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Jolt创始人称MMO游戏在苹果iOS平台发展潜力巨大

发布时间:2011-03-23 14:27:41 Tags:,,,

当iPad 1、iPad 2以及iPhone手机成为强大的游戏设备时,大型多人游戏(MMO)也因此显示出巨大的发展潜力,这就是Jolt和Demonware的创始人狄伦·科林斯(Dylan Collins)的看法。

call_of_duty_black_ops_multiplayer

call_of_duty_black_ops_multiplayer

科林斯在2006年以1500万美元价格,将Demonware出售给美国动视,之后成立的Jolt Online也被世界娱乐零售巨头GameStop所收购。科林斯认为,他的第一家公司所开拓的MMO游戏发展空间十分巨大,Jolt最近为休·海纳夫的《花花公子》推出了Facebook同名游戏。

科林斯表示,苹果平台为手机游戏创造了极大的发展空间,这个市场充满无限机遇。他引用尼尔森2010年的调查数据指出,65%的iPad用户是男性,63%的iPad用户年龄在35岁以下,这类用户对iPad的主要用途是获取娱乐内容,“在我个人看来,不同用户对iPad的用途也有所区别。35岁以下的年轻用户将其视为游戏设备,而35岁以上的年长用户把它作为一项工具,娱乐只是第二功能。”

在他的博客中,科林斯发布了他自己过去十年的平均游戏时间,以及每月游戏开销的曲线图。

collins's graphic

collins's graphic

他表示对大多数人来说,大家现在的闲暇时间都在减少,很少人有空玩《使命召唤:黑色行动》或者《国土防线》等大制作的游戏。

但这些用户仍然愿意玩游戏,并为其付费,所以iPhone和iPad游戏就成了这类时间紧缩用户的最佳选择,更何况它们不是免费就是几乎免费的游戏。

除此之外,苹果iOS生态系统也为开发者提供了一个理想的销售平台,并推出了可行的计费服务,解决了游戏开发商的后顾之忧。

科林斯预言,在未来数月,iPad和iPhone平台将出现数款MMO游戏。

游戏邦获悉,Gameloft已宣布将面向iOS平台推出《chao & Order Online》这款风格类似于《魔兽世界》的MMO游戏,Zarsksoft也正针对iPad平台开发一款策略类MMO游戏《Empire of the Eclipse》,Spacetime Studios也创建了自称是世界上最大的MMO游戏《Pocket Legends》。

科林斯补充表示道,“在GDC大会上,我在各个会场中都在问同一个问题‘有谁在开发iPad版的MMO游戏?’但得到的回应各不相同,有的是茫然的眼神,有的是会意的微笑。无论大家的表情如何,这种情况还是让我大为意外。我认为第一家向iPad平台开发休闲MMO游戏的公司,定能获得巨大的发展空间。”(本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译,转载请注明来源:游戏邦)

MMO games to be massive on iOS, Jolt CEO says

While the iPad 1 and iPad 2 and the various iPhone devices have proven themselves as fantastic gaming devices, the unexplored potential of massively multiplayer online (MMO) games could yield massive rewards, the founder of Jolt and Demonware Dylan Collins believes.

Collins, who sold Demonware to Activision in 2006 for US$15m and later set up Jolt Online, which was acquired by global retail giant GameStop for an undisclosed sum, says the first company that cracks the casual MMO space is going to be huge. Jolt recently launched the first Playboy game on Facebook for Hugh Hefner’s Playboy empire.

“As crazy as it sounds, there’s an opportunity (with the right audience) to create what what used to be called a ‘platform-seller’. Not that Apple needs it obviously, but I think the market opportunity really is that big,” said Collins, who returned from the recent Games Development Conference (GDC).

In terms of demographics, Collins pointed to Nielsen’s 2010 study, which showed that 65pc of iPad owners are male and 63pc are under the age of 35. Entertainment is the main driver for this demographic.

Why MMO will be massive on iOS devices

“From my own observations (and confirmed anecdotally), usage is bifurcating. The younger people (under 35s) are using it as a gaming device whereas the older people (over 35s) are using it much more as a tool, with entertainment being a secondary aspect.

In his blog, Collins pointed to a graph (see below) showing his average gaming time over the last decade versus his monthly spend on games.

He said that for a lot of people, available time is decreasing which means many don’t have the time to play big-budget games like Call of Duty: Black Ops or Homefront.

Yet they still want games and are willing to pay for them. iPhone and iPad games cater perfectly for people with time constraints and yet cost nothing, or next to nothing.

In addition, Apple’s iOS ecosystem provides developers with a ready-made distribution platform and billing options which are usually the reasons that prevent game developers from attacking the marketplace.

Collins predicts there will be several MMO games entering the iPad/iPhone ecosystem in the coming months.

Already Gameloft has revealed plans to bring Chaos & Order Online, a MMO competitor to World of Warcraft, to the iOS ecosystem, Zarsksoft are developing a strategy MMO called Empire of the Eclipse for the iPad and Spacetime Studios have created what is believed to be the world’s largest MMO in Pocket Legends.

“At GDC the other week, I consistently asked one question in every meeting, regardless of audience: ‘Who is working on an iPad MMO?’ The responses varied from blank looks of incomprehension to knowing smiles. However, regardless of the facial reactions, I was surprised by the lack of concrete information floating around.

“I think the first company which cracks the casual MMO space on the iPad is going to be huge,” Collins predicted.(source:siliconrepublic)


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