New video game started as a COVID project now reaching thousands

SOMERS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A New York video game developer is seeing success from his COVID project. It's called Athenian Rhapsody, and it has launched a full-time career for its creator.

Developing a video game is no easy task, and for one developer, years of coding has paid off into a successful career, right from his bedroom.

"I just started dipping my toes into game development over COVID just because it was fun," Athenian Rhapsody developer Nico Papalia said. "We had a lot of time on our hands, and once I started, my focus completely shifted."

Papalia was working toward a Bachelor of Science degree in digital and studio art at SUNY Oneonta while developing Athenian Rhapsody. The game is a choose your own adventure, battling enemies and meeting whacky characters. 

"The day it launched, I could even imagine; it was the best day of my life," Papalia said. "I heard from everybody. Everybody was saying such amazing things. I would get these beautiful heartfelt messages from people all over the world."

All of the game's coding and art is created by Papalia. He's self-taught in game design, and his art professors say they're very proud.

"He's using all of the different design skills that were taught for both printed material and for web design or user interface design," Associate Professor and Chairperson of SUNY Oneonta Art Dept. Katherine Spitzhoff said. "Plus, he's using his illustration skills; a really excellent draftsperson where he could really draw."

Athenian Rhapsody is made up of pixel art, which Papalia said he didn’t learn in school but was able to adapt.

"I tell the students, 'we can teach you what is available today, but you may be using an entirely different set of tools five years from now,'" Spitzhoff explained.

Since launching in May, more than 15,000 people have purchased Athenian Rhapsody. Papalia has since opened an online store where players can buy stuffed animals and their own "Rhapsodies", a postcard of their playthrough. More content is also coming to the game along with a second title in the works.

Athenian Rhapsody can be found on Steam and other platforms.