Slashdot Mirror
On The Need For New Videogame Funding Models
Thanks to Costik.com for pointing to entrepreneur Gordon Gould's comments on possible new videogame funding avenues, as he notes "the coming console shift to Xbox 2 and the Playstation 3 is going to once again raise the bar on development costs", meaning "a shrinking number of titles per publisher slate w/increased pressure on those titles to be out of the ballpark blockbusters." He suggests that "developers' ability to gain more control over their destiny is handicapped by the relative scarcity of funding sources", but this may be changing, as investors from outside the industry start to fund development (as seen recently at MMO creator Turbine.) However, Greg Costikyan weighs in with a response, arguing that "...even looking at something as goofy and hit-driven as the game industry, an investor is already taking a big risk, and his or her instinct is going to be the same as the publishers': be conservative in what you fund."
Unfortunately, the innovative interesting new games rarely sell better than run of the mill sequels, or movie franchised add-ons.
All investment is risk, but the key to smart investment is that you try to minimise risk. Not many people worry how their money is multiplied, and to most investors, one computer game is the same as another. They would care little what games are made, as long as their investment grows. Computer Game publishers know this and therefore tune their business plans accordingly.
And, the general gaming public doesn't help by buying $hit games en masse.
It's a little disappointing that the gaming industry seems to be going the way of the movie industry. No risks, nothing interesting except for rare 'arthouse' movies.
The important question is, what can be done?
Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. -- Leo Tolstoy
I do pay for all that. It is called taxes.
Watch as the industry starts shifting towards handhelds instead of full blown console games. Nintendo stands to make a pile more cash if they can stand up and release an answer to the PSP. It doesn't have to be fancy... just a machine with a reasonable amount of power. The handheld war will be won mainly on price, not raw power.
(before you shout ngage, read where I said about a *reasonable* amount of power...)
Why? So there are more trees to cut down and make into books? So there are more people in homes to buy books, video games and movies? So that people are more educated and can write more books, video games and movies?
Fool!
I am government man, come from the government. The government has sent me. -- G.I.R.