The Next Billion Dollar Game

Game publishers large and small have a dream of creating the next billion-dollar game franchise. There have been a few in the industry’s history, and it’s still a rare achievement despite the overall growth (it’s becoming a $100 billion annual business). While many of the factors that created billion-dollar game franchises in the past are still true, the changes in the industry have made some significant changes. If you’re hoping to create a new billion-dollar game franchise, here’s some of the key issues to consider.

Find a broad concept, or core elements of the game that can be extended, enhanced, and iterated easily. Sure, maybe your game is a simple platformer with a running and jumping character, but if the character is interesting enough the future could be bright. See Mario for inspiration, as he’s been in dozens of games and responsible for billions in revenues. Most game concepts can be extended if there’s an enthusiastic audience, but a little thought about line extension when you’re designing the core may pay off big later.

Go global with your concept, and choose something that can be appealing around the world. A dating sim may do well in Japan, but it won’t sell in North America. Word games are popular in English, but good luck getting traction in Asia. FIFA is ultimately a game franchise with more potential than Madden because soccer is popular around the world. The potential audience for a game is now the entire world, not just a narrow demographic in one country. How broad is the audience potential for your game Can you expand it

Put your game on as many platforms as possible— ‘no screen left behind’ should be your battle cry. This is much more possible today than it was ten or twenty years ago, as the overall power of PCs, consoles, online and mobile hardware has increased tremendously. Most styles of game play and graphics are perfectly doable on any platform, though the interface may be an issue. Stop thinking of your game in terms of one platform, because the era of proprietary hardware is over. Yes, it’s possible to be a huge hit on one platform, but if your game isn’t tied to a unique set of hardware characteristics your revenue possibilities are much greater. Angry Birds continues to be a strong moneymaker even though it’s not in the top ten mobile games, partly because it’s available so broadly.

Don’t limit your revenue possibilities by having just one fixed price. Make sure there are virtual goods for sale, as seamlessly as possible, to maximize revenue. If someone becomes a devoted fan of your game, give them plenty of ways to spend more money. League of Legends shows you can do this without getting people annoyed. Whether or not the game is free to start with, selling virtual items is becoming a common game feature on every platform.

Strive to provide continuous content for the game, whether it’s new items appearing, DLC for sale, or entirely new games based on the core concept. Fans that aren’t being given new stuff will look elsewhere for gaming enjoyment, and your franchise may not get them back.

Make sure you have massive community involvement, and you provide strong support from the company. Consumers want to be engaged at all levels, not just during game play. You’ll also find some great suggestions and ideas for new directions amongst an active community.

Don’t be afraid to make significant changes if it seems necessary. Fearless re-invention can revive a languishing franchise. Take some chances, go in an unexpected direction, surprise the players —especially if you see the business slowing down or the audience diminishing.

The best games are more than just a game, so comprehensive brand management should include other products, goods and services. Some companies are making a substantial amount of revenue from licensing game characters. Other games are benefiting from strong promotional tie-ins with major consumer brands eager to get the attention of devoted gamers. Look for that television series, the novels, the comic books, the action figures, apparel and accessories. Sure, many of these opportunities will only appear after the game is already a hit, but the right tie-ins can help propel a game farther and higher at any stage in its life cycle.

Persistence is the foundation of success. Rovio had fifty-two games that didn’t do all that well before they created Angry Birds. Both Wargaming and King were in business for ten years before they had a massive hit game. Call of Duty started out as just another console game from Activision, but over time they built it into a juggernaut. The biggest franchises in the game industry sometimes start small, and sometimes they are a hit from the beginning, but if they succeed over many years it’s because someone kept pushing to make the game better, come out with new games, or extend the brand in many ways. Don’t stop believing in the power of your game!