游戏邦在:
杂志专栏:
gamerboom.com订阅到鲜果订阅到抓虾google reader订阅到有道订阅到QQ邮箱订阅到帮看

各开发商对于向Windows Phone 8开发游戏的态度

发布时间:2012-11-06 09:37:05 Tags:,,,,

作者:Dean Takahashi

微软承诺将会有更多出色的游戏出现在Windows Phone 8智能手机上,并且他们也期待该平台能够拥有更多具有华丽3D图像(游戏邦注:以前只能在PC或平板电脑上才能看到)的游戏。尽管该软件巨头宣称能够将同样的触屏游戏移植到智能手机上,但是对于众开发商来说,平板电脑和PC仍然具有很大的吸引力,所以游戏开发者对于是否面向Windows Phone 8发行游戏仍然保持着谨慎的态度。

Windows Phone 8(from leiphone)

Windows Phone 8(from leiphone)

开发者非常支持作为PC操作系统的Windows 8,但却不是很待见微软新的Windows Phone 8软件,因为他们已经投入了巨大的成本于手机生态系统中,并已经吸引了无数的个体用户。他们担心如果支持微软的新软件将不可能获得与谷歌的Android和苹果的iOS一样广泛的覆盖率。我们收集了许多游戏产业高管对于Windows Phone 8的反应。

Starlight Runner Entertainment的首席执行官Jeff Gomez说道:“虽然微软宣称从PC将游戏移植到Windows 8手机平台上非常简单,但是因为PC游戏正在逐渐衰退,所以这不可能成为推动我们开发的主要驱动力。我更感兴趣的是微软是否打算将Xbox Live和Xbox游戏体验带向Windows 8手机平台上。手机的主要特点便是连接性和亲密性,所以我认为微软必须尽可能确保玩家能够轻松地进入Xbox社区。”

如今,诺基亚,华为,三星以及HTC都在制作Windows Phone 8设备。但是其中存在的一大缺陷则是,去年购买了Windows Phone 7设备的用户将不能将他们设备升级到Windows Phone 8。Windows Phone 8将支持具有更大屏幕以及多核处理器的设备。这些手机还将使用近场通讯或者近距离无线技术。

PlayFirst的首席执行官Marco DeMiroz表示他仍会将关注点放在iOS和Android上。

“坦白说,我们并未将Windows Phone 8列入近期的发展计划中。对于我们来说用户基础才是最重要的,而关于用户对该平台的接纳度我们并没有任何保证。除此之外,与iOS和Android的飞速增长相比,WP8仍然落后另一大截。不过不管怎样我们仍会继续观察着该平台的发展以及接纳度。”

Heyzap的联合创始人Jude Gomila以及Mobilityware的John Libby均表示Windows Phone 8存在着巨大的机遇。Libby声称:“作为一家小型iOS和Android手机开发商,我们对于Windows 8并不抱多大的期望。而对于Windows Phone 8,我们也未拥有足够的资源(如开发者等)去打开第三个发展前沿,除非该平台变得更具牵引力。所以目前我们仍然处在观察阶段,并期望微软能够有效地推动该平台取得最大发展。”

Gas Powered Games的资深开发者Chris Taylor表示,如果新的Windows Store能够影响玩家购买应用的方式,它便会成为一大创新变革力量。

另一方面,微软当下应该继续推动着智能手机和平板电脑的发展(这是他们的软肋)。Crossover Technologies的总裁兼资深游戏顾问Eric Goldberg说道:“Windows Phone 8将会是打破当前手机游戏垄断局面的最后希望。对于那些抱怨着当前手机游戏领域被苹果的生态系统所把控着,或者不满Android生态系统的低收益的开发商和发行商来说,Windows 8便会成为他们的优先选择。微软已经在用户支付软件上证明了自己的实力,并且当早前处于落后的市场位置时,并且纵观过去它也一直是开发商们最友好的选择。”

Gearbox Software的总裁Randy Pitchford说道:“Windows Phone 8将会是我的第一款Windows手机。我深受这一平台的吸引,因为当我选择了这一平台后我的Xbox Live Gamerscore似乎提高了不少,并且我也深受推动希望能为该平台创造游戏。我希望随着安装率的不断提高,我们的游戏也能从中取得更好的成绩。”

Gree游戏工作室的高级副总裁Ken Chiu说道:“我们一直热衷于学习并使用新硬件和新技术。而我们也确实看到了Windows Phone所存在的巨大潜力——特别是它具有能够改变玩家游戏方式的独特技术。”

本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译,拒绝任何不保留版权的转载,如需转载请联系:游戏邦

Developers wary about investing in Windows Phone 8 games

By Dean Takahashi

Microsoft promised that awesome games will run on Windows Phone 8 smartphones, and it will be interesting to see more and more titles with eye-popping 3D graphics that you normally see only on PCs or tablets. But while the software giant’s approach of getting the same touchscreen-based releases on smartphones, tablets, and PCs is an attractive idea, game developers are wary.

Developers are embracing Windows 8 as an operating system for the PC. But they are not as excited about Microsoft’s new Windows Phone 8 software because they have already made huge investments in mobile ecosystems that reach hundreds of millions of individuals. They are particularly wary about spreading themselves thin by supporting Microsoft’s new software in addition to Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS. We caught a sampling of reactions to Windows Phone 8, which will be formally unveiled on Monday, from various game-industry executives.

“Microsoft claims it will be easy to port PC games to the Windows 8 mobile platform, but my thought is that PC gaming is an ardent but dwindling culture, so this is not a major incentive to develop for or purchase one of these phones,” said Jeff Gomez, chief executive of Starlight Runner Entertainment. “Far more interesting to me will be whether Microsoft will make an effort to extend the Xbox Live and Xbox gaming experience to Windows 8 mobile in any kind of powerful way. Phones are about connectivity and intimacy, so I think it would be smart for Microsoft to make it super easy to participate in the Xbox community no matter where you are.”

Nokia, Huawei, Samsung, and HTC are all making Windows Phone 8 devices. One drawback is that consumers who bought Windows Phone 7 devices in the past year will not be able to update their devices to Windows Phone 8. Windows Phone 8 will allow for devices with larger screens and multicore processors. The phones will work with near field communications or a close-range wireless technology.

Marco DeMiroz, chief executive of PlayFirst, said that his mobile focus will still center on iOS and Android.

“To be candid, Windows Phone 8 is not in our near-term plans. For us, the extent of the installed base is key, and we are not certain about its adoption curve. In addition, compared to the phenomenal growth on both iOS and Android, WP8 is a much lower priority. Nevertheless, we’ll continue to monitor its growth and adoption dynamics.”

Jude Gomila, co-founder of Heyzap, said a massive opportunity doesn’t exist on Windows Phone 8 yet. Mobilityware’s John Libby said the same thing. Libby stated, “For us, it’s pretty simple. As a small iOS and Android mobile developer … we don’t anticipate going after Windows 8. As far as Windows Phone 8, we don’t have the resources (developers, etc) to open up a third front to attack until it gets more traction. We are watching it, and we wish Microsoft well.”

Chris Taylor, a veteran developer at Gas Powered Games, said the new Windows Store for apps could be a game changer if it results in affecting how we purchase apps.

On the other hand, Microsoft might do well to continue to push into smartphones and tablets, where it can be viewed as an underdog and a savior. Eric Goldberg, the head of Crossover Technologies and a seasoned game consultant, said, “Windows Phone 8 may be the last best hope to break the platform duopoly for mobile games. For game developers and publishers who bitch about the prospect of being strangled by Apple’s tight control of its ecosystem or the economically challenging lower revenue per capita of the Android ecosystem (or both!), games for the mobile instantiations of Windows 8 are indeed a priority. Microsoft has a demonstrated competence in delivering software for which customers pay, and historically is developer friendly when it’s in a trailing market position.”

Randy Pitchford, head of Gearbox Software, said, “Windows Phone 8 is going to be my first Windows phone. I’ve been attracted to the platform for some time because I feel some addition towards increasing my Xbox Live Gamerscore, but Windows Phone 8 pushes me over the edge with the specifications and design of the platform. I hope it makes sense for us to do a game for it as we watch the installed base grow from launch.”

Ken Chiu, senior vice president of the game studio at Gree, said, “We are always open to learning about and working with new hardware and technologies. We certainly see potential with the Windows Phone — especially if it brings unique technologies that could change the way our market plays games.”(source:venturebeat)


上一篇:

下一篇: