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London Calling Article
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Rob Fahey
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This year's events programme isn't a bad start, but even more ambition is required. Video Games Live is a perfect example of what should be going on during a games festival, but these ideas could go so much further. London's museums, art galleries and performance spaces are ripe with opportunity as showcases for videogame arts and culture. Street art installations could drive interest and inspire people to find out more about the events. Contests and competitions could involve consumers rather than just asking them to spectate. For one week, London itself could become a canvas for the craft of videogames.
Moreover, it's absolutely vital that the industry breaks this bad habit of talking to itself, and starts seriously working on talking to the rest of the world instead. We no longer want for people who can talk passionately and intelligently about interactive entertainment - and any publishing exec who still thinks his developers are mole people who shouldn't be allowed out to address the public needs to quickly check which decade he's living in.
Public lectures, talks and presentation from game creators would be well-received and well-attended - especially if supported by a week of cultural events and media coverage. And of course, each of these events would be a sponsorship opportunity, a chance to put new and upcoming games in front of huge numbers of consumers - many of whom are exactly the people that existing sampling strategies utterly fail to reach.
The London Games Festival, at this moment in the development of the industry, represents a golden opportunity on several levels. Culturally, the business has a chance to establish itself as one of Britain's leading creative industries, and as a cutting-edge medium rather than a maligned range of overgrown kids' toys. Commercially, brand new marketing and communication strategies are simply waiting for sufficiently intelligent and innovative companies to come along and exploit them.
It will require a little bravery. Talking about design and creativity in front of consumers involves embracing a degree of openness which few games companies are comfortable with at the moment. Moreover, a successful games festival would need to leverage the uniqueness of interactive entertainment - and letting go of the coat-tails of the film industry, standing on its own feet and declaring pride in its own accomplishments isn't something the videogames business is very good at presently.
Yet these, too, are essential steps as the industry matures and takes its rightful place among the other creative media. Perhaps they won't be taken in London - but as the buzz around this year's events confirms, a real opportunity exists. With a little vision and a little courage, the London Games Festival could grow into a genuine turning point for the perception of this industry - and make a significant contribution to its commercial success into the bargain.
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Comments: 1-23 of 23 in total
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TheNinkyNonk
26/10/08 @ 10:08
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OK, I get the sentiments of the article, but does the games industry really need to speak to it's clients? After all, we do a lot of voting with our wallets don't we? Surely that's all the market research they need?
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coojam: Everyone knows there are people that can't make it to London - but we have to choose somewhere. A big event up north or in Scotland is needed and could be excellent. But that doesn't mean that London is a bad choice as many millions do live there or within an hour of the city, the press are mainly based there and the London Development Agency are helping make the LGF happening by providing funding/support (as the Nottingham council(?) do for GameCity). Wherever an event is held, some people won't be able to make it... but given the biggest show in Europe is in Leipzig - inconvenient for everyone, I'm not sure London is such a bad choice.
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Thing is, this situation will not change any time soon. A lot of developers love meeting amongst themselves for (I presume) it gives them the feeling of self-importance 'ooh I'm a game dev, here is my thoery on the next big thing'. There is an equally large percentage of developers who steer clear of all this internal discussion (one of the worst groups seems to be the IGDA, at least in London... people talk about it as if it's some kind of upper class members group. Christ ;) It is cringe-worthy.
You get a lot of people with little to no experience going along and presenting at these things - been to a couple, know of countless more. Back slapping for outsiders IMO. I'm all for meeting the 'customer' even though I think the devs should be asking those around themselves 'would you play this game?' before opening up the door to the community. We still make games for publishers and upper management and lets face it, they often neither play games, care about games or have an out-dated view on what a game should be. Nobody wakes up wanting to be a publisher at Ubisoft (for example), people into games dream of designing the next thing, coding for the NextBox or producing amazing character art. If most people making the game, and their friends outside, say they wouldnt want to play GAME A, why do those in power push development for a customer they have created data on, but cannot meet face to face? Make it and they will come etc etc ;) Making stuff for the publisher is relatively safe, but make it for yourself and those around you and I'd wager there is more chance of it being something special. The top developers get this opportunity. On the counter, there are not enough good devs (same for any industry) for everyone to work this way.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 26/10/08 @ 12:34
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@ Rauper:
I appreciate I was probably a bit blunt with my previous statement and yes, to be honest London is about as ideal a choice gets for the UK because of the sheer number of people who can make it. However, the article focuses on the exclusivity of current events and events based in London are exclusive to outsiders, particularly the games industry where a vast majority of the industry is located outside the capital, unlike the press and the media. That said, we're talking about appeal to non-industry types and London would provide a reasonable demographic. To be honest, it's mainly because I'm a little embittered at living pretty much bang smack in the centre of the country with Birmingham's NEC just down the road which you can actually *drive* to and was quoted £120 for a peak-time train ticket to get to the capital for the Games Festival next week. Such is life. |
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Publishers and most other companies in the games industry lie to consumers constantly, and it's often their first response. They apply pressure so there is no free press to report on gaming (e.g. "If you grass us up for this, you'll never see another exclusive from us."), they have no sense of humour at all and everything must have a positive spin, and they will never let anyone besmirch any of their holy products (remember the "Uncharted is like porn" thing on this very site? I think it was Uncharted. EG make a joke and have to retract it because a bunch of po-faced cunts fear the value of their stock might drop a penny).
They don't want to communicate with us, they want us to be sedate mongs who just buy whatever we're told/is advertised. Cunts, the lot of them. Bring back hanging, etc. Devs, on the other hand, are the salt of the fuckin earf, guv'nor, cor blimey yes. Gents, the lorrofem. |
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But the main thrust of the story is right though – As a consumer I can go to any number of shows; motor, yachting, electronic, house and home, food, etc. In fact the high street caters well if you want to try before you buy – but gaming is still hidden away, accept for over crowed gaming pods only found in the larger dvd/music shops.
When was the last time you went to a gaming show? – I’ve been playing video games regularly for the past 8/9 years and never once been to a show – those I know about I come across through sites like EG. I don’t need to visit What Car dot com to know about the next Motor Show… |
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schachmatt
26/10/08 @ 15:28
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Talk to the crowd and we'll get even more streamlined games.
And yes, I mean that in the worst possible way immaginable. |
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JohnnyWashnGo
26/10/08 @ 20:15
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Games exhibitions are a load of old crap. They are there for the sole purpopse of masterbating the egos of games journos who are made to feel special about seeing a new game or concept before the great unwashed gets to clap eyes on it.
Sure, if your ego needs that kind of massage then get along to a games show. You wont be seeing me there anytime soon. I cannot imagine anything worse then hundreds of marketing idiots all clammering for your attention, trying to sell you on the next big FPS pile of crap. Actually I can, having to conversate with games developers who seem to possess the god given gift of boring the crap out of you. And, hey, lets not forget than if you are not a fellow dev, you are considered so far below them that being spoken to by one of them is be treated as an honour. If you wanna sell video games to people, do it in a way that is inclusive and open. Shows are not the way. They are usual in some place that is too far or expensive to travel to (read: London) and my god the people that attend scare the crap out of you (at least I assume so from looking at photos of past events). |
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I find games exhibitions quite fun and an excellent way to promote new games. Certainly beats the current favored method of promotion, constant flow of useless new info and articles trying to keep interest up because of the LONG hype build up to the point you can't bring yourself to part money! ;)
I've only been to a couple of events, but from the small 360 launch in London to huge old Playstation Experience at Earls Court, I always had a wicked time checking out the new games it's always a good day, and more importantly some pubs/devs (not everyone!) always convinces a purchase when I can actually play something - demos work 10,000,000 times better than an army of PR twats waffling on endlessly. Looking forward to tomorrow and the EG event and I say more please! |
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"Talk to the crowd and we'll get even more streamlined games.
And yes, I mean that in the worst possible way immaginable. " This. It is my firm belief that, sadly, most of us members of the public dont really have great imaginations or creativity. Ask us what game we'd like to play next and we'll say "ooh, something like Bioshock only....", so what you'd end up with is a parade of identikit games all made to appeal to the Need For Speed/Medal of Honour buying masses - just the sort of thing EA gets lambasted for (there is a reason they are so sucessful y'know). I say ignore the public as much as you can. Get your head down and create the games you want to make. What I want is to be supprised by originality and passion, not designed-by-committee drivel. |
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You know what; fuck these pompous so-called trade and consumer events. Most of the time it’s just an excuses for EA and other large company’s to brain wash their target audience and beyond. If the games industry wants to be in touch with its users a little more then how about role models (NOT JUST SOME FUCKING CEO’s) enter communities and inspire the young who no doubt play video games for a future in the industry from a perspective of education. With that dialogue on the table the companies can learn from their audience visa versa.
Or is it just the state of affairs that companies target games to audiences so spread out that they don’t see a need to maybe concentrate on a niche for research sake, which is typical corporate attitude and one that this government has fuelled and benefited from – for the government to not support the games industry is just like pissing on all our heads and telling us its raining. |
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*puts on cloth cap and slippers, reaches for pipe*
What it all needs is a re-emergence of something like the Personal Computer World affairs at Olympia - massive, open-to-the-public expos packed to the rafters with tons of playable games, shedloads of booth crumpet, hordes of rabid gamers, marketing tat, posters and gods-knows what else given away by the skipload. Ah, when I were a lad... *rambles on wistfully* |
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Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups...if games companies listened to the general public we'll all be playing crap Wii Sports games until 2047.
Also Manchester is a far better place than London for hosting something like this, as people actually like visiting Manchester and can stay overnight without having to re-mortgage their homes. |
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Like a different country? Blimey. Only because people create this fiction does it continue. London is the capital of a small island, a load of developers are also based here as well as a load of technology companies and investment houses. Saying that, I'd love to see more (some?) shows and developers springing up in and around Liverpool and Manchester. Especially the former.
Anyway... "Talk to the crowd and we'll get even more streamlined games. And yes, I mean that in the worst possible way immaginable. " Well yes, if you just say to a group of consumers 'What do you want?' Stands to reason you should be a little more intelligent and ask specific questions as well as hold an anything goes conversation about games and what people would want to see made. I remember once having to come up with a game aimed at school kids Junior/Senior and three concepts were on the cards. I really wanted to make GameA but the publisher, and indeed heads of studio at the dev thought it too original (in the 'ooh is not a platformer danger, danger' sense) they were rooting for GameB, a running through cities collecting pickups and jumping hazards kinda game, and some drivel we'll call GameC. Took the concepts along to some schools, all the kids overwhelmingly went for GameA (females and males) after seeing story boards of all three and hearing what the games were about. Public input +1 You dont turn up at the school and ask what game they want. You'll get Spider-man mixed with Forza and a little bit of Gears. If anything, more contact with the consumer makes perfect sense. Developers are often saying 'we want to make this, we want to play it and we think other people will as well' only for the publisher to turn round and say 'no, we think people want X' just ask them! ;) Takes pills.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 27/10/08 @ 13:45
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Comments: 1-23 of 23 in total
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