Igor Lukyanov loved games as a kid, so much so that right about when he was 12 years old, whenever a game of his would stop working, he’d simply take the matter into his own hands.
“When I was really small, I wanted to play games,” he said. “Then at some point my computer stopped working, stopped loading games… and I wanted to play so much. So if the game is not working, you make your own game to play.”
Easy enough… in theory. It did help that Igor’s older brother, already five years ahead of him in making games, nudged him in the right direction.
But in hindsight, Igor pretty much taught himself, mostly by doing, but definitely not without lots of trial and error, “lots of back and forth.”
Until finally, in 2005, while still studying computer science in Belarus and holding down a job, Igor struck out on his own and created what would be known as Pozirk Games, a casual games website, which he pieced together by working around his school and work schedule. “Don’t tell my previous boss,” he says with a sly smile.
The mission behind the site, in his words, was to “give players a pleasant and relaxed experience, so they can forget about their problems and enjoy the gameplay.”
And that’s the legacy Igor envisions for Pozirk Games, something that’s built for people who want (and sometimes really need) a game for a break in the middle of their day, a little mental reset that we all need now and then.
So, if you visit Pozirk.com today, that’s exactly what you’ll find. Think comfort food, but in game form.
The titles there feel familiar and approachable right away, from Solitaire to Mahjong. They’re the kinds of games that you see yourself enjoying with a cup of coffee, while waiting for your next appointment, or as you’re unwinding after a long workday.
And it’s not just something Igor has to imagine either; in fact, he hears from his players all the time.
“I have had folks playing my games for 10 years already,” he said, proudly. “They even send me happy new year [messages].”
