Key Takeaways: A well-managed brand can create decades worth of
value Moving to a platform with a huge install base
provides an opportunity to capture even more value than originally predicted
Never count Nintendo out
(They’re here to
stay. Credit: www.Forbes.com)
Some of you may have seen in the past few months that
Pokémon has returned to the mainstream media with a vengeance. On July 6th,
Pokémon Go, Niantic’s Pokémon themed
mobile game hit the app store in the United States, and has caused a frenzy
across the country. In only a few days since released, it has been able to
accomplish the following:
Raised Nintendo’s market value over 9 Billion
(yes, billion) dollars
Topped the daily user numbers of Twitter, Tinder
(on Android phones), and more engagement than Facebook
Brought
to light just how powerful a well handled brand can be sustainable over time
Suffice it to say, the game is a huge success. In fact, the
peak daily active users have been so high they have broken the record for a
mobile game previously held by Candy
Crush. Pokémon Go may even
approach the numbers of Snapchat and Google Maps. Few people could have
predicted the runaway train of success. As a result, Niantic, The Pokémon
Company, and Nintendo have been reaping the rewards. Even I forgot to mention
it back in April during my Pokémon post as I focused on the core games. I was
aware it was coming but I knew virtually nothing about it, and totally whiffed
on the opportunity to talk about the opportunity it would give Nintendo for the
future. While the interest has declined mightily after the summer craze, it has
had a huge, immediate impact on the industry, showing just how powerful a well-managed
brand can be.
(Wouldn’t you
want one? Credit: serebii.net)
So what exactly is Pokémon
GO and how did it catch fire since its release? The premise is to create
your own avatar and essentially go out in the real world and catch all nearby Pokémon
that appear. Pokémon appear at random, and vary by location (I get a lot of bug
Pokémon in my neighborhood, trying to say something about my living conditions
Nintendo?). When a Pokémon appears on your phone screen, the user needs to
touch it, and then a mini game will ensue using the augmented reality system in
place. Basically, using the camera in the phone, the Pokémon will appear right
in front of the user, and the user will then need to flick pokéballs at the
creature in hopes of capturing it. After capturing a Pokémon, users can power
them up, look to evolve them, and as the user’s level increases, battle their
creatures at a gym. Gyms are real world venues that teams can take over and
hold onto over time. Furthermore, there are places called Pokéstops, which are,
again, real world locations where users can pick up items or more pokéballs.
The game intrinsically pushes the player to walk to new areas to hunt for new
gyms, creatures, etc. Furthermore, users can pick up eggs that will only hatch
after a walking requirement has been completed. The walking requirements are
also based in distance, not steps, and Niantic has prevented cheating by not
taking movement data after a certain speed limit. There is currently no trading
or battling friends, two of the key cornerstones of the franchise, and needs to
be implemented for long term success. As far as I can tell thus far, these are
the main objectives of the game, and admittedly, while I do find it fun and
addictive, it lacks the depth I enjoy in the core Pokémon series.
(The classics.
Credit: www.Nerdist.com)
Regardless of what I think though, it has to be the most
successful game in the franchise since the original Pokémon Red/Blue/Yellow. In my opinion, I do not think it’s that
hard to understand why it’s become so popular. First of all, Pokémon has never
lacked success, with 2013’s Pokémon X/Y
selling nearly 14 million copies worldwide. That game was on the Nintendo 3DS,
which at the time probably had an install base of around 20 – 30 million users.
Pokémon Go was produced for iOS and
Android platforms, where approximately 1.4 billion smartphones sold in 2015, so
the install base was extremely larger than the 3DS. Since the app is free,
there really is no reason to not give it a try, as opposed to the typical $40
price point for the core games. Nintendo essentially found all the users who
had previously enjoyed the series but had switched to mobile for their
preferred platform. The popularity has even spurned users to pick up old games,
as sales of the original titles has increased dramatically. I look forward to
seeing how Nintendo positions the renewed interest in the franchise from the
app with the upcoming games in the series, Pokémon
Sun/Moon.
(Pokémon can be
anywhere. Credit: Vox.com)
Furthermore, Pokémon
Go may be the best secretive fitness app. Staying still to play the game
will get you nowhere, you need to go find new places to find Pokémon and
greater benefits. While there have been some drawbacks (ex. users walking into
traffic, like your graceful author) they have not been nearly enough to
outweigh the benefits. Gaming and gamers constantly fight a battle against
stereotypes, the biggest being that gamers are out of shape. While more games
have been made to get gamers fit, most of them have been fads (RIP Wii Fit and Dance Dance Revolution). Pokémon
Go never announces its intention to be fitness, but walking and moving
around is inherent in the gameplay. As a result, adults are pleased with the
positive impact it’s having on their kids, and I commend Niantic for the
sneakily great decision. Lastly, like Candy
Crush and other successful mobile games, Pokémon Go does not throw micro transactions in your face. In fact,
I had to search through the app to find out if there were purchase
opportunities (there is a shop section, but you need to tap into the main menu
to get there). It’s these savvy moves that make the game extremely likable and
approachable, key ingredients for success in the mobile space. Finally, with
the immediate success Nintendo has realized the value of the mobile space, and
announced Super Mario Run at the
recent Apple conference, an endless runner starring Mario, the company’s most
famous character. As a result, the stock has increased dramatically again, as investors
approve of the interest in mobile.
(Pikachu
and Mickey together. Credit: Deviantart.com)
I have had a longstanding theory about the Pokémon brand
that I believe has been confirmed with the early triumphs of Pokémon Go: Pikachu is my generation’s
Mickey Mouse. Although gaming characters like Mario, Sonic, or (my personal
favorite) Mega Man have garnered legions of fans, and while Spongebob
Squarepants has certainly made a claim for the title, none of the gaming
characters are nearly as beloved (I will concede that Mario is close).
Spongebob on the other hand is beloved, but the part of his appeal had to do
with the humor of the show was great for both children and adults. The humor
for adults has certainly waned over time, thus hurting the character’s image.
Pikachu on the other hand, is the perfect mascot. Cute but ferocious with a lot
of personality, Nintendo really picked the perfect face of the franchise. The
fact that he is semi rare in Pokémon Go
only adds to the intrigue and appeal of the game. Furthermore, throughout the
franchise’s 20 year history, there has never been a truly bad game, meaning that
the character has always been associated with a quality product. Combine these
attributes with an onslaught of merchandise featuring the electric rodent and
you have a clear cut winner, one that clearly is not going to be slowing down
anytime soon.
When I began this blog a few months ago I had hoped to focus
on successful games and failures. For better or worse, I have spent most of my
time on the former, while instead looking at the more obscure instead of
outright failures. As a result, I’ve been left to question why the games or
genres did not live up to the potential. Well, for this post I decided to focus
on a couple of case studies of definitive failure, utilizing some of my key
takeaways from earlier posts. These three cases have very little to do with one
another, but have done some irreparable damage for both themselves and at
times, for gaming as a whole. They also show that no matter what decade, failure is always a possibility. While it is always fun to look at the successes
as models for the future, we cannot forget the disasters and the pitfalls to
avoid. With that in mind, enjoy the following case:
Part 1: E.T.
begins the video game crash of 1983 and is literally buried in a desert.
Key Takeaway
Forgotten: “A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever
bad”
(Well the title
screen is legit. Credit: Youtube.com)
Back in the early 1980’s the video game industry was still
in its inception. Arcade cabinets had recently become popular and consoles
were just beginning to enter households. At the forefront was Atari whose
Atari 2600 console was the most popular in the industry by far, with games
ranging from adventure, to sports, to action and more. Atari had a dominant
share of the market, and all developers wanted a piece of the pie. As a result,
Atari allowed developers to make cartridges for its platform without a formal
quality control procedure, leading to some poor and inappropriate titles.
Furthermore, additional console companies (including the Intellivision,
Colecovision, and even Apple) appeared to capture market share. Without the
proper quality control in place though, Atari ended up dooming itself, and
potentially destroying the entire industry, all of which was largely attributed
to one game, E.T.
E.T. the Extra
Terrestrial is one of Steven Spielberg’s greatest cinematic achievements.
Its tie in game is the face of the video game crash of 1983. The film, released
in June 1982, was a critical and commercial success, and an icon of the
1980’s. To profit off of the success of the film, Atari jumped at the
opportunity to claim the licensing rights to the brand, and after acquiring the
rights to the game in July 1982, immediately moved into development for
Christmas that same year. Because of the manufacturing and marketing campaigns,
the game’s development needed to be completed just under 6 weeks. Now while
games may have had short development cycles in the 1980’s, a 6 week
development cycle is simply too short to come up with an entertaining product.
There needs to be additional quality assurance testing, focus groups etc. Atari
however, determined to remain the market leader, did not believe the time frame
was too short, and in turn released a game that holiday season that was buggy,
uninspired and not fun. The game revolves around the titular alien, where the
players searches to find three pieces of a cosmic telephone to phone home.
During the game the player can randomly fall off screen and is constantly
hunted by men in trench coats representing the government. After finding all
pieces the cycle begins again. Needless to say, with a game very different and
less entertaining than the movie it was panned by both
critics and fans. However, because Atari thought the brand recognition alone
would generate sales it overproduced the number of cartridges significantly. So
many cartridges were made that Atari decided to bury them in a landfill in
Alamogordo, New Mexico, which were later excavated in 2014 (Google it to check
it out, really interesting).
(Talk about buried treasure. Credit:
Variety.com)
The legacy E.T.
left on Atari and the gaming industry as a whole was extremely detrimental for
the evolution of the business. Atari was forced to take huge losses, and though
it remained in the console industry for a considerable period of time, was never able to fully
recover to a market leader status again. Consumers shied away from home
consoles and arcades for years until Nintendo came into the market with its
Nintendo Entertainment System. Arguably most importantly though, E.T. left a horrendous black mark for
any licensed games, one whose effect can still be felt today, as good licensed
games tend to be the exception, not the norm. What’s most frustrating is that
the potential for a great E.T. game
was extremely high, it just needed additional time to come up with a feasible
and respectable concept. Nevertheless, we are left with the E.T. game that was produced, one that
will live in infamy forever.
Part 2: John Romero vexes consumers and then puts out a
horrible product.
Key Takeaway
Forgotten: “Unique marketing campaigns may be necessary for an inherently artistic
game”
(I see no way this ad could go wrong. Credit:
Kotaku.com)
Admittedly, Daikatana was not an inherently artistic game. Nevertheless, it’s
imperative to understand its marketing campaign to realize what a failure it
was, even before the game was released. For those who don’t know, Romero is
best known for his work with John Carmack on Wolfenstein, Doom, and Quake, all first person shooters that
help galvanize the genre. He and Carmack were thought to do no wrong. Romero
was the more vocal of the duo, and after an extended period of time the two
grew apart, specifically during the development of Quake where Carmack did not think Romero was doing enough work.
Romero resigned and formed his own company, Ion Storm, where he went on to make
Daikatana, a futuristic first person
shooter about rival clans. At E3 1997, Romero announced the game for release in Christmas
1997; however, it did not see release until 2000. Although that was a
significant problem, the real issue was in the advertising campaign. As early
as 1997, a print ad appeared where a red poster backdrop stated in black
lettering “John Romero’s About To Make You His Bitch”, with a small additional
“Suck it Down” at the bottom of the ad. Naturally, this ad was not well
received by just about everyone (even Romero was known to be hesitant before
signing off). Personally, testing the boundaries of advertising seems like a
solid way to garner attention; however, if you plan to antagonize potential
consumers you better bring a product that’s going to blow them away, otherwise
you’ll be setting your product up for failure.
(I know it’s
2000 but that looks awful. Credit: Superadventures in Gaming)
After countless delays where the product
builds were scrapped and reborn, the game was finally released in 2000 with a
resounding thud. Averaging mixed reviews for everything from content (including
brain dead AI sidekicks) to graphics to technical prowess, the game did not
live up to expectations. Romero would later apologize for the infamous ad,
citing that he had previously had a great relationship with the gaming
community (which is true) and that the ad ruined everything (which it did).
Romero has gone on to make other good games, but Ion Storm closed within a year
of release, and unfortunately the memory of Romero is left tarnished to some
degree.
Part 3: Mighty No. 9 gathers a lot of money at the expense Mega Man fan
emotions and then proceeds to do almost everything wrong.
Key Takeaway Forgotten: "Do not blame
the fans for your mistakes”
(Blue bomber or bust. Credit:
Kotaku.com)
First of all, I
believe in Kickstarter campaigns. Shovel
Knight is a retro
romp for the ages and was born through a Kickstarter campaign, so I know that
in the right hands young developers can still create incredible games.
So with that being said, imagine the joy that came to my face when I saw that Keiji
Inafune, the “father” of Mega Man, was creating a new game, Mighty No. 9. The game was largely influenced by the
Blue Bomber, and even more exciting to me was that I could help contribute to the game’s fruition via
Kickstarter. The year was 2013 (the month was March if I recall correctly), and Mega Man had not seen a new entry since 2010 when Mega Man 10 was released. Since then, numerous games had been
cancelled and Inafune had left Capcom. Things looked bleak for the future of the franchise, but here was a brand new IP, specifically for Mega Man fans.
Mighty No. 9 was a way to get excited
again – the team was made up largely of individuals who had worked on previous
Mega Man games, the music was being composed by Manami Matsumae, one of the
original composers for the franchise, everything seemed perfect. I bought in
hard, and ended up donating $251 to the cause. I wanted the rewards, the game,
and really to show Capcom that I would go to these lengths to get my hands on a something similar to a formal Mega Man game. With a goal donation amount of $900,000, Mighty No. 9 grabbed over $3 million in donations in 48 hours, and
raised a total over $4 million in its lifetime. Everyone was excited for the
new beginning. After the Kickstarter ended anticipation began to swell, even
though it would be years before the product was actually released. The forums
were ablaze, and backers of the Kickstarter seemed to be in good spirits. Then
things began to turn. Inafune asked for more money via Paypal (he actually
managed to get around $150,000), which seemed odd and unnecessary. Next,
controversy after controversy began to spring up. The first controversy I can
recall was over the community manager, a young woman who had little experience
with Mega Man games that managed to get a role at Inafune’s company, Comcept. She
supposedly banned several members of the forums for questioning her expertise, and then was questioned on how she got the job. The whole controversy was extremely
ugly, and while her qualifications were fine to question, the misogynistic and boorish
nature of some of the backers was completely unwarranted. Soon after the fans
began clamoring she lost her job. Now I
recall reading that she may have had her own opinions on certain issues, but it is unfair to accuse her of using influence on the game. Furthermore, I think the
cruel and unusual attacks on her person were unnecessary. Unfortunately, she
did herself no favors by responding to the text assaults. Regardless of the
final outcome, it was an ugly look for the game, which had backers wondering
where their money was going.
(Wait how much
money did they get to make this? Credit: Youtube.com)
The next controversy came approximately a year after the
game was announced. Inafune went on to announce a cartoon featuring the
characters of the game. Mind you, we are still another year from the supposed
release of the game, and he begins trying to drive up interest in a cartoon for
an unreleased game. This is a case where the exposure is a little too over the
top. Considering the cartoon promotion seemed very childlike while the
individuals who funded the game were probably not the core demographic, I had
absolutely no idea why the team would consider this. A year later around the
supposed release date there was little news, until Inafune unsurprisingly
delayed the game to September 2015. While all of this was frustrating, gamers
were still being patient, hopeful the game would still be fun upon release. While
announcing the delay, Inafune made sure to note that live-action film would be
adapted for the game. Now there would be a movie that no one wanted along with
a cartoon no one wanted.
(Hey can you give us more money for another game before the original
game you donated towards comes out? OK thanks! Credit: 1080plus.com)
Then, even with Mighty
No. 9 in development hell, Inafune attempted a second Kickstarter, called Red Ash. The game was going to use the
same characters from Mighty No. 9,
just redesigned to look older. The concept of the game was similar to the Mega Man Legends’ series, where the
player assume the role of Mega Man Volnutt, who goes on an adventure unlike the
original series (more like a Legend of Zelda game, just with a mega buster instead of a sword). The game consists of travelling to ruins (dungeons), searching
for treasure, and fighting huge bosses along the way. They are underrated games in the Mega Man lore. One of the biggest
issues with Inafune’s departure from Capcom is that Mega Man Legends 3 was cancelled shortly after he left the organization, even though a
prototype was promised to the community. Red
Ash was simply meant to take advantage of the loss of Mega Man Legends 3, the only problem was that with over two years
waiting for Mighty No. 9 and foolish
side projects in the way, fans did not take the bait. With a goal of only
$800,000, the funding was not met, although apparently the development for the
game is still happening thanks to a timely rescue from a publisher. Overall, patience for Mighty No. 9 was now wearing thin. Before a fan would invest again it was necessary to play
the game that was originally promised. Unfortunately, as September 2015 came
about there was still no game, and a subsequent delay to February 2016
followed. Fans’ patience was all but gone. You can only imagine how in January
2016 when the game was delayed a third time (to a vague Spring 2016) what
happened. Fans were irate and hope in the game was all but lost. Meanwhile,
Capcom released Mega Man Legacy
Collection, an extremely fun compilation of the original NES games with a
ton of challenges for the longtime fans. I highly recommend it if you’re
interested in the franchise at all. Being able to come out with a compilation title after announcing the game later than Mighty No. 9's original announcement while also releasing it to the public well before the Mighty No. 9 release was a suave way of still demonstrating the superior Mega Man brand.
Finally, in June 2016, Mighty
No. 9 was released to the public. Since its release it has received
extremely mediocre reviews, with most critics saying that the soul of Mega Man
is nowhere to be found. Inafune shrewdly has taken responsibility of the
issues, but still had the audacity to say that “it’s better than nothing” in an
interview. While he’s not entirely wrong, I know that if I could have a do
over, I would’ve paid $20, just so I could get the game. Although Inafune may
want to create a franchise out of this character and game, I have to believe
the future is strongly in doubt given the negative experience and reaction. If
Inafune and his company had not spent so much time poorly communicating (and
occasionally alienating) with the fans, perhaps there would be a better
outcome. The entire campaign did not seem to be remotely professional, and that
lack of experience showed over the time it took to develop the game. I do
believe that limiting the amount of communication and tempering expectations
with the fans would’ve lead to a more successful project. Instead, Inafune
presented the fans a concept that was simply too difficult for him and his team
to live up to, resulting in an unmitigated disaster on multiple levels. The
worst part is that this experience has changed my views on Kickstarter
campaigns. I absolutely love independent games. Indie games are one of the few
areas where I can get that old school challenge I love (ex. Elliot Quest, Limbo, Shovel Knight, etc.) and occasionally
artistic qualities you won’t find in big budget releases. However, because of Mighty No. 9, I do not see myself
overpaying for a game anytime soon. If I see a game I’m interested in I’ll
pledge enough to just get the game, but I believedin Mighty No. 9, and it took my faith (and money), thought about other
ways to make more money, and put out a mediocre product. I know for a fact I’m
not the only fan left scorned after this game. At this point, I have play time
with the game and can safely say it has not hooked me like the blue bomber’s
outings. It’s not bad by any means, but it did not live up to the hype that I
previously thought it could. Now, I can only hope Capcom brings back Mega Man
soon.
Speaking of alienating the fans, check out the trailer
below, officially released by the publisher, followed by a parody of said
trailer…
Puzzle games go beyond the traditional gaming segments
Tetris is a gaming
behemoth that seems poised to be around forever
Delivery technique is crucial when bringing micro
transactions into the fold.
(“From
Russia With Fun!” Perfect. Credit :superluigibros.com)
Despite my passion for interactive entertainment, my family
has not been nearly as interested in the hobby. My brother is a fan, but he got
more interested in the media in his teenage years. My father could care less
about video games today; however, when he was in his mid-twenties he did make
his own map of Ganon’s castle from The
Legend of Zelda[1].
My mother though has always been a huge fan of a handful of games over the
decades. She enjoyed Tetris when it
was first released and today she is a Candy
Crush expert. Her absolute favorite game is Dr. Mario, and she’s damn good at it. It took me to get to my 20’s
to stand a chance against my mom, and while I can beat her today, if I let my
guard down for a second I’m doomed. She never gives up. The point of this story
is that her favorite games have been puzzle games, an extremely underrated
genre that has been able to continuously evolve over console generations. Tetris is a gaming icon, and is
currently the greatest selling franchise of all time. Candy Crush is one of the most dominant mobile games today, worthy
of a $6 billion in the recent sale to Activision. Regardless, what if I told
you that there would be a genre of games that never drastically improves
graphics, has no inherent targeted segment, and almost never has a story, would
you think it could actually be successful? Well, if I had to bet on one genre
to stand the test of time, it’s the puzzle genre, and the commitment to
gameplay is what makes it stand above the competition.
(The
man behind the blocks – Alexey Pajitnov. Credit: Wikipedia.com)
To begin, let’s start in the past, back when the Soviet
Union was around and gaming was rebounding from the crash of 1983. Everyone
remembers how Nintendo and Mario were able to resurrect the hobby, but back in
1984, a man by the name of Alexey Pajitnov single handedly developed a game for
computers to take seven different types of puzzle pieces and rotate and arrange
them across a floor to complete a row of blocks with no gaps. Once the row was
completed it would evaporate. This game is Tetris.
The trick of the game is that the puzzle piece fall one by one in real time, so
while the player tries to position the correct pieces he or she must also
prepare for the next block. Furthermore, as the game continues the rate the
blocks fall at increases, thus making the player more reactive and thoughtful.
The concept of the game is incredibly simple in nature, but challenging as the
player progresses. Different strategies lead to different point totals and level
increases. There might be nothing more satisfying in gaming than taking one of
the “I Block” (a 4 length block with no dip, simply straight) and rotating it
vertically to knock out 4 rows at the same time. The game was a hit in the
Soviet Union, spread to Europe, and by 1987, North America as well. Little to
no marketing efforts outside of advertising were necessary as Tetris was a global phenomenon.
Interestingly enough though, Pajitnov saw little in royalties for a number of
years, since he created the game from the Soviet Academy of Sciences.
Therefore, the rights to the game belonged to the Soviet Union, and while they
had their own issues distributing the rights, ended up receiving funding for
Pajitnov’s creation. After the Soviet Union was dissolved Russia retained the
rights until 1996, after which Pajitnov received them and started his own
company, The Tetris Company. Tetris
is still around today, and during its lifespan has amassed an astronomical 495
million sales across all the platforms it has been ported to, which is
remarkable. It was also used as a selling point for the original Game Boy
console, which led to 35 million sales of the game. Needless to say, Tetris has to be considered one of the
most successful games of all time.
The question then becomes how and why did this simple game
become a global obsession. The truth is that while there may have not been a
lot in the way of advertising, the game itself targeted all segments. In most
of my previous posts I’ve (shockingly) focused on games I’ve enjoyed, or games
that might be more applicable to children or young males. Tetris appeals to everyone. In fact, it could be argued that puzzle
games as a genre appeal to everyone. Being able to appeal to women, adults,
children, etc. goes a long way when creating a hit. There is no one segment it
targets, instead casting a wide net across all age ranges and genders. Even my
Nonna (Grandma in Italian) has played Tetris[2].
Furthermore, being the puzzle game that
it is, Tetris goes beyond the
conventional norms of gaming. Gaming is sometimes negatively portrayed in the
media for its excessive violence or foolish antics that can be argued bring
little to no benefit. While I would naturally argue the opposite, Tetris presents a strong argument
itself. Tetris has been studied
extensively by scientists over the years, and findings have shown that Tetris can improve your brain’s
efficiency and has been known to help people with post traumatic stress
disorder reduce flashbacks. I would argue that the puzzle genre as a whole
could offer a lot of similar benefits to Tetris,
even if other games have not been studied as extensively.
Puzzle games have continued to show up since Tetris, but their adaptability to
current industry dynamics may make them indispensable. For example, Nintendo
has always played its part in the puzzle genre. Tetris has been a mainstay on its consoles, but Dr. Mario has found its footing as well,
along with Pokémon Trozei. Nintendo
has strategically placed its characters into unique puzzle concepts to get
multiple sources of buy in. Furthermore, developers realize that puzzle games
are great in long or short bursts, but play especially well when users are on
the move, which I would credit Tetris
for primarily. Regardless, the Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, and current
Smartphones have seen a plethora of puzzle games, all with their unique styles.
Currently, Candy Crush is the puzzle
game of choice, and with its brilliant micro transaction strategy has become a
force in gaming. Although micro transactions sometimes have a negative
connotation in the industry (“Pay to win” is a term I use occasionally to
describe poorly designed games with micro transactions), if done correctly,
there really is no harm in them. By done correctly, I specifically mean giving
the player the opportunity to beat a game without needing to pay extra, but
releasing certain benefits should a player want to pursue a purchase. A perfect
example is how Candy Crush deals with
a user running out of lives. When the game begins a user has 5 lives and is
given the opportunity to complete as many levels as possible, and each level
has a designated amount of moves the user has until he or she has run out of
opportunities to complete the level, at which point a user will lose a life. If
the user loses 5 lives he or she will have to wait until at least one
replenishes, which is timed at 30 minutes after the first life is lost; however,
the user can also choose to instantaneously replenish the stock of lives for $1
instead of waiting. This is the perfect opportunity for the game to gain some
revenue without coming across as obnoxious. That really is the key to a micro
transaction – it’s never about the transaction itself because users expect it.
Instead, it’s about the way the developers say it. Delivering the message is a
big part of the battle, and will continue to develop as the industry
progresses.
(Time manipulation and platforming to
solve puzzles – Braid. Credit:
insomniac.ac)
What I find to be most interesting about puzzle games as a
whole is how they’ve worked their way into all different genres. Puzzle
platformers are a legitimate genre, with 2008’s Braid a perfect blend of the two. Furthermore, The Legend of Zelda, one of gaming’s longest running franchises, is
particularly known for its head-scratching puzzles. Some might even say they
are the biggest draw of the games. I know I’ve struggled with some in dungeons,
but nothing feels more satisfying in a Zelda
game than figuring them out.[3]Pac-Man is even technically
considered a puzzle game, giving the genre even more staying power. Yet, in
today’s gaming, no one seems to be excited about puzzle games. E3, the largest
gaming convention in the world, just wrapped up last week and I do not recall
seeing a puzzle game mentioned. At the same time, maybe it does not need the
publicity. Although it seems blasphemous to write that, puzzle games do not
typically need the huge budgets the other games showcased at the conventions have,
and if they are truly of quality, they will seemingly catch on with the
intended audience. Nevertheless, I find it puzzling (sorry) that there isn’t
more of an emphasis on driving users to the content, because though a puzzle
game may find its audience naturally, it still seems like an awfully big risk
to set it out into the wild with little fanfare. That’s why I truly wonder if
the genre will move forward, or will it continue to be made up of Tetris and Dr. Mario remakes with the occasional new fad jumping in on the
action every few years. I give a lot of credit to Jonathan Blow, the creator of
the aforementioned Braid and The Witness (released earlier this
year), as he has been able to take the puzzle genre and create new ways to
experience it, through different genre elements and strong narratives. I think
he holds the torch for moving the genre forward, but as an indie game developer
it is uncertain whether the majority of the industry will follow his lead. I
can only look forward to see what comes next.
Key Takeaways:
EA made a number of excellent strategic decisions with Madden over its 25 year history
To make an impact, look to an undeveloped market
Removing competition from the playing field is a great recipe for success
(The start of
something really big. Credit: Polygon.com)
It’s the day before Super Bowl 49, one of the most highly
watched sporting events in the world. The players get little sleep knowing that
a championship is at stake. Certain companies empty their pockets to debut new
trailers, products and brands in 30 second commercials that cost several
million dollars. Two of tomorrow’s players though, have something else on their
mind – Madden. The New England
Patriots’ Shane Vereen and the Seattle Seahawks’ Richard Sherman are set to do
battle with their respective teams in the virtual world of football. The event
is televised, former American Idol winner
Jordin Sparks is in attendance, and the stakes are high. Vereen, like his team
the very next day, comes out with a victory. Overall, it’s a fun experience for
players and fans, but more importantly, it showcases how big a phenomenon the Madden franchise has become. In the
official simulation of Super Bowl 49, Madden
correctly picked the score, and that the Patriots would rally back from a
24 – 14 deficit. Happy Patriot fan memories aside, what this experience
underscores is how this sports franchise became synonymous with football
itself, and does not appear to be slowing down anytime soon.
(Some nice Madden publicity
before the Super Bowl. Credit: Bostonglobe.com)
The story of Madden’s
inception is a tricky one, teemed with shrewd business moves that might have
been disasters had a single thing gone awry. It starts with Trip Hawkins, the
founder and CEO of Electronic Arts (EA), who worked with the coach John Madden
himself to create the game’s interface and playbook intended to make the most
realistic professional football simulation. He then created a team to reverse
engineer the Sega Genesis, which although was extremely dangerous if there was
legal action, ended up saving EA a total of $36 Million over the years. By
reverse engineering the console EA could produce games for the Genesis that
would override any lock on it, meaning that they would never have to pay Sega
royalties for the cartridges. Instead, after completing the reverse engineering
process, EA offered Sega the opportunity to alleviate the frustration by allowing
EA to pay a much lower royalty fee, which Sega obliged as long as EA would help
create a second football franchise, Joe
Montana Football. EA used Madden
as the blueprint, but made the game inferior to Madden in order to protect their own business. Once Madden was released, it was an instant
hit. Although sales’ data is relatively difficult to find for the early years
the game has since spawned an annual iteration since its inception for multiple
platforms, most of which reach a million sales or more depending on the
platform.
(The
“other” EA football game. Credit: mobygames.com)
What made Madden
different though is that it approached new groups of gamers: sports fans and
athletes. For the first time, there was a true sports simulator where fans
could play as their favorite teams or players, and athletes could play as
themselves in a video game. Though not mutually exclusive, the game certainly
appealed to new users who may not have been as interested in Mario or Sonic but
instead wanted a sports’ experience. Fans would be invested in their teams and
players would be invested in their own stats. Furthermore, with the annual
iteration the game delivered new content including players and gameplay modes.
The amount of developer to fan interaction is quite high today as well, as
roster changes are typically reflected in weekly downloadable content.
(Gaining athletes was an
undeveloped market. Credit: Chiefs.com)
Interestingly enough, Madden
was able to find publicity in superstition. About 10 years into the
franchise’s existence talk of a Madden
curse began. While EA refused to believe in it, the curse has managed to bring
them excellent notoriety in the public among and outside of gamers. For example, in 2003,
Michael Vick had just come off one of the most electric seasons for a mobile
quarterback in the NFL, throwing for 16 touchdowns and rushing for 8 while
leading Atlanta to the playoffs. His total yardage on the ground was 777 for
the year, which was unheard of for a quarterback at that point in the NFL. He
was one of the most fun players to watch on the planet, and was recognized as
such after being named the cover athlete for Madden 2004. Shortly after the announcement, Vick broke his right
leg in a preseason game, keeping him out of football for the first 11 games and
ruining any chance of Atlanta returning to the playoffs. Furthermore, Vick
later faced charges of running a dog fighting ring and spent time in jail for
his crimes. While an extreme example, the aftermath of Vick’s career fell in
line with the “Madden curse”.
Regardless of the negative publicity, the advertising from the potential of the
curse is free. Plus, players still consider it an honor to be on the cover of Madden. In fact, in recent years ESPN
has televised the official announcement and unveiling. There’s now inherently
some intrigue as to who will be cursed and whether he can break it or if he’ll
fall victim to it like so many before.
(Michael
Vick, one of the biggest victims of the Madden
Curse. Credit: sportsnaut.com)
Where EA truly deserves credit is in its handling of the
franchise, as it seems to come up with unique ways to drum up interest for the
new games. Madden fever refers to
when employees call out sick when the game comes out to play the latest
version. Madden Nation was a TV show
that featured games of Madden with
commentary from expert players around the country. Although definitely nuanced,
in some respect Madden was one of the
first true eSports (along with games like StarCraft
and Counterstrike). Although virtual
sport are beginning to rise dramatically in popularity (ESPN even has its own
eSports section on its site), Madden was
one of the first games to break through to mainstream society. Celebrities play
Madden, athletes play Madden, there are probably young adults
today who know the name Madden for the game and not for the coach.
(One the early competitive gaming
televised programs. Credit: ign.com)
Getting back to EA though, there was one astute decision the
company made to ensure Madden would
always be the behemoth that it is today. Since its inception, Madden has faced off against a number of
competitors, from the similar style of games (the NFL 2K series, made by former EA employees) to the bombastic, over
the top games (NFL Blitz). That all
changed in 2005 when EA signed an exclusive rights agreement with the NFL,
giving EA the sole rights to teams, players, and stadiums. This agreement
effectively removed any true competition from the playing field. In fact, NFL Blitz returned in 2012, but this
time under EA who had since took over the franchise (and in my opinion turned
it into a forgettable product). In turn, it may have been a substantial factor
in the death of the Sega Dreamcast, as not only would EA not release the annual
Madden iterations on the platform,
but also removed the 2K series that had been successful previously.
Nevertheless, while the consumer loses out, the company prevailed with an
outstanding victory, and looking at possible strategic actions for the company
to take, this agreement had to be its best.
(Franchises crushed by the exclusive rights agreement.
Credit: gamefaqs.com, operationsports.com)
The question I’m left asking is if there is anything that
can be done to slow down or stop Madden.
Although I am not one of the individuals who purchases the game annually, I
certainly respect EA’s perseverance and commitment to quality. Nevertheless, I cannot help
but wonder if we’ll ever live in a world without the annual game. I asked Forbes’ writer Paul Tassi if there was
anything the franchise could do to lose its fan base and he responded, “At this
point, it doesn't seem like it. Even if they released a completely broken game,
their fan base would probably shrug and just play the previous years and wait
until next year. It's a golden goose. Unless the NFL collapses, Madden won't.”
That quote led me to ponder whether or not the NFL could truly fall off
in favorability. Looking at the NFL today and how it has become a year round
league with the draft, fantasy football, daily fantasy, gambling, Madden, and an oversupply of content, I
wonder about its sustainability. I’m not anticipating that U.S. is going to
forget about football tomorrow (I know I certainly won’t), but I do question if
the sport is reaching its peak, and if so will it start a domino effect towards
the digital media space.
Regardless of my thoughts, Madden is still a brilliantly run series. Working with the right
individuals and appealing to the appropriate consumers has gone a long way to
making the series a hit, and the exclusivity rights agreement simply cannot be
understated. The series’ commitment to quality and developing itself in the
greater football community has made it the marquee sports’ game in interactive
entertainment. It should be used as a model for any aspiring sports series in
the market today, and I look forward to seeing how it continues over time.
Taking a risk with a mascot is key to developing the brand
and reaching a large audience
Although a recurring theme, content is always king. Negativity
can be damning while positivity may create unforeseen benefits
Games leave legacies for the brand
(A game based on 7
Up’s mascot Spot. Credit: Giantbomb.com)
Licensed games have a checkered past. In the early days of
the NES, Genesis, and SNES, there were some high quality games based on
television programs or films. Specifically, a large majority of Disney games
were received favorably due to the strong products from Capcom, a trusted, high
quality developer in the industry. Capcom focused its efforts on the Disney
cartoons, such as Ducktales and Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers, most of
which were met with critical and commercial success. However, for every great
game Capcom released certain companies would churn out poorly designed,
sometimes unplayable game adaptations of popular movies or media, which would
in turn hurt the brand significantly and likely pull support for a game sequel[1].
Unfortunately as the years have gone on the quality issue has turned more and
more negative, with most licensed games maxing out at a mediocre review score.
However, film and television adaptations are not the purpose of this post.
Instead, this entry will focus on a subgenre of licensed games: Advergames
(games that advertise a brand by featuring it in the game). More specifically,
this post is all about the soda company 7 Up and its mascot, Spot, and his most
notable game, Cool Spot. While there
were other games that features the titular red spot, they were not as impactful
as Cool Spot. 7 Up took a huge risk
putting its brand into gaming systems, one that I believe paid off with the
legacy it left. It was not the greatest game ever made, but it was solid, one
with personality and fun, and it definitely provided the positive brand
awareness needed to make an impact in a soda war dominated by two key players.
(That can’t be healthy. Effective though. Credit: pintrest.com)
In the world of beverages, 7 Up stands out as a risk taker
with its marketing. In recent memory it has made more provocative ads than its
competitors (Make 7, Up Yours)[2].
Back in the 80’s and early ‘90’s, the key phrase used in the ad campaigns was
“On the Spot” while other ads referred to 7 Up as the “Uncola”, differentiating
it from competitors. The competitive positioning used was key for a market
niche player like 7 Up that needed to make an impact. In fact, certain
competitively framed advertisements targeted both Coke and Pepsi. In one
specific instance, an advertisement shows a glass filled with a brown,
carbonated beverage and then has the mascot Spot use a hose to drain the brown
color out of the glass, revealing the clear liquid as 7 Up, and calling it the “Uncola”.
If nothing else, advertising like this made 7 Up unique in an industry
overflowing with competitors.
(Very cool
[Spot]. Credit: Snescentral.com)
These aggressive marketing tactics lead to the creation of
several games featuring Spot. While Advergames existed before (Coke had a Space Invaders clone made for the Atari
where players would use a Coke bottle to shoot the letters in the word “Pepsi”),
there had never been a continuous effort like 7 Up’s Spot. Cool Spot specifically was ported to several consoles, making the
game relatively inescapable if you owned one of the platforms it was featured
on. 7 Up bet big that Cool Spot was
going to give its brand and mascot a bigger presence in the world of video
games. As a child, none of 7 Up’s advertising meant much to me until I played
the game Cool Spot. Released for
multiple consoles in 1993, the game followed 7 Up’s Spot, the red, 7 Up spot
with sunglasses, hands and feet, on his side scrolling journey to save his
fellow spots. Spot could shoot soda bubbles out of his hands to defeat enemies,
most of which were creatively designed (ex. crabs with polka dotted
underpants). The game itself was filled with lush environments, an upbeat
soundtrack (composed by noted game composer Tommy Tallarico), and challenging
platforming elements. Now there were instances of repetition and the challenge
skewed a little harder which detracted from the overall quality, but it was
still considered a critical success. So much so that it still looks like a
successful case study, and seems to be largely protected from animosity unlike
a lot of other Advergames.
(Sunglasses
make mascots cooler. Credit: coolspot.wikia.com, reddit.com)
Most importantly, Spot himself resonated with users as well
as most mascots. The amount of carefree swagger the character has makes him
easy to resonate with. From his gingerly walking motion to his sweet shades (personal
opinion - sunglasses make most characters cooler) and how his attack came from
a flicking gesture. The sound effects carried over from the commercials as
well, and fit with the character’s identity. I believe that even if Spot was
not the mascot of a company for a period of time, the solid quality of the game
would have made him a success. There is a fine line for mascots between cool
and obnoxious, and Spot was certainly on the side of cool while others who’ve
failed leaned towards obnoxious (ex. Bubsy…ugh). Nevertheless by the mid ‘90s
Spot’s time as the mascot for 7 Up was over, which tends to be the natural occurrence
with brands and specific marketing campaigns. To be fair, Spot appeared to be
universally liked, but with changing markets it’s not overly surprising to see
him fade away.
(This is how the game starts…Credit:
Destructoid.com)
More importantly though, did Cool Spot help drive traffic towards 7 Up? The answer is not simple
as sales data is limited[3].
However, within the game 7 Up paraphernalia is present everywhere: a 7 Up
bottle is Spot’s means of transportation into the first stage, the 7 Up logo is
an extra life, and little 7 Up bottles provide Spot with extra health. Not to
mention the bonus stage’s take place in a gigantic 7 Up bottle where Spot is
tasked with trying to grab all the letters that spell out the word “Uncola”.
Clearly the game is overflowing with advertisements for its product, so much so
it might seem overwhelming to gamers. Yet, it seems that players look at the
game favorably, even many years later. If you take the time to look up top Advergames,
licensed games or Cool Spot reviews you’ll find that it seems to be held in
relatively high regard.
(Looks good to me. Credit:
gamecult.umwblogs.com)
In my opinion, the main reason Cool Spot was so successful is that
when you say the game's concept out loud you naturally think it should be a
disaster – a platforming game based on a mascot of a soft drink. Consumer
Packaged Goods companies are not often present in the gaming industry and thus
the initial expectation is the game will focus on branding instead of quality. Cool Spot, while still littered with a
lot of advertisements for its product, made sure that Virgin developed a
quality product to not tarnish their brand. Cool
Spot defied the odds presented before it and left itself with a strong legacy.
Advergames still exist, but few have managed to equal or surpass the reception
of Cool Spot. Meanwhile, Spot has
since faded away. It will be interesting to see if Spot ever makes another
return. Though he did have a sequel (Spot
Goes to Hollywood) it was not nearly as successful as Cool Spot. However, with retro revivals becoming popular in today’s
media, I could definitely see a return for Spot. If 7 Up wants to invest in the
brand in the gaming media I believe players would be very intrigued. Then
again, I’m guessing the marketing team at 7 Up is much different today than the
one many years ago when Cool Spot was
released, so he may have to remain in dormancy as solely an example of what a
commitment to a solid product can truly achieve. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m
dying for a 7 Up.
[1]
LJN was a particularly poorly received game developer that destroyed the
legacies of potential game adaptations
[3] There
are no sales’ figures for the game on VGchartz.com, I’m trying to see if I can
procure some figures on sales from 7 Up and Doctor Pepper Snapple Group
