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GDC Europe 2011: Richard Garriott says mobile and social titles are 'the future of games'
Delivering the final keynote address at this year's GDC Europe, Richard Garriott said that the industry is rapidly moving away from MMOs as we know them and toward mobile and social gaming -- and that companies need to hop on board, lest they be left behind. Garriott used his iPhone as an example of this new direction: "I am now much more of a gamer than I ever been in my whole life, but the vast majority of the gaming I have played has been on this machine. I'm a devout believer that this is the current and near-term future of games." He defines this "new era" of gaming by having cheap games that are simple to use and connect you with real-world friends. While he thinks earlier social games like FarmVille were too simple and unappealing, Garriott says that they're evolving quickly. During the speech, Garriott expressed regret that his team didn't stick by the original vision for Tabula Rasa, and he urged fellow developers not to trade in their dreams in order to follow the company line. His new company Portalarium plans to "reinvent roleplaying yet again" by releasing a series of products that will capitalize on social gaming and retrain players to think beyond mere combat to a wider experience.
Richard Garriott addresses 'Third Grand Era of Games' at the 2011 LOGIN Conference
Richard Garriott: game developer, private astronaut, beard aficionado -- and now keynote speaker. The former developer of the Ultima series, Ultima Online, and Tabula Rasa will provide the main speech at the 2011 LOGIN Conference. Garriott will be talking about the Third Grand Era of Games that he sees us moving into, following the single-player titles of the '80s and '90s and the MMORPGs of the 2000s. It's his belief that the market for online gaming is poised to expand tenfold with the rise of casual-led, virally spread, free-to-play titles. Garriott gave a teaser for his upcoming message: "The gaming industry is dawning on - at long last - a truly global audience of both genders and all ages. What lessons of history are useful? What truly new challenges await us? What will casual online games look like in five years?" The LOGIN Conference is a convention of game and software developers who discuss advances in technology, business, design and community. It will take place from May 16-18th in Bellevue, Washington, and Garriott will deliver his keynote speech on the 17th.
