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EA abandoning offline game development
Kotaku points out a grim omen for the future of offline gaming in the form of some comments from Electronic Arts executive Frank Gibeau. In an interview at Develop, Gibeau minces few words about the future of the firm's business model. "They're [EA studio heads] very comfortable moving the discussion towards how we make connected gameplay -- be it co-operative or multiplayer or online services -- as opposed to fire-and-forget, packaged goods only, single-player, 25-hours-and you're out. I think that model is finished. Online is where the innovation, and the action, is at," he says. While it's clear why publishers are desperate to move everything online (hello monetization and DRM), the benefits to the consumer are decidedly less apparent. Whether the larger gaming industry adopts an MMO-style access model remains to be seen, but EA is clearly moving in that direction.
Games may be more mature than you think
One of the most frequently asked questions about games from the mainstream media (and even some in the industry) is "When will they grow up?" But on Gamasutra, writer and commentator Lewis Denby makes a compelling argument that they're already well on their way to maturity. Denby points to the current selection of games, which feature much more diversity than in years past, to make his point, saying, "the console wars may continue to rage, but for most of us, it's not an issue. We just want to play, to experience and to experiment with this increasingly enormous digital palette." Sure, Denby makes a fine case, but we'd still like our games to have a bit more maturity. And by "maturity" we mean "rampant nudity." [image]
EA, Ubisoft execs applaud PS3 price cut, also like things that are good
Well, this one doesn't exactly come out of left field, but it looks like gaming industry execs are starting to sing a decidedly different tune now that Sony has finally cut the price of the PS3. Speaking with GamesIndustry.biz, Ubisoft bigwig Yves Guillemot said that "it's exceptional news, actually," adding that "I think the machine is a great machine, with the Blu-ray." EA Games president Frank Gibeau was also apparently more than happy to back up that praise, saying that, "I think it's awesome," and that "it's an old line, but it still rings true for us: 'We make the ammunition for the hardware wars.' So the lowest priced hardware possible is a good thing for us." Still noticeably mum on the matter, however, is Activision's CEO, who once threatened to pick up his ball and go home if Sony didn't drop its prices. [Via Joystiq]
15 Minutes of Fame: Boubouille proves an MMO Champion
15 Minutes of Fame is our look at World of Warcraft players of all shapes and sizes – from the renowned to the relatively anonymous, the remarkable to the player next door. Tip us off to players you'd like to hear more about.What does it take to bring WoW fanatics the freshest World of Warcraft news on the planet? Imagine, if you will, a guy who sleeps literally no more than three or four hours at a stretch so he won't miss any World of Warcraft news. Imagine a guy who spends hour upon hour digging through game database files searching for anything that appears remotely different. Imagine a guy who no longer raids because he's so weary from 10-hour stretches on the PTR (public test realm).Meet Boubouille, the force behind MMO-Champion. The hard-working Boubouille is also one of the friendliest, most genuine voices in the WoWosphere. Ever notice how often WoW Insider links developments, new items and spells and breaking news back to MMO-Champion? While Boubouille's first on the money, he's also quick on the tips and first to share a really interesting scoop – that's just the way he rolls. We poked our heads into his insane, non-stop schedule to find out what keeps him ticking along and where MMO-Champion is headed as WoW evolves over time.
Gaming industry advocates form Entertainment Media Council
There are plenty of organizations representing all aspects of the gaming universe. Professionals have the Entertainment Software Association, regular Joes have the Entertainment Consumers Association, and lonely, lonely gamers have NerdPassions.com. However, who's tending to the needs of the industry itself? Yes, even nonliving business sectors need tender loving care -- a need the recently formed Entertainment Media Council intends to fill in the coming years.The EMC is a California-based non-profit with a relatively simple objective: "advancing the interactive entertainment business in the United States." Though the organization is young, it's already boasting an impressive roster consisting of gaming journalists, analysts, developers and other industry leaders. Morgan Ramsay, CEO for the group (and former IGDA chairman) explained that the role of the group will be that of a "navigator" for the gaming industry.In a Gamasutra interview, Ramsay went on to explain that, though their responsibilities may overlap somewhat, he doesn't see the newly formed group as being in combat with the already established ESA, ECA or IGDA. He explained, "I think we have a better chance of making real our visions of transformation and enlightenment when we work together, not when we compete." We think he probably said this because he just knows Hal Halpin could take him in a fair fight.
MMO market revenue to hit $14.4 billion in 2012
We hear news stories concerning the rising cost of food, gas and general living expenses almost daily, but curiously enough, the game industry is proving itself recession-proof. Not only does it seem safe from the downward spiral plaguing all other facets of the economy, but it's on the rise, and is predicted to continue its steep climb for awhile.According to a recent study by accounting and financial services giant PricewaterhouseCoopers, revenue from the MMO genre of PC gaming will increase to $14.4 billion in 2012 from $6.6 billion in 2007, with special thanks to Blizzard for pulling in over $1 billion on their own in 2007 with World of Warcraft. This is good news for the PC gaming market, as it is predicted that overall, PC gaming will see a revenue slip of 1.2 percent annually, from $3.8 billion in 2007 to $3.6 billion in 2012, thanks to the predicted rise in console popularity. Does this mean the MMO sector will be supporting the PC gaming market in a few years?
Earth Hour and WoW
Tonight the world will be celebrating Earth Hour, with individuals, cities and businesses turning off and unplugging as many of their electronics and lights as possible. How can you get involved when you have a scheduled raid, or when this is the only time for you to play today? You need not feel pressured to unplug everything. Turn out as many lights as you can throughout your home, unplug the electronics and appliances in rooms you are not using, and consult Well Fed Buff for the perfect lights-out snack you can prepare before 8:00 p.m. This event is important, not because it will change the entire world, but because it will send a message. Not only will we have the opportunity to think about our impact, and learn about just how much power the world did save in that one dark hour, but businesses and governments will realize just how serious people are today about the environment. Gamers should be a part of that message. Lately, we have been garnering a poor reputation for ourselves, and not because we might all turn into mass murderers from staring all day violent images.
Why mainstream media hates the Internet, games, MMOs and you
From the Sexbox and Mass Effect to World of Warcraft, Everquest and even face-to-face Dungeons and Dragons, the mainstream media hates your hobbies. They're turning you into suicidal addicts, mass-murderers, inappropriate touchers, criminals and terrorists, right? Well, seeing that you don't seem to be any of those things, has it occurred to you to wonder just why such FUD keeps turning up over and over. No, it's not Luddism (well, it's mostly not Luddism as it's commonly thought of). For the most part, this is about money.
Why Second Life belongs at Massively
Or: Why gamers and virtual worlders should care about each other. We're shy of a month in to Massively's existence, and one of the more persistent bits of feedback we continue to receive regards the inclusion of Second Life content on a site about MMOs. There are really two questions to answer here: Does Second Life coverage belong on Massively at all? Is the amount of Second Life content disproportionate to its mindshare? I will herein state a claim for a definitive yes on point 1, and readily admit that point 2 is arguably a matter of taste. Maintaining editorial balance surrounding all of the many, varied games we cover is an ongoing process, and we've selected a suite of "core games" based on many factors including subscriber/member numbers, overall buzz and mindshare in the industry, and input from a secret algorithm I would love to call "interestingness" if it weren't already taken. We are proud to offer in-depth Second Life coverage as one of those core current titles. Overall, we're taking a broad definition of the concept of MMO here at Massively. While the majority of our coverage concerns traditionally "gamer"-oriented titles like City of Heroes, Tabula Rasa, Lord of the Rings Online et al, we're also providing both news and feature content surrounding more casual, often browser-based titles like Dofus, Runescape, and Flyff. Despite popular perception as niche titles, some of these games are rivaling the big dogs in terms of membership and hours played. In an industry toying with the idea of whether or not Facebook is an MMO and witnessing Google almost surely building one, we see projects like MetaPlace further blurring the lines between web-based social networking and Gaming with a capital G. In the middle of those two trends -- hardcore and casual games getting mashed up, and MMOs and the web getting mashed up -- sits Massively; and we're excited to be covering it all as it happens.
November NPD: big franchises, new consoles drive industry sales up 34% [update 1]
The above headline shouldn't come as a great surprise to many gamers, what with November having been a deadly obstacle course of top-tier franchises and console debuts. Surviving the month with wallet unscathed was quite impossible, a fact clearly reflected in the NPD's sales data for the period which typically sees manufacturers clash in full force, guns blazing. Consumers caught in the cash crossfire spent an impressive $1.7 billion in total, with console, software and accessory sales all seeing notable increases. The NPD's Anita Frazier told GameDaily BIZ that she expects this to be a record-breaking year for the industry, with total sales expected to come in at $14 billion. In the interest of having you maintain consciousness, we've put the most pertinent information into those convenient bullet-point things (it also ties in nicely with our earlier gun metaphor):Console Sales (units) DS: 918k PS2: 664k Game Boy Advance: 661k Xbox 360: 511k Wii: 476k PSP: 412k PS3: 197k Software Sales (units and sales grossed) Gears of War: 1 million -- $61.5 million Final Fantasy XII: 896k -- $49 million The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess: 412k -- $20.2 million Guitar Hero II: 356k -- $20.2 million Check out the full report for even more numbers and commentary -- mind you don't go cross-eyed.[Update 1: PSP information added.]
Public Enemy # 360
Is the Xbox 360 hurting the gaming industry and hense the "public good"? Nich Maragos of 1up.com thinks so, and he makes his case in a scholarly essay that quotes everyone from Atari CEO Bruno Bonnell to Pyrrhus of Epirus: "In this case, Microsoft is underinvesting in the public good of maintaining a stable and growing market in general -- something that its rivals Nintendo and Sony could also benefit from, resulting in resources spent to further its competitors' goals -- and putting its own interests first. ... You can't really fault Microsoft for that, because that's capitalism for you -- a deeper-seated issue than this essay has the scope for. But I submit that the rush to a new generation was a bad idea anyway, not so much because it weakened the market but because it weakened its own position. Microsoft, after all, was also a victim of the market -- those were Xbox titles suffering right alongside the PS2 and GameCube games on shelves. Furthermore, the 360 production issues caused by the rush to launch have impacted the one reason Microsoft had for going ahead with it in the first place: that key first-mover advantage." Maragos opines that Microsoft's willingness to sandbag the market in exchange for a clumsy head start is a Pyrrhic victory at best. Only time will tell. But please, let's not confuse the "public good" as it relates to competing multi-national corporations with the "public good" as it relates to actual gamers. A slow-down in the current-gen market might cause concern at MS and Sony, but it's fine for consumers, who now have the ability to pick up Xbox and PS2 titles at reduced prices. As for fanboys, our early-adapter options have only increased, despite whatever troubles you may have had at the local Wal-Mart. I'll credit the evil capitalists at Microsoft with getting the party started. Of course, if you disagree, don't tell me, tell CBS.
