Welcome to VRChat Success Stories! This is the final part in a three-week series of quick articles highlighting a creator and their success using the VRChat Creator Economy. We’ll discuss what they did, what they achieved, and what you can learn from their success!
Catching Success
Two and a half million visits in just a week. The most revenue generated of any VRChat world, ever. To say FISH! caught some big numbers fast would be putting it lightly.
Yet, it’s not just about the numbers. FISH! was successful enough out of the gate to anchor TrickForge Studios, giving them confidence that their team could make a living in VRChat. Likewise, with the success of FISH!, TrickForge has built a huge community of fans, eager for their next update to the world – and, well, for the next world, period.
Here’s how they did it and what you can learn from their success.
A Fishing Game That Hooks You In
TrickForge Studios, creators of FISH!, noticed a gap in VRChat’s game world landscape: meaningful progression was almost nonexistent.
“In VRChat, game worlds lack that sense of meaningful progression,” said KittehKun. “The fishing minigame has a low barrier to entry with a high skill ceiling once you start upgrading your rods to catch more difficult fish – giving a challenge for everyone involved.”
That progression system is powered by VRChat’s Persistence feature. Under the hood, the team built a serialized inventory system that tracks everything – rods, unlocked boat skins, equipped gear, quest progress – all stored via Persistence.
It’s the kind of technical architecture you’d expect from a standalone game, built entirely within VRChat’s SDK using Udon.
Fishing Is Better With Friends
Progression by itself isn’t enough of a hook. VRChat is a social game, after all. TrickForge knew that at the core of every successful VRChat experience is a social element that encourages people to break the ice.
FISH! does this by encouraging users to cluster around rare fishing pools. You could fish anywhere, sure – but if you want the biggest catch, you’re going to crowd around these brightly-colored pools.
Want to get from pool to pool faster? You could buy your own boat… or you could befriend someone else. All of these systems work together to create social incentives.
“Even in the event that players do not speak with one another, the presence of having people there fishing in the same spot as you is comforting by nature,” said KittehKun.
An Ocean of Little Details
One of the things that’s special about FISH! is just how much care went into every aspect of its creation. The environment itself isn’t built from existing assets, but lovingly crafted by the TrickForge team. They wanted to create a comfy atmosphere – both in terms of the world’s aesthetic and how well it performs across platforms.
Each island you can travel to has a different vibe, yet the style remains cohesive. There’s a story to be told, too – little details hint at what might TrickForge might have planned in the future.
It’s not just the visuals, though. All of the music in FISH! is original – there aren’t any off-the-shelf tracks here! The ambiance, the overworld theme, basically everything you hear has been put together to create a relaxing, engaging experience for players.
All these details are part of the reason why FISH! has seen so much success. It’s clear just how much love has been put into the world. It’s a true (ocean) blue indie game… in VRChat.
The Numbers Behind the Net
Thanks to the VRChat Creator Economy, FISH! has had a real impact on TrickForge Studios: development has shifted toward a full-time endeavor.
TrickForge didn’t have that success by just tossing in the Creator Economy – they made sure it was implemented in a way that could support them while also respecting their fans. It gives supporters meaningful value while keeping the core experience free for everyone.
Of course, it’s not just all about the money. Being a creator also means the magic of having others find, love, and become fans of your work. It’s about the joy of making something and watching others explore it.
Fans of FISH! have certainly been doing that. TrickForge’s Discord has exploded with activity, filled with players sharing catches, discussing quests, and posting fan art in a dedicated channel.
What Other Creators Can Learn
FISH! demonstrates that VRChat is a platform where you can craft a real game, build a thriving community, and generate sustainable revenue.
A few takeaways from TrickForge’s journey:
Progression keeps people coming back. If players feel like they’re working toward something, they’ll return. FISH! nailed this with its upgrade loop. At the same time, you’re not gatekept from hanging out and fishing with your friends – they’ve just gotta come pick you up! You don’t need to earn a special rod or lure. Just fish. Ahem. I mean, just FISH!
Social Experiences Shape Communities. Give people a reason to work together, and they’ll help you build your community… and become your biggest fans.
The Creator Economy works best when it’s part of the experience. FISH! makes its paid content a natural extension of the gameplay. It doesn’t get in the way, it just makes the experience better.
Most of all, from KittehKun themselves:
Just Get Building! “Building something is better than building nothing. Even if the world or game never comes to fruition as an upload, simply working on a project allows you to learn a lot about game development.”
Start Building
For both new creators and seasoned builders, the VRChat Creator Economy provides a powerful way to turn your creative vision into something sustainable.
FISH! started as a team of a few people with an idea. It’s now a studio, a community, and VRChat’s top-earning Creator Economy world – and it’s still growing.
Apply now to join the Creator Economy and open up an entirely new way to bring in income via your worlds.