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David Darling says ‘dinosaur-like consoles are heading for extinction’
David Darling says ‘dinosaur-like consoles are heading for extinction’
David Darling, CEO of Kwalee and co-founder of Codemasters publishes blog post about the fall of console gaming and rise of free-to-play.
Leamington Spa,
Warwickshire,
United Kingdom
(sardnews.org)
04/07/2012
As a current topic on game industry lips, it is no surprise that gaming veteran, Codemasters' co-founder David Darling CBE, has released a blog post about the digital revolution and the fall of game consoles.
Darling wrote his article last night on the website of his new mobile gaming company, Kwalee, labeling games consoles as "old fashioned".
Darling writes: "Consoles have become like dinosaurs heading for extinction".
With physical media such as DVD and CDs dying out fast, it is not surprising that gaming is indeed moving to digital distribution, which Darling believes will end the console wars.
He explains, "Sony and Microsoft cannot let the retailers dictate game prices going forwards if they want to break free from the current over-priced model, their next consoles PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720 need to be digital only, or they will fail.
"Once Apple add an App Store to Apple TV they could take over the living room games industry like they have taken over the handheld games industry with iPhone with flexible pricing and no distribution costs."
Darling adds, "[Consoles] must adapt to a new environment where platforms like Steam, Facebook, Apple and Android App Stores are pushing innovation."
Darling co-founded Codemasters in 1986, focusing on high quality "budget" games for 8-bit home computers. The company released low retail price titles dominating the market in the 80s.
His experience in computer, console, and now mobile gaming, provides Darling with deep knowledge and understanding of game development. Mobile gaming is fast becoming the fastest growing sector of the gaming industry, projected to become an $18 billion industry by 2018.
Darling writes: "Angry Birds has had more than one billion downloads. A sales figure totally beyond what can be achieved by boxed games. Giants like Apple and Google are taking over as the industry is transitioning from boxed to digital games."
Mobile gaming is a demanding market, with an increase of smartphone owners. Consumers are beginning to abandon their consoles and divert their budgets from paying $50 on a boxed product, to a free or $1 games with optional in-app purchases.
Darling comments on the advantages of free-to-play games:
"Players can play more games for free and pay just for the content that they want."
Darling adds, "Digitally distributed games can reach players all around the world quickly, cutting out physical production, warehouses, distributors and retailers. Therefore, it is no longer necessary to charge people huge prices to play video games."
Arguably, Darling debates the importance of game reviews. If a game can be downloaded and played for free, will you have a need for game reviews when you can try the game yourself for free? He states to have learnt what players want, going to great lengths to produce exciting games, with a number of creative and ambitious multiplayer turn-based games under development.
"After all, digital distribution is only a delivery method. The important thing is making great games"
David Darling's new company Kwalee, based in the centre of the Silicon Spa gaming community in Leamington Spa, focuses on social multiplayer mobile games. With iOS and Android devices offering gamers with numerous features that consoles can't - such as touchscreen, cameras, GPS, accelerometers, built-in microphones etc. - like other developers, Kwalee's games would not work on the console market.
To read David Darling's full blog post, follow the link: http://kwalee.com/2012/07/03/jurassic-consoles/
Kwalee recently launched their latest iOS game, Pussy Flip, which is due to be available globally on the Apple App Store next month, unsurprisingly for free.
For more information and recent updates about Pussy Flip, visit facebook.com/flipkwalee
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Assets:
Dinosaur consoles art: http://flic.kr/p/cqjLKA
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About: Kwalee is a company based in Leamington Spa that develop and publish social multiplayer games for iPhone and other mobile devices. Founded by David Darling CBE, co-founder of Codemasters, with decades of experience at the top level of the video game industry and contributions to many #1 games on numerous platforms in his CV. Kwalee is different. We seek to excite and entertain our customers with innovative new products that provide special experiences. Our ethos is based around a set of core values that put the customer first and which harness the creative skills of our staff to the maximum in order to do so. Kwalee is always very actively looking for those special people who want to join us in our exciting journey.
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About Kwalee
David Darling, founder and CEO at Kwalee and Codemasters' co-founder, is thrilled to have an experienced artist to confidently lead the art department: "James has the skill and passion to create great art work within gaming, producing fantastic ideas. We know that he and his team will create and develop new and insightful art for our up-and-coming mobile games." David is confident that James will bring a certain 'Kwalee-ty' to Kwalee's prospective smartphone games.
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