Two Czech software engineers quit their jobs in 2011 to build Factorio, an automation game inspired by Minecraft's Industrial Craft mod. After nearly running out of money twice, they pivoted from failed crowdfunding to early access, eventually growing from a two-person team to a successful studio. The game was built in C++ for performance optimization, featuring a distinctive isometric art style created from 3D models. Through iterative playtesting and community feedback, they refined the core gameplay loop and onboarding experience. Factorio launched on Steam in 2016, selling 8 million copies with a 98% positive rating, and released the Space Age expansion in 2024 that sold 400,000 copies in its first week.