazine chats with Andreas Heldt, founder and CEO of Z-Software, who discusses the recent release of Pilot Sports on PS5.
About Pilot Sports:
Originally released on Nintendo Switch and PS4 Release also on PC & Xbox 1, Pilot Sports brings vibrant local multiplayer action to the skies with more than 50 challenges, 7 flying machines, and sunny island vibes.
Developed by Z-Software GmbH, the PS5 version gives new life to the fan-favorite flying party game and arrives just in time to tease the upcoming sequel, Pilot Sports 2: Wings Unleashed, currently in development and planned for a summer release.
Old School Gamer Magazine: How was this game born?
Andreas Heldt: Years ago we had a brainstorming session about new project ideas and our game designer at the time suggested a casual flight simulation game. He is a Nintendo fan and so we tried to take cool ideas from “Pilot Wings.”
At some point we found a partner for the original version and started working on the project.
The studio is currently working on the direct sequel, so we decided to bring the original game to the market on Playstation 5 with some improvements and 4K graphics.
Old School Gamer Magazine: What is your role in the game?
Heldt: I am a co-founder of the studio and mainly take care of the organizational side of things. At PilotSports, I was involved in programming the prototype of the game.
Old School Gamer Magazine: What has development been like?
Heldt: The original development went smoothly. The team at the time worked very well together and so development was completed on time and on budget.
I remember we were very proud of the game and the development at the time, so we decided to add four bonus challenges at the end of the game.
Old School Gamer Magazine: What makes this game special?
Heldt: Pilot Sports is a fun, casual flying game. It’s easy to control the aircraft and fly around, but the challenges get harder and harder.
Whenever I see people enjoying our games, I remember why we make games: fun and entertainment for the players
Old School Gamer Magazine: What games influenced this one the most?
Heldt: Oh, that’s easy to answer: the game was inspired by Nintendo’s Pilot Wings series.
Old School Gamer Magazine: Any fun stories or wild moments during development?
Heldt: Well, the original game was developed a while ago. But I remember one thing for sure: nobody fell out of an airplane ;).
Old School Gamer Magazine: What were the major lessons learned?
Heldt: You learn from every project you work on. The most exciting thing is always to get feedback from players on a published game. Pilot Sports is no exception. Alongside a lot of other feedback, the question of more freedom in the game was a response we received time and again.
And in Pilot Sports 2 we will therefore give the player significantly more freedom and many more options.
Old School Gamer Magazine: Do you think preserving older gameplay mechanics in new games is important?
Heldt: It depends on whether it’s a core mechanic of the game and, more importantly, whether that mechanic is fun. Of course you have to improve and modernize the mechanics, but why not keep them if they are fun and fit the game?
Old School Gamer Magazine: The marketplace is crowded. How do you think you stand out?
Heldt: That’s a difficult question.
On the one hand, we try to develop our games for the players so that they have fun with them. On the other hand, we are producing more and more series in which you can always experience and enjoy improvements and innovations, especially thanks to player feedback. As a player, you can play a sequel that has many elements of its predecessor but offers a better gaming experience.
And of course, we are always learning from player and fan feedback and try to release our games on different platforms. With such lessons learned, it naturally becomes easier to make the new games better.
Pilot Sports is no exception. We take the very good gameplay, improve it further and use the experience gained for Pilot Sports 2.
But the most important thing is: the players should have fun!
Old School Gamer Magazine: How have your previous experiences in industry helped this game?
Heldt: Our team naturally learns something new with every project. On the one hand, internal processes and teamwork are constantly improving as a result. And you gain a lot of experience in development, also in terms of tools.
With a few years of experience in development, you often recognize what works better, easier and faster today. If you combine this with the spirit: we want to make the new game better and yet similar, then you’re probably on the right track.
Old School Gamer Magazine: How do you want this game to ultimately be remembered?
Heldt: I hope the players remember our older games and think that was cool and fun back then. And of course, I hope it makes them want to play the new titles.
Old School Gamer Magazine: What’s next?
Heldt: Our team is working on “Pilot Sports 2: Wings Unleashead”. We are improving the gameplay, adding new features and hope to present it very soon.
We are looking forward to it when it is ready. We definitely had a lot of fun in our playtests.
Old School Gamer Magazine: Anything else you’d like to add?
Heldt: Enjoy our games.
