Community 2026 Player Spotlight 🎙️

Meet the Heckin’ Humans Behind the Dragons 🔥

Turns out there are actual people behind all that raiding, dragon wrangling, realm drama, and questionable decision-making. Who knew?

For ATA Day, we grabbed a few players from different stages of the game and asked them about how they wound up in Heckfire, why they stuck around, their favourite memories, and what makes this wonderfully chaotic community worth coming back to.

Come meet your fellow Cedric-enthusiasts (probably) and see what they had to say!

Tea_with_Titans

Quick Bio
When did you start playing KOHF? Most likely between December 2021 - January 2022
Clan: [MFT] Misfit Toys
Favourite Dragon: Captain Sparkles

What made you keep playing after you first started?
I started around December 2021 - January 2022, during my sick leave. I was home with burnout, agoraphobia and anxiety from complex PTSD. I kept playing because of the people. My clan became my daily community when I couldn't go outside. Literally, my world in RL shrunk into my bed. So Heckfire made me feel I belonged to a bigger world 🤩🥹🙏🏽

What makes Heckfire such a unique game?
It's not just a strategy game — for me it was a lifeline. The dragons, the building, the teamwork gave me something to focus on every day when I was stuck at home, in my bed.

Is there a moment, achievement, or milestone that you're especially proud of?
In-game: Going from a solo newbie to being part of a very old clan [MFT] Misfit Toys and being able to help others, too
In life: I was on sickness benefit from 2021 to April 2024, and Heckfire helped me heal. I started working again in June 2024 and now I work in a world famous museum that houses Rembrandt, Vermeer & Van Gogh. From not being able to go outside to working there. 🥹

Have you made any friendships that moved onto real life?
Yes, 100%. I played for a long time jumping clans before joining a clan that required Discord. I joined Discord on 23rd January 2022 and met people I now talk to daily in the game & in various social media platforms outside of the game. They were my community when I had no community. I hope to meet them in RL

If you were introducing the game to a new player, what would you tell them to look forward to?
Look forward to more than dragons. Find a kind clan, be patient with your build. You never know how much a game and its people can mean to you.

What is it about ATA's games and communities that has kept you coming back?
ATA games make you belong. I came for a distraction during burnout and stayed because people cared. That connection helped me get back outside, back to work, back to life. I didn't expect a game to be part of my recovery.

If you had to design a Heckfire bumper sticker using Heckfire slang or common phrases from the game, what would the sticker say?
I love them all!
1. "My Other Ride Is A Dragon"
2. "Breed. Battle. Burn."
3. "Keep Calm and Heckfire On"
4. "Sorry, Can't. My Dragons Need Me."
5. "BRB, My Dragons Need Me"
6. "Powered by Coffee & Dragon Fire"
7. "My Dragons Got Me Back To Life"
8. "Misfit Toys Ride Dragons"
9. "Powered by Captain Sparkles"
10. "Honk If You Love Dragons"
11. "I Don't Have Anger Issues, My Dragons Do"
12. "Will Stop For Dragon Eggs"
13. "[MFT] Misfit Toys On Board"
14. "On A Break From Saving The Realms"
Favorite: "My Dragons Got Me Back To Life"

If you could meet one ATA staff member, who would it be and why?
Whoever created and keeps Heckfire alive. I want to say thank you in person — your game helped me get my life back.

Is there something we haven't asked that you want to tell us?
Games are never "just games". For people who are isolated or struggling, they can be community, purpose and hope. Heckfire was that for me. Thank you. 🙏🏽

(ATA: Wow, wholesome, wholesome, wholesome).

Quick_Silver

Quick Bio
I started playing kohf in 2020. I’ve had a few accounts, but this is my only active one. I’m currently in the clan TLS. My favorite dragon is Chortle. I like snag too, but I don’t have that one. So it’s me and chortle being swampy

What made you keep playing after you first started?
Collecting dragons and seeing what they do.

What makes Heckfire such a unique game?
It has a lot of features and holds your interest. New content pops up here and there. The dragons have a lot of character.

If you had to design a Heckfire bumper sticker using Heckfire slang or common phrases from the game, what would the sticker say?
Caution: It’s FFA and I forgot to shield

Is there a moment, achievement, or milestone in the game that you’re especially proud of?
I was proud when I finally killed the first titan in my lands. Then I realized they get A LOT bigger. Noob.

Have you made any friendships on here that moved onto real life?
That’s a tough question. Real life… sometimes the game seems more real than “real life”

If you were introducing the game to a new player, what would you tell them to look forward to?
Finding your dragon buddy.

What is it about ATA’s games and communities that has kept you coming back over the years, and is there a friendship, relationship, or experience you’ve had through an ATA game that ended up meaning more to you than you ever expected when you first started playing?
My clan in KOHF was pretty great. I was in tears when the clan split up. Things are different now, but that was real. I felt like we were friends. And when you have nothing things like that remind you of who you really are.

Kuna

Quick Bio
July 2023
OOF
Mecha

What made you keep playing after you first started?
Honestly, the community. The game itself kept me interested, but once I found people I actually enjoyed playing with, that’s what really kept me coming back.

What makes Heckfire such a unique game?
I love that there’s a lot of strategy to it, but it also doesn’t take itself too seriously. There’s always something to work toward, and somehow even after playing for a while, I’m still learning things.

What do you enjoy most about being part of the game’s community?
Definitely the people. You meet people you probably never would have crossed paths with otherwise, and eventually you’re logging in just as much to talk to them as you are to actually play.

Is there a moment, achievement, or milestone in the game that you’re especially proud of?
Honestly, not yet! I’m still growing and I’m years behind some of the people I play with, so I’m just enjoying making progress and seeing how far I can get.

Have you made any friendships on here that moved onto real life?
Yes! I’ve made friendships through the game that are completely separate from Heckfire now. I’ve even met up with a couple of them in person and hung out. It’s kind of crazy to think we never would’ve known each other if it weren’t for the game.

If you were introducing the game to a new player, what would you tell them to look forward to?
Finding a good clan! The game is so much more fun when you find your people. There’s always something new to work toward too, so you’re never really “done.”

What is it about ATA’s games and communities that has kept you coming back over the years, and is there a friendship, relationship, or experience you’ve had through an ATA game that ended up meaning more to you than you ever expected when you first started playing?
I’ve played several ATA games over the years, and I think it’s always been the community that keeps me coming back. I’ve made actual friendships through these games, including people I’ve met in real life. I definitely didn’t expect that when I first downloaded a mobile game.

Is there something we haven’t asked you that you want to tell us about?
I think it’s really cool how much these games can become part of your everyday life. You log in to play a game, but half the time you end up staying because of the people you met there.

Questions for ATA

... and then they pulled an uno reverse card and started asking us questions. Members of the Heckfire dev team bravely stepped forward to answer them below!

Does the ATA team know how much Heckfire means as a community and safe space for people going through hard times like burnout or isolation? It meant the world to me during my sick leave and helped me get back to life . I'd love to know how you keep that community spirit alive. –Tea_with_Titans
[ATA] Yoshi - We absolutely understand how important it is to have community, whether that’s in person or online, and that’s why we love our jobs. We’ve read a lot of stories from you all over the years from folks facing challenges with physical or mental health, to hospital stays, to group trips to Disneyland, to weddings and funerals and in-game wakes and everything in between. Hearing about these moments truly helps us get through our own hard times.

Will we ever get more Captain Sparkles love? ✨
[ATA] Azure - Oooh there’s an idea, I’d love to see an event all about Captain Sparkles!

If you could add one dream dragon to the game, what would it be?
[ATA] Will - Trogdor THE BURNINANTOR for sure! But you know copyright laws and all that business tends to get in the way.
[ATA] Senji - sushi dragon!
[ATA] Azure - I’m a sucker for the cute dragons (Cheese is my absolute favourite), and I’d love to see another dog dragon to give Waffles some company!

That's All Folks

It's crazy to think how a bunch of lil cubed dragons setting fire to on a screen can create such a wholesome community for people to keep coming back to. From ATA to y'all, thanks for a reminder of the heart of what we do - building communities 🥰

We're excited to do this again next year and if you want a chance at being featured, look out for the application form coming in late summer of 2027! If you have any feedback or thoughts on how the next one should go, let us know too!

See you all next year!