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Happy New Year? As the year draws to a close, some of the UK’s top publishing bosses tell us about their biggest ‘hopes and challenges’ for the video games industry in 2009…
Matt Carroll,
Country Director, Disney Interactive Studios
Andrew Brown,
UK MD, Activision
Martin DeFries,
MD & COO, Rising Star Games
Rod Cousens,
CEO, Codemasters
Mike Hayes, European CEO, Sega
What is your biggest hope for the games industry in 2009?
What do you think will be the trade’s biggest challenge?
“That we ‘game’ our way out of the recession and we continue to bring happiness and smiles to a world in need of good times. And for the early part of the year, that ELSPA wins their proposal for The Byron Review to keep ratings with PEGI.”
“Overcoming temptation for short term results in the face of longer lasting business development to maximise value for the industry as a whole.”
“That in-home entertainment (and of course video games) prove to be resistent to the economic down turn. As long as demand continues to grow, the market will eventually adjust to the bad news of retail closures.”
“Retail to maintain the right balance between share ambitions and their percentage margin. Keeping the category attractive for investment means maintaining an attractive value chain. The pressure will also be on publishers who have potentially grown their ranges ahead of the market growth and need to ensure that they react in the right way to maintain value on the platforms.”
“That the clutter of 'me too' products vanishes and makes way for some great original DS and Wii products – ours!”
“Trading our way out of a consumer perception that games can be bought only as part of a ‘deal’ or a ‘chart’. Bah humbug!!”
“The hope would be for continued high growth on all formats, supported by a business model which provides for success levels to enable innovation, thereby continuing to attract consumers interest and expanding the reach. Within this, developers, retailers and publishers establish a framework to co-exist and further build the industry. It can be done – if they work together! Another hope is the escalation of emerging markets.”
“High on the list for most companies will be credit risk management and being cash generative in these times. That aside, it could well be the evolving integration of box and online content from which all constituent parts can benefit. And to look at development budgets that reflect market realities.”
“Well, naturally that we all continue to grow and prosper. However it is noticeable in 2008 that separate to the financial turmoil there has been a remarkable ‘over-supply’ of quality titles on all platforms. Many have not performed as strongly as perhaps anticipated. This has, in part, led to some significant price discounting in the UK, so happy days for the consumer. But whether we, as an industry, can thrive with high development costs at one end, and deep discounting at the other has to be cause for consideration. If we can manage the equilibrium of these two forces successfully next year then 2009 will be a successful one for all concerned.”
“Trying to put genuine value back into the business for the sake of theirs and our bottom lines.”