BETA | NOKIA ROUNDTABLE
that anybody considering the creation of a mobile game has to move way beyond traditional playability if they are to hope to capture the imagination of an increasingly savvy public, and it’s clear there are also more complex matters to consider. “On Facebook right now pretty much most of the games are asynchronous,” points out Keeling. “In fact the big attraction is that you don’t have to worry about someone being there. So perhaps competition is not the thing to focus on. But asynchrony gives games a competitive advantage.” “I think social games should generate systems of competition, cooperation, and actions and interaction,” adds Ideaworks3D’s Jones. “There are so many player communities all over the world on consoles and PCs, and they are all separating themselves from the outside world. People there are looking at their local lists and friends list before the global rankings.” As the conversation develops, Digital Legends’ Costa is keen to discuss a broader issue, and one of utmost importance as mobile developers are forced to bear the burden of innovation more than most: “I think we need to understand that the very concept of what counts as a game is changing. We would not really consider the idea of, on Facebook, who has the most contacts as a game. I think with social gaming we need to look at something different from the traditional industry and redefine what could be the substance of a game.” “In terms of contextually aware gaming and applications, it is the next walled garden,” adds Jones. “It’s time to break down the boundaries between what is an application and what isn’t. Education of the consumer is the barrier to progress of social gaming – education about adoption, and about how to use the technology. It’s a group responsibility which involves operators, involves developers, and involves publishers.” ALL ECOSYSTEMS ARE GO Jones’ point is well taken, and suddenly talk turns to the mobile ecosystem that is the industry’s Pandora’s Box. Issues such as the problems the numerous mobile formats cause developers are well documented, but there are more specific problems related to a stable platform including workable standardised monetisation that emerge as pressing issues. “We also need to be very cautious because the technology opportunity is immense, but as Julian says, the immense effort to educate 40 | JULY 2009
the customer as to how to use these services, not just at the beginning, but to maintain it and sustain it, is a massive marketing investment, and very few companies can do that,” says Glu’s Keeling. “If at this stage a young company is looking to what the new mobile technology and category is, maybe social gaming as a stable platform on a mass market basis is most prudent.” Showing where their professional hearts are, next the gathered executives come over a little creative, and several ideas are put forward for games that may be best suited. One thing that unites all of their suggestions is an emphasis on concepts with a practical function or real-world connection. A contextually aware dating system is greeted with the most nods, and typifies the kind of game that the experts seem to be willing to put their faith into. Titles built around real world data are hardwired into the psyche of those sketching out the future of mobile games.
On Facebook most of the games are asynchronous. The big attraction is that you don’t have to worry about someone being there to play with. “I think the future will be that even data more will be digitised, such as Google Maps and Street View, and every kind of data will be made available to gaming,” reveals FishLabs’ Hehmeyer. “Of course, the handsets will move on with various upgrades. You will have a device so everywhere you are connected with everyone, and there will be the possibility to connect every kind of data and get involved with your environment, and there will be no boundaries city-wise or even country-wise.” Meanwhile, Keeling has an observation from another angle, which takes things back to the troubled mobile ecosystem: “I think a change will come when, with these kinds of games, it’s as easy to play and buy them as it is to make a phone call. Right now buying the game is a pretty horrendous experience. Next, the focus turns to the importance of established brands in the marketplace.
Everybody agrees that customers don’t talk about social networks and contextually aware games. Rather, the public refer to their Facebook accounts and MySpace profiles. Social networking brand successes are of course notoriously hard to predict, as are a number of other communication phenomena. Texting was a huge sensation without any kind of ecosystem, but the successes often outshine myriad failures, which is a point that fascinates the panel. “I think that’s true about things that get picked up, but it’s possible to stimulate it by giving information and giving interesting ideas,” suggests moderator Noyons, before asking his participants to try and concentrate on the downsides of social gaming. ”To be negative about social gaming is really hard – it’s just a great product,” admits Keegan. In general, the group agree that distribution channels do need some work before the industry can take mutual benefit from the new forms of mobile gaming, which is an issue that the iPhone model has changed forever. CHANGING THE CHANNEL Just how open distribution channels should be is certainly a contentious issue, as Hehmeyer highlights: “You will have those small applications that get there. It’s true that now, if you provide better access to the channels, you will have to compete against garage teams that can totally break a market in terms of pricing, which I would say is a threat and a strength.” The day ends with talk of the desktop computer disappearing all together, and people using their mobile in the future as much as they use their PC today. It’s an ambitious dream, but one these industry leaders take very seriously. Furthermore, it’s a process they hope will accelerate. They’ve come a long way to doing it to the landline phone, so why not the PC? “The PC should be eliminated,” concludes Hehmeyer with a smile. “When the PC is banished, everything you need will be in your pocket, and then everything you do with the PC nowadays will automatically come up in your pocket device.” If that vision becomes a reality, then mobile gaming will have done far more than salvaged its reputation. It will hold the world’s attention, and completely change the games industry as we know it. After all the furore, maybe Apple’s attempt with the iPhone is just the beginning.