playing is a core human desire - how social games change the entertainment industry
DESCRIPTION
Keynote at GDC Europe in Cologne by wooga founder Jens Begemann on August 15th 2011.* Playing is a core human desire - How social games change the entertainment industry *'Social' is not just a buzz term in the game world - it is a movement that not only reaches out to new target groups, but will also lead to a transformation of the entire entertainment industry. As computer technology becomes increasingly integrated in our everyday lives, new tech-savvy target markets have emerged, paving the way for an evolution in game design encompassing new genres and wider tastes. In his keynote, Jens Begemann will talk about the success of Social Gaming beyond the game development landscape, and how it is shaping our perceptions about social games, interaction, and human communication.Jens Begemann shared his ideas and thoughts about the future of social games, and discussed how social interactions in games will deepen and evolve to synchronize with real-time social interaction, therefore becoming communication. He covered how to best bridge the gap between games and social reality by creating games that are fully integrated into the everyday life of everyday people in a fun and meaningful way. On the business side, he also focussed on Monetization, addressing how the free-to-play business model will change as social games become one of the biggest entertainment services by time spend. Begemann will also give personal insights about building wooga, a top three social gaming company, in less than two years.TRANSCRIPT
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Playing is a core human desire -‐How social games change the entertainment industry-‐
Jens Begeman (Founder & CEO)
wooga – world of gaming
2
Key stats
5 games on Facebook, 34 million acAve users
2nd biggest social game developer worldwide
Only 5% of users from adverAsing
70% of users are female (age 20-‐60)
About wooga
Founded January 2009
Funding of $32m (Balderton Capital, Holtzbrinck Ventures, Highland Capital Partners & Tenaya Capital)
InternaAonal team of 100 from over 20 countries in Berlin
Jens Begemann -‐Founder & CEO-‐
3
Vision:
„Games for everyone“
Agenda
4
I. Playing is a core human desire
5
Typical cliché gamers
6
We start playing as kids
7
And conAnue playing our whole life
8
But computer games are quite male
9
and young (or do you believe this is real?)
10
They don’t play computer games
11
She doesn’t play tradiAonal games
Flow Concept
12
Difficulty
Time/ Skill
Too hard
Too easy
Flow = „opKmal human experience“
Source: Murphy, C.
How to achieve flow (in a game)?
13 Source: Murphy, C.
Clear tasks 1
Immediate Feedback 2
Balanced, aRainable goal 3
ConcentraKon on the game 4
14
To achieve flow is a challenge for all computer games
Some of the best selling games of past years
15
PC
Console
§ Starcrab: 11 m shipped § Half-‐Life: 9.3 m shipped § World of Warcrab: 12 m subscribers
§ Grand Theb Auto IV: 36.2 m § Call of Duty Black Ops: 23.2 m § Halo 3 (Xbox): 11.3 m
Source: http://www.vgchartz.com
Flow Concept
16
Difficulty
Time/ Skill
Too hard
Too easy
Source: Murphy, C.
E.g. Halo controller layout is not for beginners
18
Flow Concept
19
Flow Concept Difficulty
Time/ Skill
Too hard
Too easy
Source: Murphy, C.
20
Agenda
I. Playing is a core human desire
II. EvoluAon of computer games
Pong
21
Atari 2600 – Space Invaders
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Home computers
23
PlaystaAon 1 – GTA
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PlaystaAon 2 – GTA3
25
PlaystaAon 3 – GTA IV
26
Massive MulAplayer – World of Warcrab
27
Why isn‘t she playing?
28
Wants to play with friends § Playing rather alone § Playing with strangers
1
Entry barriers § Investment of ca. 300 € § IniAal set-‐up and installaAon
2
Does not have the Kme § Learn modern games: 50 h § +10 h per week
3
Playing everywhere? § Usually bound to home
4
29
Agenda
I. Playing is a core human desire
II. EvoluAon of computer games
III. Social Games
1. Social – Playing with friends
30
Social games connect real friends on social networks
2. No entry barriers
31
No installaKon necessary
&
Free to play
3. Quick – „I only have a 10 min break“
32
Appointment Gaming
3 min 4 hours
23 hours 70 hours
3 min to understand the game
Short core game loop
4. Place – ConAnue playing anywhere, anyAme
33
34
It seems easy to create a successful social game
35
5m MAU
But only 25 really big games currently on Facebook
Source: Appdata.com, Top Games by MAU, Aug 14 2011
How to achieve flow (in a game)?
36 Source: Murphy, C.
Clear tasks 1
Immediate Feedback 2
Balanced, aRainable goal 3
ConcentraKon on the game 4
Clear tasks Immediate feedback
Balanced, aRainable goal ConcentraKon
Achieving flow in Monster World 1 2
3 4
Flow Concept
38
Difficulty
Time/ Skill
Too hard
Too easy
Source: Murphy, C.
Future: more in-‐depth gameplay
?
39
Vision:
„Games for everyone“
2,00
2,50
3,00
1 2 3 4 5 6
Hours spend on leisure/day in US
40
0,00
0,25
0,50
0,75
1,00
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Social Gaming enables widespread
use of games
TV
Socializing
Other leisure
Reading Computer
Sports Relaxing
Casual websites 23%
Social networks
16%
Mobile devices 12%
MMO games 12%
Console games 19%
PC/Mac boxed 9%
PC/Mac download
9%
Time spent on games in hours/day in the US
41
215,000,000 hours per day
Games for everyone
51%
Source: Newzoo 2011
0
5
10
15
20
25
2009 2010 2011 2012
Social networks
Casual websites
Mobile devices
MMO games
Console games
PC/Mac boxed
PC/Mac download
2.5
1.8
8.0
2.6
2.8
1.8
2.1
Money spent on games in bn $ in the US
42 Source: Newzoo 2011
2011 esKmate: $ 21.6bn
43
I. Playing is a core human desire
II. EvoluAon of computer games
III. Social Games
IV. MoneAzaAon
Agenda
44
How do we make money in Monster World?
45
DecoraKons Expansions Instant Build
Materials Coins Magic Wands Fuel
Customize avatar
Coins Materials
Expansions Customize avatar DecoraKon Items 2.3% 2.8%
10.5% 9.6%
0.3%
Instant Build 6.3%
Magic Wands
47
33%
Magic „woogoo“ (limited resource)
48
35%
49
I. Playing is a core human desire
II. EvoluAon of computer games
III. Social Games
IV. MoneAzaAon
V. Development of social interacAons
Agenda
Give and take: Acts of friendship reinforce relaAonships
50
Pay friends a visit and help
51
CompeAAon: Challenges encourage players
52
„StammAsch“
53
Using the game as a cause to communicate
Social games are parallel play
54 Source: Aki Järvinen (Digital Chocolate)
55
This is fine
Asynchronous play
56
§ Short game sessions
§ Playing with Friends more important than playing synchronously
57
MMOG
Source: Aki Järvinen (Digital Chocolate)
58
MMOG MPPG
Source: Aki Järvinen (Digital Chocolate)
Massive Parallel Play Games
59
Intensifying social interacKons
Helping represented by friend ghost
60
Real-‐Ame presence: Bringing friends together
61
Possible synchronous game features
62
Will chat be standard?
Mobile = More frequent interacAons
63
64
I. Playing is a core human desire
II. EvoluAon of computer games
III. Social Games
IV. MoneAzaAon
V. Development of social interacAons
Agenda
65
I. Playing is a core human desire
II. EvoluAon of computer games
III. Social Games
IV. MoneAzaAon
V. Development of social interacAons
VI. One more thing
Agenda
Flow Concept
66
Difficulty
Time/ Skill
Too hard
Too easy
Next level Social Games
Source: Murphy, C.
67
New game
launching now
68
69
70
71
Demo Video
72
73
Henric Suuronen -‐Head of Studio-‐
74
Killer Game Loops in Social Games
3:20pm Rheinsaal (1st floor)
75
Join the wooga team
wooga.com/jobs
76 wooga.com/jobs
77
I. Playing is a core human desire
II. EvoluAon of computer games
III. Social Games
IV. MoneAzaAon
V. Development of social interacAons
VI. Magic Land
Agenda
II. EvoluKon of games I. Core human desire III. Social games
VI. Magic Land V. Social interacKons IV. MoneKzaKon
Flow
Broad audience
Why isn‘t she playing?
Social Easy
Quick Not bound
Consumables for progress Massive Parallel Play Games
79
Thank you!
Jens Begemann Founder & CEO wooga
TwiRer: @begemann
wooga.com/jobs GDC booth: #159