As CEO and game director of Anvil Game Studios, Andrew Farrugia is at the helm of Holdfast: Nations at War, a multiplayer combat game that grew from an indie project into a global success.

The journey began in 2014, when Andrew, his twin Julian Farrugia and their friend Andreas John Grech decided to build something that didn’t yet exist in Malta: a game studio.

At the time, the local ecosystem for digital games was practically non-existent. “We had a few options,” Andrew says. “Either we go abroad, or we try to start our own thing. It was quite a maddening decision to do it in Malta, because there was no support at all. People As CEO and game director of Anvil Game Studios, Andrew Farrugia is at the helm of Holdfast: Nations at War, a multiplayer combat game that grew from an indie project into a global success. didn’t even understand what it meant to make games, let alone how to make a living from them.” The team worked out of bedrooms, taught themselves the skills they lacked, and produced a design document for a multiplayer game inspired by the Napoleonic Wars. The idea was to recreate the camaraderie and unpredictability of meeting strangers in a pub but in a historic, role-playing battle setting.

The leap from idea to reality was anything but easy. With only €40,000 (~$45,000) in the bank, the founders survived on minimal salaries, often sacrificing meals and clothes to keep development going. “We were short on food, short on water, short on everything,” Andrew says. “But we still managed to make it through.” In 2017, Holdfast launched in early access on Steam, a digital distribution platform for video games, and against the odds, players embraced it. The game built a loyal community that provided feedback, created content and helped fund continued development.

From there, the milestones accumulated. In 2020, Holdfast graduated from early access to a full 1.0 release. In 2022, it surpassed one million copies sold. When COVID-19 forced people indoors, interest in online multiplayer communities surged, and Holdfast’s player base grew exponentially. They released an expansion pack set during World War I, which generated more revenue than all the previous years combined. By 2025, the studio had successfully launched the title on both PlayStation and Xbox, generating over €6 million (~$6.7 million) in sales in the first month alone.

For Andrew, the numbers are less important than the way the game was received. “What I’m most proud of is that we released it in a very polished state,” he says. “Players immediately said how well it played on consoles, and that sort of reception really bolstered the morale of the team. It strengthened our faith in the intellectual property and made us determined to build even more around it. But it’s not my achievement only; it’s thanks to the hard work of every single individual. Everyone who works with us, I consider part of the community.” That spirit of gratitude extends to Holdfast’s players as well, whose loyalty and feedback helped shape the game from its early access days. For Andrew, the success is proof of what can happen when a team and its community genuinely believe in the same vision.

The success is all the more remarkable because of the route the team chose: to self-publish meant that the game developers themselves had to handle the distribution and marketing of the game rather than relying on a traditional publisher. “It’s a more challenging route, since you need to acquire the capital yourself,” Andrew says. “But my mentality has always been, if I don’t trust and prove what I’m doing first, I don’t ask others to help me do the same.” For him, demonstrating viability with a playable prototype is non-negotiable. Only then will he consider external investors or partners. “You need to be ninety percent sure it’s going to work before you pitch it. That way you’re asking people to join a proven idea, not a dream.”

Bootstrapping brought hardship but also resilience. When sales slowed after the pandemic, Anvil resisted the temptation to scale up too fast. The team held steady at eight people instead of expanding recklessly. “We knew sales would go down when the world opened up again,” Andrew says. “By not over-hiring, we stayed afloat through a turbulent period for the industry.” It’s a philosophy that continues to shape his decisions today: be ambitious but never blind to risk.

If Malta offered little in terms of gaming infrastructure in 2014, the picture today looks very different. Over the past five years, the island has nurtured a budding digital games ecosystem. Entities like Gaming Malta support studios with promotion, infrastructure and international connections. A new incubator, Base Camp, has brought together indies and midsize studios, creating a sense of community where none existed before. “We’re not just seeing change, we’re part of it,” Andrew says. “Because Malta is small, you can sit together, share ideas and see them enacted quickly. Startups today will find the support they need here. I would recommend Malta more than ever.”

The island’s lifestyle is another draw for both locals and international recruits. Anvil’s head of production, originally from Germany, recently bought a house on the island and has no plans to leave. Other team members from the UK are preparing to relocate. The mix of Mediterranean climate, close-knit community and cultural relevance makes Malta an attractive base. For Andrew personally, the appeal goes deeper. “I love our history, and I think it shows in the game,” he says. During the Napoleonic Wars, Malta rebelled against French occupation and became a British protectorate, which set the stage for more than 150 years of colonial rule until Malta gained its independence in 1964. In the First World War, the island hosted military hospitals that treated tens of thousands of soldiers, earning the name “Nurse of the Mediterranean.” In the Second World War, Malta was one of the most heavily bombed places in Europe and received the George Cross for its collective bravery. For Andrew, building a historical combat game from Malta means working within a landscape where reminders of resilience and conflict are never far away. “The capital city of Valletta is surrounded by fortifications, and that was one of the main inspirations for Holdfast. Malta’s history and the Mediterranean culture – people are open, they like to talk, to party – that’s what I love about living here.”

Andrew describes his team as a second family. The studio operates out of Smart City, a seafront tech hub near Kalkara, where collaboration is central to the culture. “We pitch designs, we laugh, we play games together,” he says. “Even when there are problems, we communicate them team-wide, and everyone contributes to solutions.” Many employees were recruited directly from the game’s player community. One lead producer, a university dropout, impressed Andrew with his talent and drive. “He’s the most brilliant individual I’ve ever met,” he says. “We don’t look at CVs. We give people the chance to show who they are.” That focus on people extends to Andrew’s philosophy as a founder. “When you’re starting out, you think too much about capital or where the product will go,” he says. “But remember: you’re selling to people. The first person you need to convince is yourself, then your team. If you have the right people around you, things will come together.”

But the path has not been without personal strain. Transitioning from creative work into the role of CEO required mental, emotional and physical preparation. “There’s a lot of misinformation about what a CEO does,” Andrew says. “The reality is, you are the one who has to make the hard decisions. People’s jobs depend on you. It’s stressful and it requires your entire being.” To cope, he leans on daily routines: taking gym breaks at midday and making space for laughter and joy at work. “You have to prepare yourself mentally and physically for this life. It’s not nine to five. You need to make sure this is really what you want.”

Mentorship has played an unexpected role in his journey. Self-taught in game design and business, Andrew initially relied on the internet as his only teacher. But games themselves also served as mentors. Darkfall Online, with its intricate player politics, inspired him to explore how communities form and fracture. Runescape, revived through direct dialogue between developers and players, taught him the importance of listening to feedback and using data to guide design. In a twist of fate, he later met the designers behind both titles: one he met in Malta, another through Holdfast’s own community. “Life has its way of bringing people together,” he says. “Meeting the people who inspired me, and hearing that they also enjoyed our game, was incredible.”

These connections reinforce Andrew’s belief in community as the cornerstone of both gaming and entrepreneurship. Anvil Game Studios’ Discord server now hosts more than 80,000 players, and Andrew still finds time each week to jump in, answer questions and listen. “After you release a title, it’s no longer just your vision,” he says. “It becomes everyone’s. Building a community is the most important part of making games.”

Reflecting on his journey, Andrew remains both pragmatic and optimistic. “This isn’t an easy life. It takes sacrifice, long hours and a lot of stress. But when you see people enjoying something you’ve created, it makes it worth it.” For aspiring founders, his advice is clear: be prepared to give it everything, surround yourself with the right people and trust the process. “If you set your mind on something, you give it your all. That’s how you make it happen.”

Do you have a favorite podcast?
The Ricky Gervais Show, especially the episodes with Karl Pilkington.

What is your most-used app?
Discord. It’s where our community of more than 80,000 players lives.

What do you do to start your working day well?
I make sure to have breakfast, something I used to skip.

What’s your favorite place for deep work or creative thinking in the city?
Dingli Cliffs at sunset.

Which restaurant would you recommend?
Tal-Barklor, located in Senglea.

Which coffee shop would you recommend?
The Grand Armoury in Valletta for its Napoleonic War collections, and St. John’s Co-Cathedral for its art.

What should every newcomer get once they arrive in Malta?
A sense of the island’s history – it’s everywhere, from fortifications to churches.

Do you have a favorite weekend activity in Malta?
Beach trips, dinners with friends and visiting historical sites.

Which is the best beach in Malta?
St. Thomas Bay in Marsaskala.