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As tradition dictates, Doug Lowenstein of the Entertainment Software Association kicked off E3 with a media briefing. Despite the lack of adequate electricity at the L.A.C.C., Doug was determined to share with the press his thoughts on the state of the industry.
Despite what has been reported by some, the video game industry is not at the point where it has overtaken the Hollywood movie industry. Where 45 million dollars was generated by the movie industry, only 28 million was generated by the videogame industry. However, the software entertainment industry is poised to match and possibly beat the movie industry in the coming years. How can we do this? Doug had six points to share on how he believes videogames can dominate the entertainment industry.
1. We need more games with mass market appeal.
The industry needs to broaden the market if it is to overtake the movie industry and become the predominant form of entertainment. This includes reaching out to the more casual gamer and the women gamers, along with niche markets such as the millions of people who went to see "The Passion of the Christ" and made it the 3rd most successful movie in history, financially.
2. We need to create more compelling game experiences.
The success of games such as Katamari Damacy give credence to the fact that people play games to have a good time. Simplistic, yes, but true. People want to leave a gameplaying experience feeling good, so games need to generate more emotional responses.
3. We need to make games that are more accessible and easier to play.
The industry needs to reach out to those people who can't program their VCR's. There's a market there, but some people may feel intimidated by games that require a 3" thick manual before playing. Games are becoming more complex, but this gamer needs shorter and less expensive games. Something they can jump in and out of quickly. Perhaps a more casual or new gamer might be willing to spend $10 on a 10 hour game, rather than $50 on a 100 game.
4. We need new publishing financial models.
Publishers currently rule the industry and perhaps some new models for releasing games will come about that make the industry more open to developers in general.
5. We need to continue to develop for new platforms, especially online and mobile.
The videogame industry has a unique ability to connect people in the videogame community and it needs to tap that resource.
6. We need to overcome cultural resistance and fear.
Videogames continue to be under attack by politicians and this is not going to change. However, the laws that politicians are currently trying to push through won't necessarily be effective. Ultimately, the control is in the hands of parents. However, rather than ignoring parents concerns, the industry needs to stop and ask itself - is everything that is cool and that pushes the envelope really necessary? We need industry responsibility.
Overall, Lowenstein's speech was well received and echoed the thoughts of many members of the videogame industry. As far as I am concerned, it was one of the most interesting E3 media speeches I have heard in many years. How much this info is heeded by the industry as a whole remains to be seen, but I am hopeful. |
