by justingibbs on July 27, 2010
The rumors started last week with a TechCrunch article and today - Disney Paying Up To $763 Million For Social Gaming Company Playdom. So it looks like mouse ears for me and a free trip to Disneyland.
It certainly changes the landscape for social games. Also plays to the theory that the game industry at large is moving toward social games.
Companies that have embraced casual games have been the ones that have been able to revolutionize the games business. Those that have held onto the core games have not. Look at Facebook, they embraced casual games. Apple with the iPhone embraced casual games. Look at the three major consoles. Who won? The Wii. Why? They embraced casual games.
by justingibbs on May 2, 2010
I spent most of Saturday playing with my new iPad at WordCamp San Francisco 2010. Of course it was a bit odd playing around with the famously proprietary device while Richard Stallman was on stage, but oh well. I have to say I’m very impressed with the iPad. I bought it mostly as an e-reader and excuse to test games, but am surprised at how the device fills me with a desire for other forms of interactive entertainment.
At home I love streaming Netflix movies through a Roku. Equally I was happy to see I could stream the same movies on the iPad as well. However I haven’t been able to sit more than a minute watching any of them on my iPad. My thumbs are right there, I want to interact, I want to do more than just watch. For me static media isn’t going to be enough, I want more.
Sure I can jump on Twitter or some other social media apps but I find even those don’t capturing my attention. I want more, I want entertainment. So I download a few games. Yet even these don’t keep my attention for long. Sure they’re clever how they take advantage of the iPad’s novel interface but I just don’t find them that compelling. Maybe it’s a consequence of that very novelty? Maybe it’s still early in the evolution of these games? In either case I find myself wanting more.
What I want is a mashup of Netflix and games – interactive drama. It would be more akin to visual novels or dating sims. Sadly the only visual novel I could find in the App Store was in Japanese and there are no dating sims yet. After spending the day with the iPad I find it to be as revolutionary as Steve Job’s attests and believe it should find an equally revolutionary medium to complement it.
by justingibbs on April 27, 2010
On TechCrunch over the weekend Michael Arrington claimed it the age of Facebook.
Someday, maybe a decade from now, some new technology will rise and allow other companies to threaten Facebook. But until then there is little to stop them. Their march to dominance has just begun.
I agree that with Michael that Facebook has stolen the limelight from Google however I’m not as sure they will reign for a decade. One serious threat on the horizon – social games. Some go as far as to claim social games the killer app of social networks. According to a recent PopCap survey, 49% of the time social gamers login to Facebook specifically to play games.
That’s great for Facebook, currently it’s the home of social games. However I doubt Facebook is that comfortable with such a moniker. Facebook has already taken steps to limit the viral nature of social games, showing more of a concern to fight against spam. Facebook’s hesitation to fully embrace social games fully leaves the door wide open for competition. And seeing as how Facebook takes a 30% cut from game developers with Facebook credits they’re practically driving developers to seek out alternatives. In steps in Apple with Game Center. And how far behind could Google be with Android?
Michael is correct that no one will be able to take Facebook head on, but they can surely do an end-around by embracing social games. It might not be enough to topple Facebook but it could give some a beachhead. A decade is a long time to try and stay on top.
What do you think about Facebook leaving the window for social games open?
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