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PopCap总裁谈2010年游戏业变化及公司的发展方向

发布时间:2011-03-24 16:22:55 Tags:,,

PopCap在2001年推出了网页版《宝石迷阵》,从此走上了成功之路,而这是在他们的竞争对手Zynga成立公司的6年之前。这个游戏发行商借着休闲游戏风靡的热潮而声名大噪,在2010年的营收就已经达到了一亿美元,PopCap执行总裁大卫·罗伯茨近日向Gamasutra介绍了他关于业内形势变化的一些看法,以及PopCap今后的发展方向。

罗伯茨说,去年对于游戏产业来说是近二三十年内最关键的时期,社交游戏领域已经发生了两个变化,一个是iPhone,另一个是facebook/Zynga。PopCap在早期曾需要花大力去说服50岁的中年妇女让她们来玩游戏,但这两项改变发生以后达到那个目的就很简单了。

据游戏邦了解,PopCap作为休闲游戏公司还受到了一些硬核游戏玩家的追捧,一个有趣的例子是有玩家还曾为暴雪的《魔兽世界》制作了一个专门的宝石迷阵插件。

大卫·罗伯茨

罗伯茨介绍,媒体对休闲游戏的发展一直抱持着怀疑的态度,直到维尔福软件公司推出了《半条命2》橙盒的《幻幻球》,媒体对休闲游戏的看法才有所改观。虽然这个游戏并没有赚到多少钱,但这是硬核玩家改变他们对休闲游戏态度的转折点。

和其他游戏发行商不同,PopCap更关心那些年复一年有着稳定业绩经久不衰的游戏。

罗伯茨说道:“在休闲游戏和硬核游戏的对比中我非常喜欢的一点是,在硬核游戏产业,你没办法做出持续热卖的游戏;但对于我们,《宝石迷阵》已经占据沃尔玛最畅销商品前五名长达7年的时间了。我认为是因为我们占据了一个很微妙的位置,不过其实好游戏就是好游戏,当然会受欢迎。”

罗伯茨还回应了关于PopCap计划今年IPO(首次公开招股)的传言,他表示PopCap会寻找这方面的可能性,不过他们依然会考虑各种不同的选择。

另外罗伯茨还重申,“已经提交了注册登记表格,相信就会有公司来买你。但我们的目标不是找到PopCap的发展出口,而是开发像《大富翁》、《Scrabble》一样受欢迎的游戏品牌。”(本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译,转载请注明来源:游戏邦)

Bejeweled Maker: 2010 Was Most Pivotal in Industry in Last Two Decades

PopCap got its real start in 2001, when it released Bejeweled for web browsers, six years before its current competitor Zynga even established itself as a company.  The publisher has ridden the casual wave to resounding success, with revenues reaching $100 million in 2010.  PopCap CEO David Roberts spoke to Gamasutra about changes in the industry and where PopCap is headed in the future.

“Last year was the most pivotal in the gaming industry in a couple of decades. The two things that have changed in the casual space, from where we sit, are the iPhone… and Facebook/Zynga,” said Roberts. “The fact is that we had the uphill battle of convincing 50-year old women that they could play games [in our early days]. Now it’s easy.”

PopCap is also one of the few casual gaming companies respected by core gamers, with interesting partnerships like the Bejeweled add-on for Blizzard’s World of Warcraft.

“That evolved over time,” said Roberts. “The press, in particular, was a bit skeptical of us. The credibility really started when Valve bundled that version of Peggle with The Orange Box. We made no money off of that. But it was the start of how core gamers changed their gaming habits.”

Unlike classic game publishers, PopCap is more concerned with evergreen titles having steady sales year after year.

“The thing I love about our business versus the core business is this. In the core business, you’ve got to get big hits out the door. … For us, Bejeweled has been at in the top five of Walmart’s best-selling titles for seven years now. I think we occupied a very interesting space. But the truth is good games are good games,” added Roberts.

Roberts also commented on the recent rumors of PopCap having a public offering.  The publisher has been looking into the possibility, but it’s also looking to keep its options open.

“Whenever you [talk about filing] an S12, you’re pretty much guaranteed that someone will come and try to buy you. Our goal is not about an exit at PopCap. It’s about creating this legacy of games that mean as much as Monopoly and Scrabble to the world,” said Roberts. (Source: Industry Gamers)


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