Post by deyreepher on Sept 7, 2007 6:00:02 GMT -5
arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070906-games-with-strong-online-components-outsell-the-competition.html
Developing and publishing video games is a competitive business, but based on research from Electronic Entertainment Design and Research, there are a few things that can seemingly lead to guaranteed higher sales. That's not to say that there aren't interesting trends to spot, however, such as the critical role online support plays in a game's success.
The study found that by adding online functionality into a game—more specifically the ability to play against or with others—developers can generally double the amount of money your game makes. The finding in the study is more intuitive: high quality games (defined as having a Metacritic score of 90+) can sell up to 531 percent more than the average. So now, the job is clear: make high-quality games, and don't forget the online component.
The information on the degree to which online play affects sales is more complex than it may look at first glance. Games with some online component sell almost twice as many copies as offline-only games. Despite that, nearly half of the titles sold at retail have no online play. The situation is even worse for downloadable titles: 65 percent of such games don't have an online component. Arguably the most successful system of this generation thus far, the Nintendo Wii, has more retail and downloadable games than either of its next-gen competitors, but it has far fewer games available for play online.
Gears of War seems to the "perfect storm" that the study suggests contributes to a huge hit. It was universally praised by critics and has a dedicated following among online gamers. It's a game that not only succeeded online, but may also have boosted sales of the 360 hardware and raised adoption of Microsoft's subscription-based online service. Both Microsoft and Epic also continue to profit from the game based on for-pay map packs.
The success of Gears of War also shows why online gaming is so important. It allows gamers to be social, rather than isolated in front of their PC or consoles. It's a game where players organize tournaments, meet up on certain nights to play, and keep a dedicated friends list of high-quality players. Gears of War—and other titles with a strong online component—get a boost in sales because gamers want to be part of a tight-knit experience and join a community of friends who want to play together online. These games are more inclusive and invite gamers to buy the game and join the "scene," which explains their sales.
While this report may be a guideline for making games, creating a well-received title is still more art than science. It's clear what type of game to make to reap the maximum financial rewards, though: a game with strong mechanics that grabs both gamers and reviewers and that allows players to play online. Unfortunately, delivering such a product is much harder than the cold numbers suggest.
Developing and publishing video games is a competitive business, but based on research from Electronic Entertainment Design and Research, there are a few things that can seemingly lead to guaranteed higher sales. That's not to say that there aren't interesting trends to spot, however, such as the critical role online support plays in a game's success.
The study found that by adding online functionality into a game—more specifically the ability to play against or with others—developers can generally double the amount of money your game makes. The finding in the study is more intuitive: high quality games (defined as having a Metacritic score of 90+) can sell up to 531 percent more than the average. So now, the job is clear: make high-quality games, and don't forget the online component.
The information on the degree to which online play affects sales is more complex than it may look at first glance. Games with some online component sell almost twice as many copies as offline-only games. Despite that, nearly half of the titles sold at retail have no online play. The situation is even worse for downloadable titles: 65 percent of such games don't have an online component. Arguably the most successful system of this generation thus far, the Nintendo Wii, has more retail and downloadable games than either of its next-gen competitors, but it has far fewer games available for play online.
Gears of War seems to the "perfect storm" that the study suggests contributes to a huge hit. It was universally praised by critics and has a dedicated following among online gamers. It's a game that not only succeeded online, but may also have boosted sales of the 360 hardware and raised adoption of Microsoft's subscription-based online service. Both Microsoft and Epic also continue to profit from the game based on for-pay map packs.
The success of Gears of War also shows why online gaming is so important. It allows gamers to be social, rather than isolated in front of their PC or consoles. It's a game where players organize tournaments, meet up on certain nights to play, and keep a dedicated friends list of high-quality players. Gears of War—and other titles with a strong online component—get a boost in sales because gamers want to be part of a tight-knit experience and join a community of friends who want to play together online. These games are more inclusive and invite gamers to buy the game and join the "scene," which explains their sales.
While this report may be a guideline for making games, creating a well-received title is still more art than science. It's clear what type of game to make to reap the maximum financial rewards, though: a game with strong mechanics that grabs both gamers and reviewers and that allows players to play online. Unfortunately, delivering such a product is much harder than the cold numbers suggest.