Post by Morreion on May 21, 2010 6:08:27 GMT -5
"Icelandic Model" is ideal for small MMO start-ups, says Alexander Gianturco (Massively)
The Icelandic Model of MMO Development (Gamasutra)
A thought-provoking article! CCP has done wonders with EVE, starting out very small and growing to an acclaimed 'niche' game with 300,000 accounts. The sandbox orientation seems to be the key here in being able to grow in an organic manner. WoW clones may very well have large time and cost barriers to success.
When Iceland isn't belching volcanic ash that brings sky travel to its knees, it's kicking butt in the MMO world. EVE Online is widely seen as one of the greatest MMO success stories -- a small yet incredibly complex title from a small-fry studio (CCP) that's seen steady growth over the years instead of the typical rise, crest and fall of most other titles.
In a recent chat with Gamasutra, Alexander "The Mittani" Gianturco followed up his talk at GDC 2010 by outlining just why CCP's business model may be the Rosetta Stone for future games to follow. According to Gianturco, the crash-and-burn of many MMOs is due to the insistence that their games stick to the "Big Content" model (à la World of Warcraft), which requires a huge amount of resources and time before launch. He says that this is "near suicidal" for most studios to pursue.
In contrast, CCP's "Icelandic Model" starts with almost nothing -- a bare-bones sandbox title -- that appeals to a very specific niche, and grows by reinvesting profits. Gianturco identifies four key principles of this model: sandbox-based endgame, unique and engaging environment, reinvestment and organic growth, and features over linear content. By doing this, titles like EVE Online and A Tale in the Desert have managed to create successful, profitable, long-running games in an industry that is well-known for quick deaths.
In a recent chat with Gamasutra, Alexander "The Mittani" Gianturco followed up his talk at GDC 2010 by outlining just why CCP's business model may be the Rosetta Stone for future games to follow. According to Gianturco, the crash-and-burn of many MMOs is due to the insistence that their games stick to the "Big Content" model (à la World of Warcraft), which requires a huge amount of resources and time before launch. He says that this is "near suicidal" for most studios to pursue.
In contrast, CCP's "Icelandic Model" starts with almost nothing -- a bare-bones sandbox title -- that appeals to a very specific niche, and grows by reinvesting profits. Gianturco identifies four key principles of this model: sandbox-based endgame, unique and engaging environment, reinvestment and organic growth, and features over linear content. By doing this, titles like EVE Online and A Tale in the Desert have managed to create successful, profitable, long-running games in an industry that is well-known for quick deaths.
The Icelandic Model of MMO Development (Gamasutra)
Launching a MMO isn't an easy business. The vast majority of subscription-model MMOs fail, with the signature "death spike" of a surge of players at launch and reciprocal mass exodus once the first free month of playtime ends, followed by a humiliating and slowly declining subscriber plateau.
Corporate resources are re-allocated away from the ailing title, and eventually the plug is pulled on the servers. As the market has become increasingly competitive, the life cycle of MMOs has grown ever shorter.
The ultimate question of survival for a MMO is exceedingly simple: what makes the gameplay a continuous experience for the player, rather than a linear path with an endpoint? A vast oversimplification, some might say, yet it is precisely this question which is too often put off or ignored in the preparation of a title for launch.
A game with a certain amount of content and a linear path leaves a player with nothing else to do once the end of the path is reached except re-treading it with a new character. By contrast, a game which has planned for and emphasized the endgame from the outset ensures that its players have a motive to stick around after the first free month.
Corporate resources are re-allocated away from the ailing title, and eventually the plug is pulled on the servers. As the market has become increasingly competitive, the life cycle of MMOs has grown ever shorter.
The ultimate question of survival for a MMO is exceedingly simple: what makes the gameplay a continuous experience for the player, rather than a linear path with an endpoint? A vast oversimplification, some might say, yet it is precisely this question which is too often put off or ignored in the preparation of a title for launch.
A game with a certain amount of content and a linear path leaves a player with nothing else to do once the end of the path is reached except re-treading it with a new character. By contrast, a game which has planned for and emphasized the endgame from the outset ensures that its players have a motive to stick around after the first free month.
Too many developers with great ideas are intimidated away from creating intriguing MMO titles by the daunting startup costs of following the dominant blockbuster model. It doesn't have to be this way; just use a different business model! CCP began with a bare $2.6 million in funding. eGenesis, creators of A Tale In the Desert, have followed a similar model with a focus on an organically-grown sandbox.
There are many unexplored niches in the MMO market in which excellent games could thrive, and the capital barrier to entry is lower than you might think.
There are many unexplored niches in the MMO market in which excellent games could thrive, and the capital barrier to entry is lower than you might think.
A thought-provoking article! CCP has done wonders with EVE, starting out very small and growing to an acclaimed 'niche' game with 300,000 accounts. The sandbox orientation seems to be the key here in being able to grow in an organic manner. WoW clones may very well have large time and cost barriers to success.
