Launching GDC Mobile this morning, Trip Hawkins launched an attack on the mediocrity, greed and short-termism that is blighting the sector. The Digital Chocolate boss and industry veteran also called for a "bigger social dimension" to mobile gaming that would help consumers who are desperate to find new ways to expand their social network.
Hawkins said that mobile games could and should be as vital to modern social existence as SMS or email. But his speech – Making Mobile Games The Ultimate Games Platform – began with a swiping attack on those he said are holding the sector back. He was particularly scathing about IP Licence holders. "The mobile games industry can't go anywhere with the fees being charged by licence holders. They take single digits for console or handheld games, but up to 50% for mobile games. It's exploitative. It means an inferior experience ends up being offered to the consumers. It's an abuse of the customer, or the carrier and of the publisher."
Dark and Light Mobile, the highly anticipated survival game by Snail Games, has released its open beta today on April 18, 2024. The beta test is available for Android and iOS devices in the United States, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
Farlight 84 will get the V2.2 update, and the test servers for the next versions are up and running. This update will bring multiple good changes and new features to the game. One such new thing is that the game is revamping the Battle Pass.
With so many games fighting for players' attention and interest losing out over time, time sink games are at risk of eventually losing steam.
It was worrisome to begin with.
It's a niche genre with only a handful of hits that can stand the test of time.
I like the sound of that!! I will for sure never support these gaas games.
Sony must be shocked at gamer's reaction, making them cancel a few of these and hopefully go back to the good heavy hitters they had us used to..
now bring on that PSPro reveal and show us some SP 1st party awesomeness.
It's pretty ridiculous.
Imagine having a breadth of data at your disposal to see the statistically low success rate of these games, only to be laser focused on the exceptional case studies.
Only a few will catch on. You need a perfect storm to be successful in GaaS and a bit of luck on top of that. But a potential cash cow will keep them trying and some will go out of business because of it.
Helldivers 2 manages just fine…
Keep production costs low… don’t just make custscenes until the mechanics and enemies are perfected first.
Make so much content that you can drip extra content for years, and the game already feels complete without them.
Most importantly: make weapons, enemies, levels, and mechanics that will stand the test of 1000 hours. This might require more devs embracing procedurally generated leveled, which I think separates Helldivers 2 from Destiny’s repetitiveness.
