Think Forward

Gamasutura - Analyze this

Link to my latest edition to Gamasutra's Analyze This feature.

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/2012/analyze_this_will_there_ever_be_.php

On whether the industry will develop a standardized gaming platform: I do not think the industry will ever resort to one console. It would be bad for the industry. I could understand the argument for a single development standard, but not a single hardware standard. A single development standard would obviously make the lives of developers much easier and game development overall cheaper.

However, in regards to a single console, it would hinder innovation and consumer choice. I think everyone would agree that life would be pretty boring if all we had were Windows-based computers. One console in my opinion would be a step backward for the industry, not forward.

On how independent developers would not benefit in a market with a single gaming platform: I have talked with many publishers and developers and I understand the struggles they go through. However, consumers benefit when choice exists. It causes hardware and software makers to continually innovate and differentiate to stay competitive. It is those factors that contribute to the growth of an industry. At the end of the day, consumers are the ones spending the money to drive the interactive entertainment industry forward. They are the ones who need to be catered to because they are the ones really in control.

On the PC already being the de facto standardized gaming platform: This analogy for the PC is true right now because Windows is the dominant operating system. This does not mean that companies using other operating systems won't enter the market. I hear a lot of developers are either supporting or looking to support Apple. This, again, is good for the consumer. The consumer should choose the platform that fits their life best, and this is how it should be.

Social Gaming - A new category for the game industsry

I have begun hearing this term “social gaming” in the past few month’s as an evolution of the term casual gaming. I really this term "social gaming" as a new category for the industry. I think the new term has come about because casual gaming had been seen as a category for an individual player. Whereas social gaming still implies it’s casual not immersive but also implies that it is done with a group. This is very fitting, as we have watched the growth of the Nintendo Wii as a new gaming experience. I have “anointed” the Wii the board game of a new generation. Families are now having fun playing together on the Wii the same way they used to play board games before TV monopolized evening eyeballs.

I have heard rumors that retail is even considering developing a whole kiosk dedicated to the social gaming category. This is also great news for developers as we are now able to expand the gaming category in general. Now creative software developers can dream up new experiences in this new category.

One modern example I am excited about is Scene It for the XBOX 360. Stemming from the popular DVD board game it has now been taken to a new level by offering it on the XBOX 360. It has made me think how I can bring my game consoles to family events so we can have a large range of social games to play.

I am quite excited to see this category grow as I have seen the benefits first hand in my own life and how much fun gaming as a family has become. I believe this new category will add value to the gaming industry and help to expand the gaming experience and the category at large.