Comments on: The Sims and World of Warcraft “sucking air out” of PC gaming, says Molyneux http://www.videogaming247.com/2008/02/20/the-sims-and-world-of-warcraft-sucking-air-out-of-pc-gaming-says-molyneux/ This is the news Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:06:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: ginger http://www.videogaming247.com/2008/02/20/the-sims-and-world-of-warcraft-sucking-air-out-of-pc-gaming-says-molyneux/#comment-894 ginger Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:08:29 +0000 http://www.videogaming247.com/2008/02/20/the-sims-and-world-of-warcraft-sucking-air-out-of-pc-gaming-says-molyneux/#comment-894 It's like the whole google 10% thing - if a company is willing to bet 10% of some employees time on whatever they like then you'll get more innovation, but not necessarily success. The problem with the casual market (and consumers in general) is that it usually takes a long time to get a mass market take up of a new idea. Alternatively (to the 10% thing) in software dev I always thought it was worth sponsoring uni 2nd or 3rd year projects - i.e. the best new microgame (no more than 2 hours to complete) wins £500 and their game gets released on steam / XLA etc It’s like the whole google 10% thing - if a company is willing to bet 10% of some employees time on whatever they like then you’ll get more innovation, but not necessarily success. The problem with the casual market (and consumers in general) is that it usually takes a long time to get a mass market take up of a new idea.

Alternatively (to the 10% thing) in software dev I always thought it was worth sponsoring uni 2nd or 3rd year projects - i.e. the best new microgame (no more than 2 hours to complete) wins £500 and their game gets released on steam / XLA etc

]]> By: Tiger Walts http://www.videogaming247.com/2008/02/20/the-sims-and-world-of-warcraft-sucking-air-out-of-pc-gaming-says-molyneux/#comment-892 Tiger Walts Wed, 20 Feb 2008 10:16:29 +0000 http://www.videogaming247.com/2008/02/20/the-sims-and-world-of-warcraft-sucking-air-out-of-pc-gaming-says-molyneux/#comment-892 Yes, there's innovation. But it's indie and homebrew setups that are doing it which is very surprising since the middleware and in-house tools available to the larger companies allow them to do so much with little effort. Would it not be a good business decision to dedicate a small part of their workforce (or indeed hire existing indie devs) into producing smaller, shorter budget titles that also double up as tech demos and proofs-of-concept. With the growth of the casual market so does the demand for casual games. Portal is one example of something like this happening and we need more of it. Yes, there’s innovation. But it’s indie and homebrew setups that are doing it which is very surprising since the middleware and in-house tools available to the larger companies allow them to do so much with little effort. Would it not be a good business decision to dedicate a small part of their workforce (or indeed hire existing indie devs) into producing smaller, shorter budget titles that also double up as tech demos and proofs-of-concept. With the growth of the casual market so does the demand for casual games. Portal is one example of something like this happening and we need more of it.

]]> By: patlike http://www.videogaming247.com/2008/02/20/the-sims-and-world-of-warcraft-sucking-air-out-of-pc-gaming-says-molyneux/#comment-884 patlike Wed, 20 Feb 2008 09:57:28 +0000 http://www.videogaming247.com/2008/02/20/the-sims-and-world-of-warcraft-sucking-air-out-of-pc-gaming-says-molyneux/#comment-884 Is innovation really being kicked out of PC gaming? RockPaperShotgun appears to carry tons of indie stuff all the time. Not sure if anyone's making any money, like, but there we are. Is innovation really being kicked out of PC gaming? RockPaperShotgun appears to carry tons of indie stuff all the time. Not sure if anyone’s making any money, like, but there we are.

]]> By: Blerk http://www.videogaming247.com/2008/02/20/the-sims-and-world-of-warcraft-sucking-air-out-of-pc-gaming-says-molyneux/#comment-882 Blerk Wed, 20 Feb 2008 09:55:37 +0000 http://www.videogaming247.com/2008/02/20/the-sims-and-world-of-warcraft-sucking-air-out-of-pc-gaming-says-molyneux/#comment-882 The casuals are coming! The casuals are co... oh. They're already here. Bugger. The casuals are coming! The casuals are co… oh. They’re already here. Bugger.

]]>