As a seasoned gamer with decades of gaming experiences under my belt, I find myself both encouraged and concerned by Phil Spencer’s recent statements about game releases and success. On one hand, it’s refreshing to hear that the industry is moving away from the rigid, formulaic approach of yesteryears, focusing more on trust signals and community engagement. This could potentially lead to a greater emphasis on quality over quantity, and a more organic growth for games, big and small.
In the world of console and PC gaming, it makes sense that numerous details must be examined before a game is approved for development and promoted. Companies like Microsoft also face this requirement, even though there are fewer rigid rules today than in previous years.
In a recent conversation with Game File (subscription required), Xbox division head Phil Spencer discussed the elements that his team takes into account when determining a game’s route to prosperity. Are ratings from gaming reviews significant? Is it crucial for a game to be trending on social media platforms? These are some of the questions he was asked and addressed.
According to Spencer, although Call of Duty is well-known among gamers due to its IP and brand recognition, they actively collaborate with content creators to promote the game. This practice isn’t limited to big titles like Call of Duty; even smaller games such as Compulsion and South of Midnight receive similar attention. Spencer thinks that people are increasingly seeking recommendations from trusted sources who can speak positively about a game they’re interested in. This could be a friend, a gaming journalist, a website, and so on. Publishers and game creators should be ready to leverage this trend, understanding that when the game gains traction, it will spread further.
Referencing Grounded by Obisidian Entertainment, Spencer highlights that it’s not a typical AAA title and was developed by only 12 team members at the studio under their “Game Preview” program. Microsoft discovered that players were drawn to its unique setting, leading Spencer to remark, “Now we need to ensure there’s a strong team supporting it. We have a strategy in place to expand it”, noting that such success isn’t always predictable when launching a game.
Xbox Boss on Game Releases And Success Being “Less Excel”
In simpler terms, Spencer suggests that instead of relying heavily on Excel, it’s more about assembling a diverse team who are deeply connected to various sources, as users seek credible indicators to decide where to explore next. These trust signals can emerge from numerous and varied origins.
Spencer clarified that by “less Excel,” he meant moving away from a rigid, formulaic approach. Essentially, they had previously assumed game development would follow a certain pattern: “For instance, assuming 20% of the projected revenue for a game will be spent on marketing, and a specific amount on ‘above-the-line’ advertising (ATL), followed by post-launch support, with little adjustments along the way because things tend to run their course.
Even if success these days is less formulaic, I can’t say it’s better. Take Microsoft, for example. Even if the company has the largest stable of gaming IPs available, and with an army of game development studios at its disposal thanks to multiple acquisitions, we still get titles like Redfall that fail, causing a studio to shutdown. This problem isn’t exclusive to just Microsoft, but it’s a worrying trend given even with social media, a huge marketing budget, the help of content creators and the like, it’s still quite hard for games to achieve success. Unless, of course, you’re a very established brand like Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto.
Could the novel methodology for marketing and launching video games potentially benefit developers more effectively? Frankly, I can’t make that assertion with certainty, but I am optimistic that it may lead to improved game quality, which could ultimately minimize layoffs within studios.
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2024-11-19 07:38