Warren Spector: diversity puts video game industry in a 'great place'

Choice has been a crucial and critically acclaimed component of games benefiting from Warren Spector's involvement, and this November's Disney Epic Mickey is no exception. It pervades the entire industry, an optimistic Spector believes, telling VideoGamer that the diversity on offer, both for consumers and developers, puts us in a "great place."

"Actually, I think that this is kind of a Golden Age," Spector said in a Gamescom interview. "I can make a Wii-exclusive game featuring Mickey Mouse. Someone else can make an all-original $100m MMO. I've got friends who are literally working alone on indie games that have no prospect of profit or commercial success. I've got guys working on iPhone games." Spector noted that a widening audience and abundance of platforms makes it easier to find a fit. "There's something for everyone, which means there's something for every developer to do that's meaningful for them, that will ignite their passion."

And while Spector admitted to not quite getting social games, he wouldn't succumb to the unfortunate tendency to cast judgment on their audience. "Gaming is in a very special place right now and we should be reveling in it, enjoying the parts that we love and letting other people enjoy the parts that they love. The more people who game, the better for everyone." If anybody should be pleased to hear an even-handed, inclusive opinion on today's multifaceted gaming, it's those Farmville weirdos.