top trends in online games
TRANSCRIPT
Top Trends in Online GamesJon RadoffLas Vegas, IMGDC 3.0 – April 19, 2009
GamerDNA © 2008 3
Agenda
What is changingabout players?
What is anonline game?
How areBusiness models
Evolving?
What doHarleys andgood games
have in common?
GamerDNA © 2008 4
historyquizzes
stories
GamerDNA © 2008 5
Gamer Stereotypes of the past…
GamerDNA © 2008 6
Games are not a media category.
Games are played by everyone!
GamerDNA © 2008 7
GamerDNA © 2008 8
GamerDNA © 2008 9
GamerDNA © 2008 10
OF TEENAGERSPLAY GAMES97%
GamerDNA © 2008 11
Couplesplay
games
GamerDNA © 2008 12
Familiesplay
games
GamerDNA © 2008 13
People of all ages
play games
GamerDNA © 2008 14
GamerDNA © 2008 15
GamerDNA © 2008 16
What is an online game?
GamerDNA © 2008 17
World of Warcraft
GamerDNA © 2008 18
Madden NFL 09World of Warcraft
GamerDNA © 2008 19
Guitar Hero IIIMadden NFL 09
GamerDNA © 2008 20
Web-based, easy-to-play, collectibleDuels, Warstorm, Planet Storm
Browser based Strategy GameIn April 2009, the Travian website is more popular than the World of Warcraft website (342 vs. 819 on Alexa)
Web-based and iPhone9 million daily active players in 2009
GamerDNA © 2008 21
XBLA, iPhone, Web= Capital Efficiency
• Low cost of development• Low cost of customer acquisition
• Better business models
New Online Game PlatformsFertile ground for independent developers
GamerDNA © 2008 22
Word-of-mouth as the vehicle for growthBraid as a marketing case-study
GamerDNA © 2008 23
What do Harley-Davidson cycles and a good online game have in common?
GamerDNA © 2008 24
Hint: it’s also what drives people toward sports franchises.
GamerDNA © 2008 25
Good online games are tribal
Swagdog guild shirt for World of Warcraft
GamerDNA © 2008 26
GamerDNA © 2008 27
But it isn’t just guilds – games with any social components are more
successful
GamerDNA © 2008 28
GamerDNA © 2008 29
Daily Players of Rock Band vs. GH3
Rock Band vs. Guitary Hero 3
Why did Rock Band command high daily attention levels?
Q:
GamerDNA © 2008 30
Grand Theft Auto IVDaily attention from launch day
GamerDNA © 2008 31
Call of Duty IVDaily attention from launch day
GamerDNA © 2008 32
High attention = word-of-mouth = more customers
High attention = sustainable revenue
It’s all about attentionAttention drives biz model + distribution
GamerDNA © 2008 33
Business Models that leverage attention
Virtual goods / collectible itemsFranchise sequelsContent patchesOnline competitions / skill-gamingSubscriptionsAdvertising
GamerDNA © 2008 34
Conclusions
Larger, more diverse audience than ever
Capital-efficient platforms exist to connect you with this diverse audience
People are looking for “tribes” to be a part of
Capturing and sustaining attention is the essence of good online game models
