Contrary to popular belief, the word "casual" doesn't necessarily mean "cheap" when it comes to video games. At least, that's what Ubisoft's Laurent Detoc thinks. According to him, the cost of games like the Petz and My Coach series isn't in the development, but rather in the marketing.
Speaking to the San Francisco Chronicle, Ubisoft North American president Detoc stated that casual games have been a large part of the company's recent success, due in part to the low development costs associated with the genre. Of course, he states that there's still a sizable cost involved, owing to the marketing push required to get the games noticed in the retail market. Apparently there's no such thing as a free meal, after all.
Reader Comments (24)
Posted: May 20th 2008 11:16PM (Unverified) said
Edit: Who'd a thought that would help sell games?
Reply
Posted: May 20th 2008 11:26PM (Unverified) said
Haven't heard of that one yet, though I'm sure it's in the works. Best way to recoup cost is to reproduce a product, and package it in a way to appeal to specific demographics. In this case, 10-12 year old miscreant boys.
Personally looking forward to "This Is No Life For Gerbilz", "they'll crawl up anything!".
Reply
Personally looking forward to "This Is No Life For Gerbilz", "they'll crawl up anything!".
Posted: May 20th 2008 11:28PM Snipermike said
I heard the Richard Gere level is shit (pun intended)
Reply
Posted: May 20th 2008 11:51PM (Unverified) said
Sizable costs, like the huge production values they put into the Imagine Babies cover?
http://www.brainygamer.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/10/14/babies_4.jpg
(hint: it's made up of images swiped off a stock photo website, without even bothering to pay the license and remove the freaking watermark)
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http://www.brainygamer.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/10/14/babies_4.jpg
(hint: it's made up of images swiped off a stock photo website, without even bothering to pay the license and remove the freaking watermark)
Posted: May 21st 2008 10:56AM xGeneral DEATHxDEETH82 said
Now THAT'S funny...I've been to iStockPhoto.com before for work...Jesus, at least Photoshop out the watermarks!
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Posted: May 21st 2008 11:09AM (Unverified) said
Hahaha, Stockxpert and istockphoto...fantastic job, Ubisoft. Fantastic...
@ xGeneral DEATHx:
The weird thing is the price of both stockxpert and istockphoto images. It wouldn't have cost more 30 bucks, tops, for all of the images (at 300dpi) in that collection...how unprofessional.
Reply
@ xGeneral DEATHx:
The weird thing is the price of both stockxpert and istockphoto images. It wouldn't have cost more 30 bucks, tops, for all of the images (at 300dpi) in that collection...how unprofessional.
Posted: May 20th 2008 11:56PM (Unverified) said
Hmmm, I have an idea. If the games cost so much to market, and they are utter crap aimed at people who don't know better (just like pretty much any "girl game", Bratz, Barbie, etc), and you are just not making enough money off of them, then STOP FLOODING THE MARKET WITH THEM!
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Posted: May 21st 2008 5:03PM (Unverified) said
Ummm no its not... http://encyclopedia.farlex.com/Hampster
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Posted: May 21st 2008 12:34AM Batzarro The worlds WOrst Detect said
So...
Step 1: Make cruddy game
Step 2: Market it like hell in cartoon Network during the Mr Men show.
Step 3: Moneyz
Reply
Step 1: Make cruddy game
Step 2: Market it like hell in cartoon Network during the Mr Men show.
Step 3: Moneyz
Posted: May 21st 2008 3:13AM (Unverified) said
I...don't know what the heck this is, but when I read 'As Seen On TV!', I heaved a little.
Reply
Posted: May 21st 2008 8:30AM BurntMeatloaf said
Ah, so that's why good 3rd party games keep tanking!
Geez, first people complain about soaring development costs, so they move over to the casual arena, and complain about soaring marketing costs.
Hey, guess what? Making a product is difficult and costs money. People actually have to work to earn their profit. Nobody is going to shovel money down your bottomless gullet to make dressed-up crap. Stop banking on a hot new tip or trend thinking that it will be a cash cow and put you on easy street. Focus on a well-balanced strategy.
Reply
Geez, first people complain about soaring development costs, so they move over to the casual arena, and complain about soaring marketing costs.
Hey, guess what? Making a product is difficult and costs money. People actually have to work to earn their profit. Nobody is going to shovel money down your bottomless gullet to make dressed-up crap. Stop banking on a hot new tip or trend thinking that it will be a cash cow and put you on easy street. Focus on a well-balanced strategy.
Posted: May 21st 2008 9:13AM (Unverified) said
Alas, it is the real thing. If you go into any Target store you will see an entire rack full of these things. Between the Imagine series, and the anilmalZ (Dogz, Catz, Hamsterz, etc) there are more crappy shovelware titles than you could play without putting a bullet in your skull.
what really gets me is why they all seem to look like absolute ass. If you're going to make a game that sucks, you can at least try and make it pretty.
Reply
what really gets me is why they all seem to look like absolute ass. If you're going to make a game that sucks, you can at least try and make it pretty.
Posted: May 21st 2008 5:03PM (Unverified) said
This game ruined my childhood. Why didn't my parents get me Hamsters that could knit, read or drink small cocktails?
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