free to play is not free to build (2012)
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Free to Play is not Free to Build
Mark DeLoura – Game Technology ConsultantApril 6, 2012 – Videogame Economics Forum, Angoulême, France
Hello
Mark DeLoura Videogame Economics Forum, April 2012
My background:
Free to play games
Mark DeLoura Videogame Economics Forum, April 2012
Social, mobile, MMO, Free-to-play console
Free to play: Core
Mark DeLoura Videogame Economics Forum, April 2012
COST OUTLINE
Mark DeLoura Videogame Economics Forum, April 2012
Core game staffing
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 -
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
QAAudioProductionDesignEngineeringArt
Mark DeLoura Videogame Economics Forum, April 2012
• Calibrate against AAA
• Roughly 1/3 engineering, 1/3 art, 1/3 other
• Initial small pre-production team
• Grows to maximum size during production
• Tails off at end of project
Core game staffing
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 -
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
QAAudioProductionDesignEngineeringArt
Mark DeLoura Videogame Economics Forum, April 2012
• Lack of initial tech (internal engine or external middleware) requires more engineering staff at beginning of project
Core game staffing
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 -
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
QAAudioProductionDesignEngineeringArt
Mark DeLoura Videogame Economics Forum, April 2012
• For DLC, typically consider approximately 1/3 of maximum staff size
Core F2P differences
Smaller scope Reduced art and design requirements
Rapid launch Move quickly to production with
minimally viable product
Ongoing iteration DLC plan is replaced with ongoing live
updatesMark DeLoura Videogame Economics Forum, April 2012
Game as a service: Technology
Vast amount of technology required Scalable server infrastructure E-Commerce system for virtual goods Analytics Launcher/Patcher CRM, Account system Community management Customer service
Mark DeLoura Videogame Economics Forum, April 2012
Popular F2P technologies Game framework
Adobe Flash: 58% social Unity: 53% mobile
Social network Facebook: 72% mobile
Service technology Scalable server infrastructure
▪ Amazon Web Services: 55% E-Commerce system for virtual goods
▪ Facebook, Apple for front-end▪ Back-end?
Analytics▪ Kontagent 25% social▪ Flurry 29% mobile
Mark DeLoura Videogame Economics Forum, April 2012
Revenue curves
Core games spike on day one
Core F2P games require care and feeding
Mark DeLoura Videogame Economics Forum, April 2012
COST PRESSURES
Mark DeLoura Videogame Economics Forum, April 2012
Cost growth: Social
Mark DeLoura Videogame Economics Forum, April 2012
Increasing fidelity, team size and project length…
Cost growth: Mobile
Mark DeLoura Videogame Economics Forum, April 2012
Increasing fidelity, team size and project length – device tech improving
Cost growth: MMO
Mark DeLoura Videogame Economics Forum, April 2012
Increasing fidelity, team size and project length…
Cost growth: Core
PlayStation generation: $2M - $6M PlayStation 2 generation: $5M - $12M PlayStation 3 generation: $10M - $25M
Pressure to reduce game development costMark DeLoura Videogame Economics Forum, April 2012
Cost reduction strategies: Core
Aggregated distribution and marketing
Shared technologies
Outsourced art
Aggregated development
Mark DeLoura Videogame Economics Forum, April 2012
Cost reduction strategies: F2P
The rise of publishers/distributors
Use of open source and services
Other levers: Technology level Game depth Minimum viable product
Mark DeLoura Videogame Economics Forum, April 2012
Cost-related opportunities Cooperation: Rise of publishers/distributors
who can provide services For example, Kerosene Games
Reuse: Rise of middleware and re-use categories Unity, Amazon Web Services, Raveld
Alternate funding: Funding for content, not platform
Mark DeLoura Videogame Economics Forum, April 2012
Where are we heading?
“Convergence”, to a server-based experience
Game ships as a universe, with each platform accessing it differently
Varying fidelity and gameplay
Each device is a portholeMark DeLoura Videogame Economics Forum, April 2012
Thanks!
Contact Mark DeLoura mdeloura@satori.org @markdeloura
Mark DeLoura Videogame Economics Forum, April 2012
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