MCV572 Friday January 29th 2010 by Intent Media (now Newbay Media Europe)

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THE MARKET FOR COMPUTER AND VIDEO GAMES

Issue 572 Friday January 29 2010 £3.25

05 Trading places

16 BBC’s game plan

New publisher Tradewest signed by Black Bean to distribute key 2010 titles

MCV speaks to the key people at BBC Worldwide looking to get into games

06 PS3 hits UK milestone

21 MCV AWARDS 2010

Sony console surpasses 3m landmark thanks to price cut and strong software

Your complete guide to lobbying for the industry’s most coveted awards

07 Koch goes global

31 Digital comes of age

German boss outlines plans to grow business into North America

MCV looks at the changes in PC gaming and how that impacts digital pricing

EVERY BUYER EVERY BRANCH EVERY INDIE EVERY WEEK

World Cup glory in sight as FIFA passes 2m mark EA prepares summer tie-in Chart domination assured? EA is celebrating the success of the latest FIFA

by Christopher Dring FIFA 10 HAS sold 2.2m units in the UK already – and with the boost of this summer’s World Cup, it could go on to become the biggest-selling game in the series so far. The publisher has confirmed it will again release an official World Cup tie-in title, potentially giving it the summer’s biggest video game. 2010 FIFA World Cup is due on Friday, April 30th on Wii, PSP, Xbox 360 and PS3. The new game will arrive during one of the most prosperous times for the FIFA franchise – FIFA 10 swept past the 2m in milestone in just three months. “There’s no denying FIFA 10 is the best football game

ever and the innovations we have brought to the genre over the years have helped get us to where we are now,” EA Sports’ marketing manager Trevor Uzice told MCV. “We’re all massive football fans and that definitely comes across in our campaigns. All departments work closely to make sure we’re taking the game to the right audiences and maximise every opportunity.” He added: “We’re excited to be releasing our World Cup game to coincide with the tournament. It’s a big year for England, expectations are high and we’re hoping we’ll both be very successful this summer.” Despite a new SKU, EA is not turning its back on FIFA 10 with the FIFA Ultimate

Team download due next month. The release is part of EA’s strategy of developing new releases with DLC. “FIFA 10 is a season-long franchise and we’re excited to be releasing FIFA Ultimate Team in February,” continued Uzice. “My Live Season, which launched in October, is a much fuller experience than it was on FIFA 09 and, again, it’s gone down very well with our community. “As a company we’re already adapting and looking at bringing exciting online content to our franchises. “The release of the boxed product is only the beginning and we’re continuing to innovate through exciting online offerings including My Live Season.”

INCORPORATING

Anti-game blunder shames newspaper by Rob Crossley A NATIONAL newspaper blamed video games for the rise in rickets cases last week – only to reveal to MCV days later it hadn’t done its research. Metro cited data from a Newcastle University paper, but study authors Prof Simon Pearce and Dr Tim Cheetham quickly debunked this take on their findings. MCV contacted the author of the original story, only to find that the paper – which has over 3m daily readers – didn’t read the actual study it was quoting from, but instead pulled quotes from the press release bundled with it. While a front-page headline pulled from a basic press release is good enough for Metro, ELSPA told MCV that it

wants to see the paper aim a bit higher. ELSPA director general Mike Rawlinson said the story was a classic case of “very inaccurate reporting”, adding that the paper’s hostility was out of touch with its readers.

“We will be speaking to Metro to put the matter straight with them,” he added. “And we’ll ask to speak to the journalist who wrote the story.”

Sega signs Downing by Christopher Dring RETAIL GURU Anna Downing has joined Sega as senior product manager. Downing has worked in games retail for almost ten years in a variety of buying and marketing roles. Most recently she was product marketing manager at GAME, a position she took when Gamestation’s York head office merged with GAME’s Basingstoke HQ last year. Prior to Gamestation, Downing held a senior marketing role at HMV. “I’m delighted to have joined Sega at this particularly exciting time,” commented Downing. “In addition to their renowned gaming heritage and

fantastic catalogue of software products, Sega has a fantastic line-up for 2010 and beyond.” Sega’s UK marketing director Amanda Farr added: “We are very pleased Anna has joined the UK team. She has a wealth of marketing and retail experience which will benefit the quality line up of products that Sega has to offer.”

PERSONNEL 42 RETAIL BIZ 43 NEW RELEASES 49 HIGH STREET 50 CHARTS 52

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[LEADER] MEDIA STUDIES WHEN A COLLEAGUE brandished last Friday’s Metro at me, I imagine my response was the same as everyone else’s: I just rolled my eyes. After the Change4Life outrage last year, the Manhunt/Manhunt 2 furores before that, and even the Daily Mail’s lastminute storm in a teacup ‘goat gate’, not much can surprise when it comes to the various ways some people in the media who just don’t get games can vilify the hobby. The Metro report at least deserves a pat on the back for originality. MCV was delighted to understand that today’s army of unpredictable, sociopathic, murdering gamers are thwarted by the humble stairway thanks to the debilitating condition their love of games has allegedly inflicted on them. And we were simply amused when Metro’s allegation come unstuck when presented with its very own kryptonite – facts.

“So what? One newspaper still doesn’t get games. That’s their problem, not ours.” In seriousness (well, as serious as you can take such preposterous headlines, anyway) this is just another case of someone getting it wrong. The ignorance and very outlandishness behind a ‘Gaming leads to surge in rickets’ headline says everything. We’re all used to this happening by now; no one said ubiquity came quickly or easily. And perhaps the industry could be flattered by it. Games are now in the same league as any other well-established cultural pursuit that can be described as lethal by a rent-a-quote pundit. In the quest for an easy headline, desperate journalists will cut corners. But when it comes to the bigger picture, games don’t get it that bad overall. Let’s not forget that usually newspapers give games a good ride. From The Independent to The Sun, the industry’s at times a little spoilt for choice when it comes to mainstream coverage. Games get more analytical pieces, reviews and anecdotal ‘and finally…’ stories than ever before. Often those pieces are still written with a sense of wonder about games – most writers aren’t bored of us yet. So one newspaper doesn’t get it. That’s their problem, not ours.

THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL LOBBYING for this year’s MCV Awards opens today. As we explain in the thorough guide to the event in this issue, these are the only awards which give everyone in the trade, from peripherals company to publisher – by way of retail and even the creative firms responsible for our best ads – a moment in the spotlight. We’ve even overhauled the PR Team prize to allow a panel of journalists to choose the winner, proving the awards are constantly evolving and improving. Turn to page 21 for the full guide to the event. Michael French@intentmedia.co.uk

BBC readies multiple Doctor Who games Iconic characters set to feature in a variety of new titles soon by Michael French BBC WORLDWIDE HAS told MCV that talks are underway to turn Doctor Who into an array of new games. Last week the broadcaster exclusively revealed via MCV that it plans to re-enter games – after killing off its BBC Multimedia division in 2005. As part of the move, a variety of licensing deals for key BBC IPs are in the offing, with the BBC finally releasing its grip on the coveted Doctor Who licence. Until now, the BBC has held off making a game based on the popular TV show, only allowing Eidos to release Top Trumps: Doctor Who in 2008. But that’s set to change. “We’re having a lot of interesting discussions for a variety of ideas around Doctor Who that are complementary to each rather than in

competition with each other – boxed product console games, virtual worlds and other experiences,” explained Dave Anderson, head of multimedia development at BBC Worldwide. “The deals we are looking at are in different spaces, probably looking at overlapping but different audiences and are certainly delivering a different

kind of experience. “The Doctor Who audience who love that show want to have different experiences around it and it has a huge shelf life going back 47 years – it’s about managing and satisfying expectations of both older and younger audiences.” To learn more about BBC Worldwide’s new games push turn to page 16

Merlin rights up for grabs, too by Christopher Dring ANOTHER BBC Saturday night TV show could become a game this year as well. Rights-holder and production house FremantleMedia is on the hunt for partners to create a game based on fantasy drama Merlin. The show can be seen in some 165 countries and boasts 6m viewers in the UK. A third series is currently planned for a September launch, complete with a variety of licensing tie-ins including, playsets, figurines, DVDs, books, costumes, calendars, bags, wallets and more. “We are already talking to a number of games companies,

but nothing has been signed yet,” said VP of brand licensing and retail at Fremantle, Pindy O’Brien. “It’s quite perfect for a video game, with Arthur and Merlin trying to conquer evil, and all the weird and wonderful characters. The third series begins in September, so

hopefully we can have something out for the end of the year – if not we can always look towards next year. “I think this could be a real core game. It is one of our key properties and the BBC is fully committed to Merlin.” FreemantleMedia: 020 7691 6000

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NEWS

Tradewest and Black Bean forge publishing partnership TOP 10

[PRE ORDERS] MASS EFFECT 2 360 EA

New Euro publisher to handle UK and French release of racing and lifestyle games by Michael French GAMES FROM Italian publisher Black Bean will be released in the UK via up-andcoming firm Tradewest, MCV can reveal. The new publisher label, founded by Martin Spiess following the collapse of Midway’s European operation, has been chosen to distribute Black Bean’s games in the UK and France. All of the Italian firm’s 2010 games will be sold into retail and marketed by Tradewest. “We´re delighted to announce our distribution partnership with Black Bean

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2. BIOSHOCK 2 360 ....................................2K GAMES

3. MAG: COLLECTOR’S EDITION PS3 ..........................................SONY

4. FINAL FANTASY XIII PS3 ................................SQUARE ENIX SALES DRIVE: Spiess’ (left) Tradewest will publish the racing titles from Black Bean, headed by Virgilio Bixio (far left)

portfolio of products that addresses a broad audience from casual to core gamers. Black Bean Games has a long

These products address a broad audience from casual to core gamers. Black Bean has a long history of quality. Martin Spiess, Tradewest

Games for two of the most important markets in Europe,” said Spiess. “Black Bean Games provides an outstanding

”

history of delivering quality product. Combined with our team’s longtime distribution and marketing expertise we’re confident that our partnership

will greatly benefit both Black Bean Games and Tradewest Games for years to come.” Titles covered by the agreement include console and PC racer Superstars V8 Next Challenge in February, Wii title NewU Fitness First Mind, Body, Yoga & Pilates in March, multiplayer game NatGeo Quiz Wild Life in April and console and PC motorbike sim SBK X in May. The pair are also handling the return of the WRC to games – the new title hits PS3, 360 and PC in Q4.

“The distribution deal with Tradewest Games for the UK and French market marks an important step forward in the international strategy of Black Bean Games,” said Virgilio Bixio, CEO of Black Bean. “We were impressed by the cooperation and the enthusiasm of the marketing and sales team. The group at Tradewest has all the skills and the experience to launch our original franchises successfully in UK as well as in France.”

5. HEAVY RAIN PS3 ..........................................SONY

6. BIOSHOCK 2 PS3 ....................................2K GAMES

7. FINAL FANTASY XIII: SPEC ED. PS3 ................................SQUARE ENIX

8. GOD OF WAR III PS3 ..........................................SONY

9. MAG: MASSIVE ACTION PS3 ..........................................SONY

10. ALIEN VS PREDATOR 360 ..........................................SEGA Week ending January 29th Source: SHOPTO.COM Turn to page 51 for more pre-order charts from leading online retailers

Tradewest: 020 7456 0450

UK SOFTWARE SALES MONITOR Your weekly guide to the UK games software market… The UK games software market fell 19 per cent last week, down to £18.6 million. Unit sales also fell 19 per cent to 829,704. It is the fourth consecutive decline in game sales since the Christmas week. Capcom’s Dark Void was the only game of note launched last week, so once again sales were driven by Ubisoft’s Just Dance and Activision’s Modern Warfare 2. However, both games saw a decline in sales this week.

[WEEKLY MARKET VALUE]

Total UK Software Sales Source: ELSPA/ChartTrack and Intent Media

Week Ending January 23rd 2010

£18.6m

25 20 15 10

Next week’s sales data should make for better reading, with the muchanticipated release of EA’s Mass Effect 2 on Xbox 360 and Sony’s MAG on PlayStation 3.

£27.4m

£22.9m

£18.6m

1,363,130 Units

1,021,329 Units

829,704 Units

Just Dance held firm at No.1 in the UK charts this week

0 Week Ending January 9th

Week Ending January 16th

Week Ending January 23rd

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Dance smash backs MCV Awards as event nears record sell-out Ubisoft’s Just Dance to sponsor After Party at MCV Awards 2010 Lobbying opens for potential finalists by Stuart Dinsey WIN OR LOSE, at least guests at this year's MCV Awards will be able to shake their booty into the small hours thanks to current charttopper Just Dance. The Wii game from Ubisoft has provided the biggest surprise of 2010 so far by outselling everything during midJanuary, remaining at number one for a fortnight. Just Dance is the sponsor of this year’s After Party at the MCV Industry Excellence Awards 2010, which takes place on Thursday, April 22nd at The Brewery, Chiswell Street, London. “Just Dance has been brilliantly supported by the trade and is part of a real longterm strategy for us,” said Ubisoft’s brand manager Rachael Grant.

“We know that every retail buyer and all key media will be at the MCV Awards. It is a hugely important event, so this partnership delivers excellent cut-through for us.” The awards are almost sold out and will host over 600 retailers and execs from all sectors of the business. New categories this year include Game Creative (based on a single ad execution) and Peripherals & Accessories Brand. Other sponsors include Nintendo (Retail Partner) and Codemasters (Pre-Event Reception Partner), plus award-specific sponsors AntiGrav Media, The Hut and Premier Public Relations. Pre-Event Reception Partner

AWARDS LOBBYING OPENS Companies can now put themselves forward as potential finalists for this year's MCV Awards. Lobbying for the 17 main awards. Detail should be sent to MCVawards@intentmedia.co.uk. Turn to page 17 for our guide to the event.

Retail Partner

Award Partner

Euro PR role for EA’s Goddard JONATHAN GODDARD is set to take up the new role of senior manager of European PR for the EA Games label. Goddard is due to leave his current position of senior PR manager for EA UK on February 1st and join the European team to bolster the firm’s releases on the continent. “EA is a phenomenal place to work and I’m excited to be able to expand my role within the company and help define product PR strategy in such a vital region,” said Goddard. UK PR director Simon Smith-Wright added: “It’ll be sad to lose Jon from the UK team. However, it’s great to have someone with solid

Goddard joins the European EA PR team next week

territory PR experience and a media background representing European PR interests for EA Games titles.” Goddard joined EA in 2007 as UK PR manager and was

promoted to his current position last year. He has led UK PR campaigns titles such as Dead Space, Mass Effect 2, Army of Two and Mirror’s Edge. EA: 01483 463000

UK PS3 SALES TOP THREE MILLION The PlayStation 3 has sold more than three million units in the UK alone. A strong first-party software line-up and the price cut announced at last year’s Gamescom have been highlighted as key factors in this success. Sony UK MD Ray Maguire said: “We’d like to offer a huge thank you to our retail partners in helping us pass the three million PS3 milestone. “The £249 price point is enabling us to reach a much broader audience and our line-up of software, including Heavy Rain and God Of War III, should help maintain the momentum.”

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Koch targets global domination German entertainment giant takes minority stake in SouthPeak as it seeks to capture US market share by Christopher Dring KOCH MEDIA wants to be a global games force, with US success the vital next step for the firm. Deep Silver – Koch’s publishing label – has teamed up with SouthPeak Games to help boost its presence in North America. The US firm

“

“We have invested heavily in product development and are very excited about our upcoming release schedule. The SouthPeak organisation instantly brings a vast wealth of marketing, PR and distribution to Deep Silver. “It would have taken Deep Silver US some time to build a great team like SouthPeak’s.

Success in the US has often been based upon a company’s reputation and willingness to work with retail. Klemens Kundratitz, Koch

will work with Koch on marketing, retail placement and distribution. “Koch Media has a welldefined strategic initiative to expand our global reach,” said Koch Media International CEO Klemens Kundratitz “Naturally the US games business, both retail and online, is a logical extension to our success here in Europe.

”

Being able to immediately draw upon their strengths allows Deep Silver to focus on product and brand development, while growing internally at a modest and fiscally responsible pace. “Furthermore, success in the US games industry has often been based upon a company’s reputation and willingness to work with retail.”

KOCH CEO Kundratitz is optimistic that Deep Silver can become a big player in North America by partnering with SouthPeak

As a part of the deal, Koch has acquired a minority stake in SouthPeak Games, which is set to bring the two firms even closer together. “We see a great deal of potential in Koch Media and SouthPeak partnering and believe it can create tremendous value for both companies,” added Kundratitz. “Additionally, taking a minority position in the company further signifies our confidence in SouthPeak’s ability to execute on its strategic expansion initiatives as well as to expand our partnering activities and align the interests of both parties. “SouthPeak is one the fastest growing publishers in the industry and they bring us established relationships with key industry players that can support our goal to broaden our reach among leading constituents in both the packaged goods and interactive and social gaming space.” Koch: 0870 027 0985

Rising Star signs new Marvelous deal

PlayV dominates DS pre-order charts PLAYV’S upcoming Purple Hills range is dominating the DS pre-order charts at several leading online retailers. At the time of writing, the company’s Jewel Match is at No.1 on Play.com’s chart, followed closely by fellow Purple Hills title Titanic Mystery. Both games have garnered more pre-orders than

the highly anticipated Pokémon Heart Gold and Soul Silver. On Amazon’s DS pre-order chart, Titanic Mystery comes in second – only beaten by DSi XL. PlayV’s Around The World In 80 Days came in fourth, with Jewel Match in sixth. “The Purple Hills range has been hugely popular in Germany, selling over 1.1

million units last year,” said marketing manager Brian Faller. “With the first titles placing so high on many DS pre-order charts and beating some highly anticipated titles on the platform, we are confident the Purple Hills brand can match, if not surpass, the figures coming out of Germany.” PlayV: 01582 436 040

RISING STAR GAMES has told MCV it has secured the rights to Marvelous Entertainment’s future release, thanks to a new agreement between the two companies. A share restructuring announced earlier this week led to Marvelous selling its controlling stake in Rising Star Games to fellow Japanese publisher Intergrow. However, Rising Star has assured the trade that it will still be handling Marvelous’ software catalogue, which includes popular brands such as Harvest Moon.

“I am delighted to have secured further additional backing from an important Japanese company, whilst continuing our content relationship with Marvelous,” said Rising Star managing director Martin Defries. “It is further vindication that Rising Star Games has the right strategy, outlook and prospects. “We’ve an exciting line-up for the next quarter and will soon make announcement for products due later in 2010 that emphasise our growth and optimism.” Rising Star: 01582 433700

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Bigben returns to the UK Peripherals giant to release its own games and hardware range in the UK Ann Hurley heads up UK office by Christopher Dring BIGBEN HAS announced it is returning to the UK following its split with former distribution partner Venom. The French peripherals manufacturer and software publisher will now launch its

“

industry, including stints at US Gold, 2020 Logistics, Focus Multimedia and Europress. “Bigben Interactive has succeeded in securing big market share numbers around Europe and we would like to see the same success within the UK,” said Hurley.

The UK is such an important market to get right and I’m confident that we have the right strategy to achieve this. Ann Hurley, Bigben

products in the UK itself. Only a selection of its games are currently available in the UK – including My Body Coach and Cyberbike, which are on sale at Argos. Industry veteran Ann Hurley will handle sales and marketing in the UK. Hurley has spent 20 years working in the games

”

“We have some great new product ranges launching this year, which we plan to support extensively with marketing, so I hope this will be a move that will be welcomed by all of our retail partners.” Bigben CEO Alain Falc added: “The UK is such an important market to get right

BIG PLANS: Ann Hurley will use her 20 years of experience to help Bigben establish itself in the UK

and I’m confident that we have now identified the right strategy and the right team to achieve this.” Bigben is set to launch its DSi XL peripherals range next

month, which will be followed by a licensed range of Marvel accessories for multiple formats. Bastion has been hired to handle PR and marketing for these products, as well as

Bigben’s current catalogue of games and hardware. The distribution agreement between Bigben and Venom will end on February 3rd. Bigben: 07787 283 951

Trilogy to be rebranded as Gem Logistics THE SURVIVING elements of UK distributor Trilogy are soon to be rebranded as Gem Logistics. The move follows Gem’s acquisition of Trilogy back in December, and will allow the distributor to further develop both businesses. Trilogy founder and Gem Logistics’ general manager Matthew Allen revealed the imminent changes during an interview with MCV. “Trilogy is just a name and the real value in the acquisition was always in the experience of the management team and staff,” explained Allen. “Gem will shortly be rebranding Trilogy as Gem Logistics and, along with Gem’s existing primary distribution partners including

Codemasters and Take Two, will be developing a best of breed distribution solution for DVD, music and video games publishers. “Gem’s senior management team have been incredibly supportive and have already

“

Allen assured clients that the efficient service they have come to know and expect from Trilogy will still be present at Gem Logistics, as Gem works to preserve as much as possible. “Fundamentally very little will change as we have

Gem’s investment will see us develop our infrastructure and systems to improve our support for our partners. Matthew Allen, Gem Logistics

committed to significant investments to enable us to continue to develop this business. With Gem’s financial backing, we are all committed to achieving great things and to continuing to build on our previous successes.”

”

managed to retain all of our key staff and will continue to operate as a separate business under the existing senior management team,” he said. “Gem’s investment will see us develop our infrastructure and systems to ensure that we

NEW ERA: Trilogy founder Matthew Allen pledges that Gem Logistics will maintain its standards and services following its rebranding

are better placed to develop our services and improve the support that we provide to our existing and future partners. “I think it’s essential to keep the business as familiar as possible with a key focus on service levels and adding value

to our partners. Our attitude has always been a ‘can do’ one and this will continue as we focus on the future development of the business.” Gem: 01279 822800

For the full interview, turn to page 13

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Balance Board to bolster Super Monkey Ball series Sega confident Wii peripheral can broaden audience of long-running arcade franchise by James Batchelor SUPER MONKEY BALL: Step & Roll will expand the fanbase for its long-running arcade-style puzzle franchise, thanks to Balance Board compatibility. That’s according to Sega, which is holding high hopes

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“It’s going to broaden the reach of Super Monkey Ball games even further, and that can only be a good thing.” The previous Super Monkey Ball released on Wii, Banana Blitz, sold through over 250,000 units, and Sega is hoping to top this with Step & Roll. To help boost the game further,

Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll is the most accessible title yet. It’s going to broaden the series’ reach even further. Kate Billingham, Sega

for the upcoming Wii title, due for release on February 12th. The firm believes the device’s accessibility will introduce the series to a whole new audience. “This is the first time any game in the series has utilised the Balance Board, which opens up a whole new way to play,” Sega PR and marketing exec Kate Billingham told MCV.

”

the company has drawn up a targeted marketing push. The majority of the campaign will be aimed at children, such as a partnership with popular kids’ site, Bin Weevils, which will host treasure hunts and launch parties. There will also be contests, puzzles and ads in kids’ print press, as well as community-

“How-To-Draw lends itself to the category of interactive games and software,” says Christopher Hart. “I can offer the most popular, cutting edge drawing programs based on my books. I have characters and cartoon styles that are targeted to specific age groups and genders. “I have built-in market research: we simply select the best-selling books from amongst all of the Christopher Hart library of 60 plus titles, and turn it into e-content.” www.atnewmedia.com

SONY: The PS3 Motion Controller will is now due for launch in the autumn, as opposed to the March release date previously hinted at. SCE boss Kaz Hirai claimed this was to ensure Sony can offer “an exciting and varied line-up of software” at launch. NINTENDO: New Super Mario Bros Wii has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide. More than 4.5 million were sold in North America, while Japan and Europe each racked up sales of around 3 million copies. WARNER: LEGO Batman: The Videogame has sold more than one million copies in the UK since it launched in September 2008. The game’s sales have been boosted recently by its inclusion in Microsoft’s hardware bundles along with Disney’s Pure.

SPRING BOARD: AiAi and friends could become more popular than ever thanks to the Wii Balance Board-compatible Step & Roll

dedicated challenges targeting veteran fans through YouTube, MySpace and Facebook. “We think Step & Roll is the most accessible title yet,” added Billingham. “The Balance Board element fits perfectly with the rolling gameplay mechanic and

really brings the collection of puzzles to life. “Super Monkey Ball has a strong heritage, and with every title the quality just gets better. If you’re a fan or a newcomer, there’s something to suit you.” Sega: 020 8995 3399

Art books getting Pinpoint signs new Wii and DS games WWE licensing deal HOW-TO-DRAW author Christopher Hart wants to launch a series of art games that utilises the DS stylus, as well as Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3’s motion controllers. Hart’s books, which teach readers to draw a wide range of subjects – from Manga to human anatomy – have sold more than 2.5 million copies around the world. And, following the success of THQ’s Drawn to Life, Hart has hired licensing agent AT New Media to capture the video game audience.

Sponsored by

A NEW RANGE of WWElicensed accessories will soon hit shelves, thanks to a new deal between the wrestling federation and Pinpoint Consumer Electonics. Under the agreement, the peripherals firm will be able to produce and market accessories and other products boasting officially licensed images of WWE’s most popular wrestlers, as well as the official WWE hologram of authenticity.

SQUARE ENIX: A Limited Collector’s Edition of Final Fantasy XIII will be released for Xbox 360 and PS3 on March 9th. The product will include a copy of the game, a CD soundtrack, art prints and a hardback book: The World Of Final Fantasy XIII. ZAVVI: The online retailer has won the exclusive rights to the Rapture Edition of BioShock 2 for Xbox 360 and PS3. This will include a copy of the game and an Deco Devolution: The Art Of BioShock 2 book.

The first batch of products due for release includes the Crystal Case for DS Lite and DSi, and its PSP Console Case. These will features picture of John Cena, The Undertaker, Ray Mysterio and other stars. “We’re really excited to add these product lines to our evergrowing portfolio of products,” said Tom Armstrong, Pinpoint’s product manager. Pinpoint: 01606 558 428

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Gamescom targets UK trade Chartered flights available as organisers plan to attract more Brits MCV and Develop sign as partners GAMESCOM MEDIA PARTNERS REVEALED

by Christopher Dring THE TEAM BEHIND Gamescom wants to increase the number of UK trade visitors to Gamescom this year. A healthy number of UK attendees visited the show in 2009. But this year Koelnmesse chief executive Oliver P. Kuhrt hopes to see an even bigger British turnout, with an array of travel options available – including chartered flights. “More than 90 per cent of the trade visitors were pleased about their visit to Gamescom last year, and said they’d like to come again in 2010,” Kuhrt told MCV. “Moreover, the high level of international visitors was a big positive. For instance, ten per cent of all trade visitors came from Great Britain – a satisfactory number that we would like to increase this year.

Gamescom has appointed MCV and Develop as its official media partners. The event will take place in Cologne from August 18th to the 22nd, and in the build-up to the event both publications will run a series of previews, as well as registration, exhibitor and trip-planning details. That is as well as extensive online coverage before and during the show on www.mcvuk.com and www.developmag.com. “This agreement with MCV and Develop underlines the wide appeal of Gamescom to the international business community,” said Koelnmesse chief executive Oliver P. Kuhrt.

TAKE OFF: Chartered flights are available for international visitors to Gamescom 2010

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More than 90 per cent of trade visitors to Gamescom in 2009 said they’d like to come again this year. Oliver P. Kuhrt, Koelnmesse

“Cologne is situated in the heart of Europe and can be reached easily and quickly. Cologne Bonn airport connects

”

Cologne with the international video games community in 45 different countries. The airport reaches about 180 destinations

and 100 of these routes are covered by low cost carriers, including Cologne to London. “In cooperation with Air Partner, we are also able to offer individual chartered aircrafts, from helicopters and exclusive jets to widebodied aircrafts.” Gamescom 2010 takes place in Cologne on Wednesday,

August 18th and will run until Sunday, August 22nd. More details on travelling to Cologne and where to stay can be found on the Gamescom website at www.gamescomcologne.com/travelservice. For more on Gamescom 2010 check out our full interview with Oliver P. Kuhrt on page 18.

Games anime spin-offs due in February FEATURE-LENGTH ANIME films based on hot gaming properties will be hitting retail shelves next month. Dante’s Inferno: The Animated Movie is due for release from Anchor Bay Entertainment UK on Monday, February 8th, arriving three

“

exploring the universe of Microsoft’s flagship FPS series. Both products will be released on DVD and Blu-ray. The films have been created with the help of leading film studios, including Film Roman, Production I.G and Toei Animation. Between them, the

We’re pleased to be working with Microsoft. Halo Legends provides some great backstory and is a treat for fans.

Dan Gilson, Warner Home Video

days after the upcoming action adventure game from Electronic Arts. Following this, Warner Home Video will release Halo Legends on February 15th,

”

firms boast a portfolio that includes Ghost In The Shell, Dragon Ball, Digimon and Dead Space: Downfall. Halo Legends is a compilation of seven

standalone stories set within Microsoft and Bungie’s hugely popular universe, produced by Microsoft’s 343 Industries. Some of the episodes have already been broadcast through the Halo Waypoint portal on Xbox 360 and will now be available to consumers on disc for the first time. “Halo is one of the truly great gaming narratives,” said Warner Home Video product manager Dan Gilson. “We are really pleased to be working with Microsoft and handling this animated title, it provides some great backstory to the Halo universe and is a real treat for fans of the series.” Meanwhile, Dante’s Inferno: The Animated Movie follows the storyline of the first part of

DVD and Blu-ray films based on the Halo series (top) and EA’s Dante’s Inferno (right) are due next month

Dante Alighieri’s 13th Century epic poem The Divine Comedy, as well as Electronic Arts’ upcoming video game adaptation. Anchor Bay’s product manager Thom Leaman said: “We are really pleased to be working alongside EA on the release of Dante’s Inferno.

“The film ties into the game as both have the same modern version of the original storyline. Watching the film is a great way for fans to continue the experience that they have enjoyed while playing the game.” PremierPR: 020 7292 8330

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NEWS ANALYSIS: JUST DANCE’S JOURNEY

Just Dance has done well even in the face of a competitive Wii market and a recent wash of titles aimed at the hardcore

DANCING WII’S TROUBLES AWAY When a casual title topples Call of Duty from the top of the charts, can publishers still insist it’s not possible to succeed on Wii? James Batchelor looks at how Just Dance grew into a hit… THE SURPRISE NEWS that Ubisoft’s Just Dance topped the All Formats Chart last week was, let’s be honest, a bit of a jawdropper. While the game had grown in popularity since its debut, rising from No.100 to No.3 in the space of six weeks, few would have expected it to seize the No.1 spot – least of all from the grasp of Activision Blizzard’s revenue goliath Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The game’s victory is multi-faceted. In addition to dethroning one of the world’s biggest selling entertainment products ever, it has undermined the conventional wisdom that has dogged Nintendo: it turns out third-party publishers can succeed on the Wii. DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION The charts speak for themselves. While it’s true that no game holds the top spot forever – Modern Warfare 2’s decline was inevitable given that millions of consumers have already purchased the game – that does not change the fact that the odds were arguably against Just Dance ever becoming No.1. But Nintendo and Ubisoft both believe the game proves that the Wii’s ship certainly hasn’t sailed yet. “I think it is indicative of the current market and how many actual Wii owners there are in the UK that are looking for a game that is pure and simple fun like Just Dance,” says Ubisoft brand manager Rachael Grant. “If the game is the right game and is targeted at the right audience then there is no reason why third-party publishers can’t become successful on Wii. Just Dance has clearly offered

something unique to casual gamers and is not trying to be something it isn’t – it does what it says on the tin and consumers have embraced its simplicity and concept.” Nintendo’s senior product manager Robert Lowe adds: “It is not hard to have successful titles on Wii and DS if the right commitment is made behind the right product. There is a tendency to assume that third-party games don’t perform on Wii or DS – this is simply not true. “Wii has the biggest home console installed base and is the most successful home console of this generation. It is a potential goldmine for publishers who are willing to support their titles on the format.”

“

JUST THE TICKET And boy did Ubisoft get the support right. As MCV reported just before Christmas, the industry’s average marketing spend was down for Q4 2009 but campaigns were still essential to success. Ubisoft’s extensive efforts to promote Just Dance were a testament to this, making it impossible to deny that marketing played a significant role in the game’s achievements. “Just Dance’s success is down to all the elements of our marketing campaign working together,” says Grant. “Trial and awareness, the current dance craze going on at the moment, great word of mouth, a targeted TV campaign, online and print media support – these all culminated in a great success for Just Dance.” To give the target audience a greater understanding

of Just Dance and its selling points, the game was featured as part of Ubisoft’s nationwide shopping tours, including the Imagine Tour, giving consumers a chance to try it out for themselves. From this, word of mouth spread among the public – something Grant believes had a vital part to play in Just Dance’s rise through the charts. The heavily targeted TV campaign was also crucial. In addition to ad spots secured during key TV shows such as The X Factor, Just Dance was also

Toppling Modern Warfare 2 from the top of the charts is more than just a triumph in the ongoing battles between rival publishers – it’s a great example of shift in the UK’s general gaming demographic, and of the dwindling dominance of self-proclaimed hardcore gamers. Of all the titles that could have risen up in the wake of Call Of Duty’s nineweek chart-topping spree, it was a casual dancing game for Wii that emerged victorious – despite the recent arrival of ‘traditional’ hits such as Bayonetta and Darksiders. Ubisoft, however, believes this was inevitable. “The gaming industry has definitely expanded and changed over the years but there has always been an audience of casual gamers out there who are looking for something that is made with them in mind,” says Grant. “The demographic is not so much changing as evolving and adapting to their surrounding environment. As technology evolves, it is inevitable that more and more people are going to look to new resources for their entertainment fix, such as video games. “The fact that Just Dance was the game to knock Modern Warfare 2 off the top spot shows that the gaming demographic out there is as much casual as it is core and that the casual market is very much alive and kicking. There is a huge audience for fun, social party games that breaks down barriers and brings everyone together.”

Just Dance’s success shows that the gaming demographic out there is as much casual as it is core. Rachael Grant, Ubisoft featured on programmes such as The Gadget Show and Sky One’s Angela & Friends. All this proves that if publishers make the effort to market their titles effectively to the coveted casual audience – which despite its breadth can be somewhat elusive with its irregular spending habits – they can be successful even on the most competitive format. “Just Dance is a well-produced, fun and relevant game that has received full marketing support from Ubisoft,” says Lowe. “They have invested in the marketing in the title both preChristmas and after, having embraced the new sales curve seen by the expanded audience.”

”

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MCV 29/01/10 13

MCV INTERVIEW MATTHEW ALLEN, GENERAL MANAGER, GEM LOGISTICS

Polishing Gem After Gem’s acquisition of Trilogy last year, James Batchelor spoke to general manager Matthew Allen about the distributor’s next step… Now that you are owned by Gem, what is the next step for Trilogy? Trilogy is just a name and the real value in the acquisition was always in the experience of the management team and staff. Gem will shortly be re-branding Trilogy to Gem Logistics and, along with Gem’s existing primary distribution partners including Codemasters and Take Two, will be developing a best of breed distribution solution for DVD, music and video games publishers. The senior management team at Gem have been incredibly supportive and have already committed significant investments to enable us to continue to develop this business. Thanks to Gem’s financial backing, we are all committed to achieving great things and continuing to build on our previous successes. How much will change about the way you currently operate? Fundamentally very little will change as we have managed to retain all of our key staff and will continue to operate as

“

adding value to both our clients and retailer partners. Our general attitude has always been a ‘can do’ one and this will continue as we focus on the future development of the business. Will this department be expanded or streamlined in any way? We absolutely intend to develop this business and Gem’s support makes this possible in a way that I could only have dreamed of before. Expansion is key, but in a controlled manner. And although our development plans are well advanced, it would be premature to announce them now. When the time is right, MCV will be the first to know. Do you still have plans to enter the digital distribution space? How do you plan to accomplish this? This is one of many areas in which Gem is looking to develop their proposition. Whether organically or through further acquisitions, we will absolutely have a part to play in digital distribution.

Gem’s support will enable us to develop this business in a way that I could only have dreamed of before. Matthew Allen, Gem Logistics

a separate business under the existing senior management team. Gem’s investment will see us expand our infrastructure and systems to ensure that we are better placed to develop our services. In this way, we can improve the support that we provide to our existing and future partners. What stays the same? Why is it important to maintain that continuity? I think it is essential for us to keep the business as familiar as possible with a key focus being on service levels and

”

What lessons have you learned from 2009? How will this affect the way you operate this year? In difficult economic times, everything becomes more competitive and ensuring that we never lose sight of our customers’ needs has become even more essential. Having gone through a very tough period, emerging with the majority of our trading relationships intact is a massive testament to the service that we have provided and to the quality of our team. We are committed to ensuring that the support our partners have given us

Now at Gem, Trilogy founder Matthew Allen prepares to develop his distribution business in new ways while still holding true to the practices that made it successful to begin with.

through this difficult period is repaid by unrivalled service in the months and years ahead. What challenges do you now face? Do these differ from those you faced before the acquisition? Running any business is always challenging, and being part of a much larger group will undoubtedly present different challenges. No longer having to worry about the banks will certainly be a pleasant relief and being able to focus all of our energies on developing the business is something that we are all looking forward to. What are your hopes for this year? What do you hope to accomplish? This year is about putting in place the foundations to enable us to become the natural choice for any DVD, music or video games publisher looking for distribution solutions.

There are always many opportunities within the entertainment market and we are already in discussion with a number of potential partners. As the market and our partners’ needs evolve, we will ensure that we evolve with them. What are your long-term goals? Where will the business be in five years’ time? With Gem’s support, I genuinely believe that we will be able to develop an unparalleled business that provides bespoke distribution solutions and more to a broad range of partners. This will include primary distribution, store front distribution, end user fulfilment, web fulfilment, digital distribution or other support services. After more than ten years in this industry, I am convinced that the next five years will be both exciting and challenging and I am looking forward to what the future holds.

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MCV INTERVIEW THE BBC’S NEW GAME PLAN

New World order IT’S NOT OFTEN that companies in the games space get a second chance. Individuals may regroup to form new companies, but usually if a publisher cocks it up and has to make a sharp exit, they are gone for good. The brand dies. Midway, Acclaim, Empire. But the BBC, which famously ran a games publishing business for a decade until the CD-ROM market it was built on crashed and burned, isn’t like other companies when it comes to games. Gatekeeper to a wealth of IP perfect for video games, the BBC may be different things to different people the world over, but for the games industry, it simply wants to be relevant again. LICENCE FEE TO THRILL

“There are two structural changes within the games industry that have made us refocus on this area,” explains Neil Ross Russell, head of children’s and licensing at BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC overseeing the bulk of the broadcaster’s push back into games. “The first is the emergence of what we see as new gaming business models; the growth of the non-boxed product part of the industry, be that casual games, iPhone games, new social games. Anything where the type of user is different, the price point is lower and the volumes are higher. It’s a lot more relevant to the brands we have in our portfolio – brands like Antiques Roadshow, MasterChef, Top Gear and a lot of the quiz shows we have got. There are lots of opportunities to go through the back catalogue as well as do things with the jewels in our crown. We’re looking to see how they can be applied to those new and exciting areas.” The second area, he says, is the clear fact that during this generation of consoles, video games have hit critical mass with consumers: “DS and Wii is relevant to our children’s brands. The size of the installed bases and the positioning of those platforms in particular suits us – the Wii is in the family living room and not the bedroom, and the DS is something that gets

“

passed down to siblings and shared between family members.” Because the BBC is funded by the public’s money via the licence fee, any money-making strategies are handled by the vast Worldwide operation, which creates a ‘church and state’ style relationship between the two. What that means is the BBC as most people see it remains a broadcaster of a diverse array of content, with some distance from its commercial cousin Worldwide, which also handles international distribution of that content overseas. That also means not all of the output viewers love is immediately available as the BBC sometimes retains close control over the rights to some programmes. But Ross Russell and colleague Dave Anderson, head of multimedia development at BBC Worldwide, namecheck a range of properties which prove how committed this new games strategy is. There are effectively three types of content that BBC Worldwide has up for grabs, they explain. The first is the many children’s brands the BBC has broadcast and expanded. Historically, the firm’s youth output is iconic around the world – Teletubbies is the best example, right up to the latest big thing In The Night Garden. Other key brands include Charlie and Lola, 3rd & Bird, and new properties such as ZingZillas. From BBC Worldwide’s point of view,

BBC Worldwide’s Neil Ross Russell (above left) and Dave Anderson (above right) are keenly watching changes in the games industry and how it fits with the properties they look after

global games brand… but Teletubbies, or Charlie and Lola, these are brands we have sold around the world already on TV and The games business changed have big audiences. They so much we would have had are big, global to seriously rethink our place opportunities. “I am the least in it anyway. qualified to design a Dave Anderson, BBC Worldwide game, but it’s easy to see that creates a rare opportunity for how you would translate Charlie and publishers targetting platforms like DS Lola into a video gaming environment. and Wii. It’s no stretch of the imagination.” “Outside of Disney we have the best GROWN UP GAMES known line-up of children’s characters Non-children’s brands make up the around the world – so this is a global other two areas of BBC IP that is poised conversation we’re willing to have. to leap into video games. Perhaps more so for the children’s The first half are the aforementioned brands – I don’t really see A Question of local brands dominated by UK Sport or Match of the Day being a

”

personalities that are culturally specific and won’t exactly work well on a global stage. A Question of Sport, Match of the Day – EastEnders, even. The other brands are of course the ‘box office draw’ that grabs most people’s attention when you say ‘games and the BBC’. Yes, that’s tentpole brands like Doctor Who and other dramas whose adventure qualities suit games well – but don’t forget Top Gear, Strictly Come Dancing, plus Planet Earth and other natural history shows, says Anderson. Strictly has already made the jump to games with its American counterpart Dancing With the Stars turned into a game for the US by UK studio Zoe Mode under the watch of Activision. The tricky licensing web around the brand means it’s still viable for the UK –

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MCV INTERVIEW THE BBC’S NEW GAME PLAN MCV unveiled BBC Worldwide’s plans to re-establish the broadcaster’s games interests last week. Here, Michael French speaks to the firm’s children’s and licensing head Neil Ross Russell and multimedia development head Dave Anderson to find out more…

WHAT ABOUT WHO? SPECULATION has been rife for years that the BBC wants to turn flagship sci-fi drama Doctor Who into a game. But the broadcaster has held off, only allowing Eidos to release Top Trumps: Doctor Who in 2008. That is set to change now that BBC Worldwide has its sights set on interactive content once again. “We’re having a lot of interesting discussions for a variety of ideas around Doctor Who that are complementary to each rather than in competition with each other – boxed

but Anderson says it’s a good example of the challenge BBC Worldwide faces when it comes to basing games on brands that have global appeal but are populated by local talent. He explains: “The challenge is to make something that can be relevant to each territory but isn’t ruinously expensive.” Doctor Who faces a similar challenge – it’s an iconic sci-fi series, but it’s most popular in the UK of course, plus Canada (which co-funds the latest series) and Australia, but not the USA. Yet BBC Worldwide’s thinking is that while the children’s brands are a clear fit for console releases, the rest suit a different scale of games. A console shooter based on Torchwood isn’t necessarily a priority. Instead Anderson

product, console games, virtual worlds and other experiences,” explains Dave Anderson, head of multimedia development at BBC Worldwide. “The deals we are looking at are in different spaces, and probably looking at overlapping but different audiences and are certainly delivering a different kind of experience. “The Doctor Who audience who love that show want to have different experiences around it and it has a huge shelf life going back 40 years. We have to manage and satisfy expectations of both older and younger audiences.”

says platforms like iPhone and Android, plus the rise of Facebook and virtual worlds means the online arena is ideal for the BBC’s latest step into games given content can be produced quickly and cheaply. “I still have nightmares about starting development on a project and then by the time it hit retail the show was no longer on TV,” says Anderson, referring back to the BBC’s previous games experiments. “The TV is a tremendous strength – its our window on the brands. But this is about speed to market and the economics, because you have lower costs you can build UK-specific opportunities and commercial relationships with distributors, plus we can be the publisher. And there are real opportunities to see how we marry our content and interactive opportunities together.” WORLD SERVICE

But expanding the BBC’s formatagnostic view of content to include games is probably a way off – for now, Worldwide wants to control the gaming destiny for brands that already exist. “We’re a content business. But content is no longer simply pushed out by a broadcaster – interactive content is just as valid as TV,” says Ross Russell. “There are a number of our brands where we would much rather have creative control – so that the app or game is clearly still ‘BBC content’.” It’s a far cry from 2005, when the BBC ditched its Multimedia division. “We learnt some lessons before, but the business changed so dramatically that we would have had to seriously rethink our place in what the market used to be anyway,” says Anderson. Fact is, the traditional games market became so insular and publisher dominated towards the end of the last cycle that the BBC probably wouldn’t have fit in even as a company responsible for boxed product. He adds: “Right now, it’s highly unlikely that we will re-enter the boxed product business. There is little case to be made for that. It makes sense to leave that for the consolidated part of the industry where there are less publishers but

where there is scale for distribution that you can let someone else take care of. The nature and scale of our involvement over the next few years is really undecided, but what is interesting is that we are using different skill sets.” He adds that the different licensing deals mean BBC Worldwide’s games activities will range from taking the role of a publisher closely controlling a title’s release, to straight up licensor. “That means the opportunity to work on a case-by-case basis – if a creative company comes up with a great idea for our properties in interactive space, we will look at it in terms of direct licensing but also see how we can establish a different relationship.” That might be hard to grasp for some of the global publishers, who are used to grabbing a timed, format-wide licensing deal for IPs. But it’s important for how the BBC wants to rebuild its place in the games industry, and build new relationships with games companies. “This is not about opportunistic licensing,” says Anderson. “If we wanted to do that we would have done more with these key brands over the last few years. This is about going into the right place and trying to sustain it.” Top Gear, for one, already has a mobile partner, he adds, while Doctor Who will inevitably be supported by a mix of games (see ‘What about Who?’). It’s also about future-proofing the BBC’s place in games, adds Ross Russell. “The boxed product games industry is going the way the movie industry goes – to persuade someone to pay full price you need to either have an incredible game backed with a big budget or something tied to a Hollywood,” he says. “Do we have any properties we could convince people to pay £40 a pop on? We probably do. Are we prepared to put two or three years of development into that? Probably not. We’re realistic about the brands we have and where they fit. “Our strategy reflects the fact we are TV not film. Film burns bright but burns quickly – people will talk about Avatar for weeks, but Match of the Day has been a fixed favourite for years.”

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MCV INTERVIEW OLIVER P. KUHRT, MANAGING DIRECTOR, KOELNMESSE

Com back What was the final verdict on Gamescom 2009? There were more than 245,000 visitors last year, including over 17,000 trade attendees, 458 exhibitors from 31 countries, and there were 1.4 billion media articles written about it. Gamescom set an example in August of last year. The exclusive business area and the spectacular entertainment area, the Game Developers Conference, the games competence focus and the Gamescom festival, all provided the framework of the Gamescom concept, which we’ll further develop in the years to come. And what was the feedback from the attendees? It was positive. The atmosphere in the business area – given the short distances between booths, direct access to the roof of the fair halls, and the attractive lounge and service offer – was very well received. More than 90 per cent of the trade visitors were pleased about their visit to Gamescom and said they’d like to come again. Moreover, the high level of international visitors was a big positive. For instance, ten per cent of all trade visitors came from Great Britain – a satisfactory number that we would like to increase this year. What new additions should visitors look forward to this year? Our aim is to develop the Gamescom framework with regard to new target groups, entertainment and business. Consultations with the industry has helped recognise trends and developments. For example, online and browser games are on the rise. Leading online companies participated as exhibitors in Cologne in 2009, and this year this submarket will get its own theme world at the show, as a part of hall nine of the entertainment area. Furthermore, we will establish two new service tools: online matchmaking and personal planners, which will make the contact management between trade visitors and exhibitors even more efficient.

“

The build-up to Gamescom 2010 has begun, and the organisers say this year will be bigger and better than ever. Christopher Dring speaks to Koelnmesse’s Oliver P. Kuhrt on what we can expect from the show…

Will there be any changes to the business centre this year? We will keep the exclusive concept of the business area and only adapt the opening hours depending on the needs of the exhibitors. Our trade visitors can once again look forward to accessing the roofs of halls four and five without any traffic lights, park there and enter the business area in a kind of ‘drive-in’ way. Short distances, the welcoming lounge and catering areas, adequate hotel capacities – as well as an attractive event programme – will offer all the comforts trade visitors from all over the world will need. With the Gamescom card – which will be sold in the online shop – trade visitors and partners are also granted an additional day with free entrance and numerous advantages on the fair grounds. How many exhibitors and attendees are you anticipating this year? We are expecting more than 245,000 visitors and 485 exhibitors, but we do not want to forecast fixed figures just yet. As we aim to increase the number of trade visitors, we have already started the communication. The demand for exhibition space is very pleasant, new exhibitors are joining in and some are extending their exhibition areas. We have received feedback that Gamescom is fixed in company calendars and that exhibitors have started their trade fair planning far earlier than last year.

KUHRT: Koelnmesse MD says Gamescom set an example for other trade fairs in 2009

industry. Only here, the entire market of interactive entertainment meets, from developer to publisher and trade to consumer. For that Ten per cent of trade visitors matter, the separation of came from Great Britain – a business and entertainment satisfactory number that we’d area guarantees ideal like to increase this year. conditions for successful business and orders. Oliver P. Kuhrt, Koelnmesse Furthermore, Cologne Do you plan to increase the number offers additional highlights beyond the of consumers attending the show? fair grounds, from the Gamescom Further growth is what we want. Even festival to gastronomic meeting points. in 2009 we wanted to increase the number of visitors compared to previous How easy is it to travel to Cologne? shows [Leipzig], and we succeeded. And are there many places to stay? Cologne is situated in the heart of So why should the UK trade attend Europe and can be reached easily and Gamescom this year? quickly. Cologne/Bonn airport connects Gamescom is internationally the biggest Cologne with the international games business and innovation platform for the community in 45 different countries.

”

The airport reaches about 180 destinations and 100 of these routes are covered by low cost carriers, including Cologne to London. Together with other airports situated nearby – Amsterdam, Düsseldorf and Frankfurt – Gamescom is connected to international hubs all over the world. We also offer best booking conditions at www.gamescomcologne.com/travelservice. In cooperation with Air Partner, we are also able to offer individual chartered aircrafts, from helicopters to widebodied aircrafts. For those who’d like to stay in Cologne, Koelnmesse Service offers accommodations with more than 75 partner hotels in all categories, from high-class hotels to motels. All in all, about 80,000 hotel beds are available. For easy booking, use our online service at www.hotelzimmerbuchung.com.

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MCV INDUSTRY EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2010

HOW TO WIN AN

D R A W A V C M s The MCV Industry Excellence Award And this return on Thursday April 22nd. aked year the categories have been twe and ned slightly. Lobbying has now ope for a you have less than a month to try next few position on the shortlist. Over the each of pages we explain the criteria for ut the categories and how to go abo … rds winning one of the coveted awa

MCV AWARD CATEGORIES

2010 RETAIL Star Store Online Retailer res) iler (under 30 sto Independent Reta High Street Chain Supermarket STRY PEOPLE & INDU am Te t en UK Developm am Te n tio Distribu Sales Triumph Sales Team Games Publisher NG PR & MARKETI Peripherals & d Accessories Bran Game Creative ion - any media) (single ad execut PR Team Team Trade Marketing d New Game Bran Game Campaign Marketing Team DS SPECIAL AWAR y Board: or vis Ad MCV Retail on Special Recogniti

TELL US, TELL THE WORLD…

ns an everA fast-moving games business mea 0 event changing trade awards, so our 201 and voting features some tweaked categories procedures. & Accessories New awards include Peripherals single ad execution across Brand and Game Creative – for a door, cinema, print etc. any media, such as TV, radio, out categories and criteria. The next few pages will detail all where we choose the MCV runs a transparent system, s the winners. Finalists and the industry choose lists we give everyone a Fina se tho But before we choose So if you think your chance to lobby for consideration. genuine excellence over company or project has achieved ly, you can lobby on behalf the past year, let us know. Similar rival. of a supplier, customer… even a Vawards@intentmedia.co.uk MC il ema All you have to do is and why. telling us who you are lobbying for

r and are “These awards cover every secto eryone deliberately structured to give ev the chance to compete.” 100-strong Judging Winners are mostly decided by our are named after the event. Panel, who vote confidentially but r will this year be voted However, the PR Team of the Yea ones who should know, specifically by media. They are the Panel will be published in full after all. Again, the PR Judging after the event. voted only by retail and, The Special Recognition Award is Retail Advisory Board. specifically, all members of the MCV pages then have a think So have a nose through the next sidered. about whether you should be con and are deliberately tor sec ry eve These awards cover chance to compete. structured to give everyone the ady, which suggests an The event is almost sold out alre e again this year. intense level of competition onc y, Chiswell Street, It’s at the usual venue, The Brewer London, on Thursday, April 22nd. ned. But we have a few surprises plan See you there. Stuart Dinsey, Publisher, MCV

Grand Prix

award Finalists for each V on MC in d ce un will be anno 26th ry ua br Fe , ay id Fr

Pre-Event Reception Partner

After Party Host ™

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MCV INDUSTRY EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2010

RETAIL AWARDS INDEPENDENT RETAILER

SUPERMARKET Who is eligible for this award? This new award is open to all largescale retail chains that stock video games as part of a wider range that includes grocery, clothing and electrical goods. How is this award won? MCV will take soundings from the industry and consider any direct lobbying from retailers, suppliers or general readers before announcing a set of Finalists on Friday, February 26th The winner is voted for by the Judging Panel, which will consist of around 100 highly regarded industry executives taken from all sectors of the business. Members of the jury vote in confidence and are only revealed after voting is complete. They cannot vote for themselves or associated companies.

Judges will consider the following criteria: Window and in-store merchandising Games-specific marketing activity Sales growth Customer service Product knowledge and range Commitment to street dates How do I make my opinion heard? All MCV readers can put forward a retailer by emailing a nomination to MCVawards@intentmedia.co.uk by Friday, February 19th with a brief summary of why you think it has had an outstanding 12 months.

(UNDER 30 STORES) Who is eligible for this award? This award is back by popular demand and is for any independent retailer operating one or more stores (up to a maximum of 29), which stock video games. How is this award won? MCV will take soundings from the industry and consider any direct lobbying from retailers, suppliers or general readers before announcing a set of Finalists on Friday, February 26th The winner is voted for by the Judging Panel, which will consist of around 100 highly regarded industry executives taken from all sectors of the business. Members of the jury vote in confidence and are only revealed after voting is complete. They cannot vote for themselves or associated companies.

STAR STORE Who is eligible for this award? This award is open to a single branch of any retailer of computer and video games products â&#x20AC;&#x201C; inclusive of independents and chains. How is this award won? MCV will take soundings from the industry and consider any direct lobbying from retailers, suppliers or general readers before announcing a set of Finalists on Friday, February 26th The winner is voted for by the Judging Panel, which will consist of around 100 highly regarded industry executives taken from all sectors of the business. Members of the jury vote in confidence and are only revealed after voting is complete. They cannot vote for themselves or associated companies.

Retail Partner

Judges will consider the following criteria: Sales performance Product knowledge Customer service In-store merchandising and compliance Marketing activity How do I make my opinion heard? All MCV readers can put forward a retailer by emailing a nomination to MCVawards@intentmedia.co.uk by Friday, February 19th with a brief summary of why you think it has had an outstanding 12 months.

ERS PREVIOUS WINN w Street n Birmingham Ne 2007: Gamestatio et re St d for 2008: Zavvi, Ox New Street n, Birmingham 2009: Gamestatio

Judges will consider the following criteria: Customer service Product knowledge Range Window and in-store merchandising Commitment to street dates and an orderly market Marketing activity How do I make my opinion heard? All MCV readers can put forward a retailer by emailing a nomination to MCVawards@intentmedia.co.uk by Friday, February 19th with a brief summary of why you think it has had an outstanding 12 months.

PREVIOUS WINNERS ns for 2010. This award retur include: ers nn wi s Previou 2006: ePlay 2007: ePlay Games 2008: Grainger

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MCV INDUSTRY EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2010

GRAND PRIX

ONLINE RETAILER Who is eligible for this award? This award is open to any retailer which has a significant online offering of computer and video games. How is this award won? MCV will take soundings from the industry and consider any direct lobbying from retailers, suppliers or general readers before announcing a set of Finalists on Friday, February 26th The winner is voted for by the Judging Panel, which will consist of around 100 highly regarded industry executives taken from all sectors of the business. Members of the jury vote in confidence and are only revealed after voting is complete. They cannot vote for themselves or associated companies.

Judges will consider the following criteria: Customer service and delivery Product knowledge and range Commitment to streetdates and an orderly market Games-specific marketing activity Sales growth How do I make my opinion heard? All MCV readers can put forward a retailer by emailing a nomination to MCVawards@intentmedia.co.uk by Friday, February 19th with a brief summary of why you think it has had an outstanding 12 months.

PREVIOUS WINNERS

AWARD s award? Who is eligible for thi active y pan com Any UK-based tive rac inte the hin wit that has entertainment industry critical enjoyed commercial and g highest win sho ilst wh s, ces suc efficiency levels of support and at trade level.

n? How is this award wo rd is awa this of ner win The V. voted for entirely by MC ed until Nothing will be reveal il 22nd. the awards night on Apr

PREVIOUS WINNERS 2003: Microsoft s 2004: Electronic Art 2005: Nintendo 2006: Sony 2007: Nintendo 2008: Nintendo 2009: EA Sports

2003: Gameplay 2004: Amazon 2005: Amazon 2006 Play.com 2007: Play.com 2008: Play.com 2009: Play.com

HIGH STREET CHAIN Who is eligible for this award? This award is open to any retailer running a chain of 30 or more stores, which stocks video games. How is this award won? MCV will take soundings from the industry and consider direct lobbying from retailers, suppliers or general readers before announcing a set of Finalists on Friday, February 26th The winner is voted for by the Judging Panel, which will consist of around 100 highly regarded industry executives taken from all sectors of the business. Members of the jury vote in confidence and are only revealed after voting is complete. They cannot vote for themselves or associated companies.

Judges will consider the following criteria: Customer service Product knowledge Range Window and in-store merchandising Commitment to street dates and an orderly market Marketing activity How do I make my opinion heard? All MCV readers can put forward a retailer by emailing their nomination to MCVawards@intentmedia.co.uk by Friday, February 19th with a brief summary of why you think it has had an outstanding 12 months.

ERS PREVIOUS WINN 2009: GAME

HIP Street, London. Over 600 games TICKETS & SPONSORS l 22nd at The Brewery, Chiswell rds takes place on Thursday, Apri t is always a sell-out. A wide

e Awa , as this even This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s MCV Industry Excellenc to purchase tickets or tables early tigious event. Guests are advised industry executives attend this pres on attendance and sponsorship. are also available. tentmedia.co.uk for more details range of sponsorship opportunities Contact Kathryn.Humphrey@in

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MCV INDUSTRY EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2010

PEOPLE & INDUSTRY

AWARDS

UK DEVELOPMENT TEAM

SALES TEAM Who is eligible for this award? Any UK-based sales team or specialist sales force, including inhouse staff and outsourced service companies. How is this award won? MCV will take soundings from the industry and consider any direct lobbying from publishers, retailers, suppliers or general readers before announcing a set of Finalists on Friday, February 26th The winner is voted for by the Judging Panel, which will consist of around 100 highly regarded industry executives taken from all sectors of the business. Members of the jury vote in confidence and are only revealed after voting is complete. They cannot vote for themselves or associated companies.

Judges will consider the following criteria: Product knowledge Depth of advance information Telesales customer care Field sales reliability Sales performance How do I make my opinion heard? All MCV readers can put forward a particular sales team by emailing MCVawards@intentmedia.co.uk by Friday, February 19th with a brief summary of why you think it has had an outstanding 12 months.

PREVIOUS WINNERS Gem 2003: Microsoft/ soft tre en /C ny So : 2004 on isi 2005: Activ 2006: THQ 2007: THQ 2008: Ubisoft 2009: Sega

How is this award won? MCV will take soundings from the industry and consider any direct lobbying from publishers, retailers or general readers before announcing a set of Finalists on Friday, February 26th The winner is voted for by the Judging Panel, which will consist of around 100 highly regarded industry executives taken from all sectors of the business. Members of the jury vote in confidence and are only revealed after voting is complete. They cannot vote for themselves or associated companies.

How is this award won? MCV will take soundings from the industry and consider any direct lobbying from publishers, developers, retailers or general readers before announcing a set of Finalists on Friday, February 26th The winner is voted for by the Judging Panel, which will consist of around 100 highly regarded industry executives taken from all sectors of the business. Members of the jury vote in confidence and are only revealed after voting is complete. They cannot vote for themselves or associated companies.

Judges will consider the following criteria: Consistency of product quality Sales performance Critical acclaim Innovation How do I make my opinion heard? All MCV readers can put forward a particular developer by emailing their nomination to MCVawards@intentmedia.co.uk by Friday, February 19th with a brief summary of why you think it has had an outstanding 12 months.

PREVIOUS WINNERS North 2003: Rockstar on Studios nd Lo ny So 2004: rth No r 2005: Rocksta eations Cr rre za Bi : 06 20 Tales 2007: Travellerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rs 2008: Codemaste rth No r sta ck Ro : 2009

Award Partner

GAMES PUBLISHER

DISTRIBUTION TEAM Who is eligible for this award? Any distributor active within the interactive entertainment industry.

Who is eligible for this award? The Development Team award looks to recognise and celebrate British games development talent. It is open to any UK-based team or studio irrespective of international ownership.

Judges will consider the following criteria: Speed of service Order fulfillment Customer service Product condition Commitment to an orderly market How do I make my opinion heard? All MCV readers can put forward a particular distribution team by emailing their nomination to MCVawards@intentmedia.co.uk by Friday, February 19th with a brief summary of why you think it has had an outstanding 12 months.

PREVIOUS WINNERS 2004: Gem ft 2005: Centreso ft 2006: Centreso 2007: Koch Media ft 2008: Centreso ft 2009: Centreso

Who is eligible for this award? Any company publishing interactive entertainment software in the UK market that has achieved notable commercial or critical success and generally high levels of performance over the last 12 months.

Judges will consider the following criteria: Sales development Product quality Trade relations Customer service Marketing agility

How is this award won? MCV will take soundings from the industry and consider any direct lobbying from publishers, retailers, suppliers or general readers before announcing a set of Finalists on Friday February 26th The winner is voted for by the Judging Panel, which will consist of around 100 highly regarded industry executives taken from all sectors of the business. Members of the jury vote in confidence and are only revealed after voting is complete. They cannot vote for themselves or associated companies.

How do I make my opinion heard? All MCV readers can put forward a particular company by emailing MCVawards@intentmedia.co.uk by Friday, February 19th with a brief summary of why you think it has had an outstanding 12 months.

PREVIOUS WINNERS 2006: EA 2007: Nintendo 2008: Nintendo Blizzard 2009: Activision

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MCV INDUSTRY EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2010

SALES TRIUMPH Who is eligible for this award? Any publisher – from the biggest corporation to the smallest start-up – has the chance to snap up this award, which will highlight the product that has achieved better-than-expected sales at UK retail. Whether an original software title, a new style of gaming controller or a ‘quirky’ new game that attained surprise hit status, the award will celebrate the over-achiever of the past year. How is this award won? MCV will take soundings from the industry and consider any direct lobbying from retailers, suppliers or general readers before announcing a set of Finalists on Friday, February 26th The winner is voted for by the Judging Panel, which will consist of around 100 highly regarded industry executives taken from all sectors of the business. Members of the jury vote in confidence and are only revealed after voting is complete. They cannot vote for themselves or associated companies.

Judges will consider the following criteria: Sales performance Product expectations Over-achievement

How do I make my opinion heard? All MCV readers can put forward a particular game or publisher by emailing their nomination to MCVawards@intentmedia.co.uk by Friday, February 19th with a brief summary of why you think it has had an outstanding 12 months.

ERS PREVIOUS WINN rd) Warcraft (Blizza 2007: World of Games) 5 (50 ma Ma 2008: Cooking (Bethesda) 2009: Fallout 3

RD RETAIL ADVISORY BOA N SPECIAL RECOGNITIO this award? Who is eligible for within the y or individual active pan com sed -ba Any UK had dealings has t tha ment industry interactive entertain Retail Advisory V MC the by ed ent with the stores repres 12 months. Board over the past ia: the following criter Judges will consider nce ma for Sales per ncy Attitude and efficie tion ova Inn getary constraints Success within bud problem-solving Long-term vision and

Y MCV RETAIL ADVISSOR BOARD MEMBER LISA MORGAN S DUNCAN CROS MARTYN GIBBS DON MCCABE TIM ELLIS KEITH SHARPE SARAH JASPER JON BIGGS AZEEM SADIQ BERS GRAHAM CHAM PETER WILLIS TA IGOR CIPOLLET KER ANTHONY STOC EY STEPHEN STAL JOANNA HUNT AN GURDEEP HUNJ PHIL MOORE

PREVIOUS WINNERS n (Centresoft) 2007: Margaret Pearso m) (Ge 2008: Paul Donnelly do) ten (Nin es Yat y And 2009:

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MCV INDUSTRY EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2010

PR & MARKETING

AWARDS GAME CAMPAIGN Award Partner

NEW GAME BRAND Who is eligible for this award? Any company that has introduced a new game brand over the past 12 months that has made a signficant impact at consumer level within the UK marketplace.

Judges will consider the following criteria: Commercial success Long-term brand potential Innovation and creativity Marketing support and impact

How is this award won? MCV will take soundings from the industry and consider any direct lobbying from retailers, publishers, suppliers or general readers before announcing a set of Finalists on Friday, February 26th The winner is voted for by the Judging Panel, which will consist of around 100 highly regarded industry executives taken from all sectors of the business. Members of the jury vote in confidence and are only revealed after voting is complete. They cannot vote for themselves or associated companies.

How do I make my opinion heard? All MCV readers can put forward a new brand by emailing their nomination to MCVawards@intentmedia.co.uk by Monday, February 19th with a brief summary of why you think it is outstanding and worthy of an award.

PREVIOUS WINNERS 2004: EyeToy DS 2005: Nintendo gs 2006: Nintendo ro 2007: Guitar He s Creed inâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ss sa As : 2008 lanet gP Bi 2009: Little

PR TEAM Who is eligible for this award? The PR team is open to all PR staff who worked on UK games industry campaigns during the past 12 months. Inclusive of in-house departments and retained or project-based agencies. How is this award won? MCV will take soundings from the industry and consider any direct lobbying from publishers, journalists, retailers, suppliers or general readers before announcing a set of Finalists on Friday, February 26th Unlike our other awards, however, MCV will invite a diverse panel of specialist, consumer and mainstream press journalists to help vote for the winner. Members of the jury vote in confidence and are only revealed after voting is complete.

Judges will consider the following criteria: Originality and imagination in the execution of campaigns Effective use of existing materials and creation of new materials Responsiveness and relations with the media How do I make my opinion heard? All MCV readers can put forward a particular PR team by emailing MCVawards@intentmedia.co.uk by Monday, February 19th with a brief summary of why you think it has had an outstanding 12 months.

PREVIOUS WINNERS kie Cooper 2003: Sony/Jac Red ft/ 2004: Microso Red ft/ so cro Mi : 2005 2006: Nintendo 2007: Nintendo 2008: Nintendo 2009: Nintendo

Who is eligible for this award? Any company, whether manufacturer, publisher or retailer, that ran a significant marketing campaign in the UK supporting products or services within the interactive entertainment industry. Media considered includes TV, online, radio, outdoor and print, plus trade marketing and direct initiatives. Details of any relevant agencies will also be included. How is this award won? MCV will take soundings from the industry and consider any direct lobbying from publishers, retailers, suppliers or general readers before announcing a set of Finalists on Friday, February 26th The winner is voted for by the Judging Panel, which will consist of around 100 highly regarded industry executives taken from all sectors of the business. Members of the jury vote in confidence and are only revealed after voting is complete. They cannot vote for themselves or associated companies.

PREVIOUS WINNERS ion 2 2005: PlayStat DS do en nt Ni : 2006 War 2007: Gears of 2008: Halo 3 2009: Wii Fit

Judges will consider the following criteria: Effective communication of product or brand messages Creativity and execution Influence on sales performance Impact versus budget available Media strategy How do I make my opinion heard? All MCV readers can put forward a campaign by emailing a nomination to MCVawards@intentmedia.co.uk by Monday, February 19th with a brief summary of why you think it was outstanding and worthy of an award.

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MCV INDUSTRY EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2010

MARKETING TEAM Who is eligible for this award? Any UK-based marketing team or specialist company that has worked on more than one product or project within the interactive entertainment market over the past 12 months. How is this award won? MCV will take soundings from the industry and consider any direct lobbying from publishers, retailers, suppliers or general readers before announcing a set of Finalists on Friday, February 26th The winner is voted for by the Judging Panel, which will consist of around 100 highly regarded industry executives taken from all sectors of the business. Members of the jury vote in confidence and are only revealed after voting is complete. They cannot vote for themselves or associated companies.

Judges will consider the following criteria: Effective communication of product or brand messages Creativity Influence on sales performance Impact versus budget and resource level How do I make my opinion heard? All MCV readers can put forward a particular marketing team simply by emailing their nomination to MCVawards@intentmedia.co.uk by Monday, February 19th with a brief summary of why you think it has had an outstanding 12 months.

PREVIOUS WINNERS Arts 2003: Electronic Arts 2004: Electronic on isi tiv Ac : 2005 2006: Nintendo 2007: Nintendo 2008: Nintendo 2009: Nintendo

TRADE MARKETING TEAM Who is eligible for this award? Returning for 2010, this award is for

any company or team that worked on product or brand campaigns dedicated to in-store and retail support, inclusive of trade advertising, POS, distribution and merchandising. How is this award won? MCV will take soundings from the industry and consider any direct lobbying from publishers retailers, suppliers or general readers before announcing a set of Finalists on Friday, February 26th The winner is voted for by the Judging Panel, which will consist of around 100 highly regarded industry executives taken from all sectors of the business. Members of the jury vote in confidence and are only revealed after voting is complete. They cannot vote for themselves or associated companies.

Judges will consider the following criteria: Effective communication of product or brand messages Creativity Influence on sales performance Efficiency and customer service How do I make my opinion heard? All MCV readers can put forward a particular marketing team simply by emailing their nomination to MCVawards@intentmedia.co.uk by Monday, February 19th with a brief summary of why you think it has had an outstanding 12 months.

PREVIOUS WINNERS ns for 2010. This award retur include: ers Previous winn do en nt Ni : 05 20 2006: Microsoft 2007: Ubisoft Arts 2008: Electronic

GAME CREATIVE (SINGLE AD EXECUTION â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ANY MEDIA)

PERIPHERALS & ACCESSORIES BRAND Who is eligible for this award? This new award is for any company that designs, distributes and/or manufactures its own brand of peripherals and accessories for use with home consoles, handhelds or PC games.

Judges will consider the following criteria: Innovation Quality of products Marketing Retail strategy Sales

How is this award won? MCV will take soundings from the industry and consider any direct lobbying from retailers, suppliers or general readers before announcing a set of Finalists on Friday, February 26th The winner is voted for by the Judging Panel, which will consist of around 100 highly regarded industry executives taken from all sectors of the business. Members of the jury vote in confidence and are only revealed after voting is complete. They cannot vote for themselves or associated companies.

How do I make my opinion heard? All MCV readers can put forward a particular peripherals brand by emailing their nomination to MCVawards@intentmedia.co.uk by Monday, February 19th with a brief summary of why you think it has had an outstanding 12 months. Award Partner

Who is eligible for this award? This new award is for any single ad creative in any medium (print, online, TV, cinema, etc.) supporting the release of a new PC or video game. Nominations will be shared between both the publisher which commissioned the ad and the agency/design team that created it. How is this award won? MCV will take soundings from the industry and consider any direct lobbying from publishers, creative agencies, retailers or general readers before announcing a set of Finalists on Friday, February 26th The winner is voted for by the Judging Panel, which will consist of around 100 highly regarded industry executives taken from all sectors of the business. Members of the jury vote in confidence and are only revealed after voting is complete. They cannot vote for themselves or associated companies.

Judges will consider the following criteria: Quality of the creative Effectiveness in terms of campaign messaging The creativeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fit with the rest of the campaign Impact on sales How do I make my opinion heard? All MCV readers can put forward a particular peripherals brand by emailing their nomination to MCVawards@intentmedia.co.uk by Monday, February 19th with a brief summary of why you the creative was outstanding and worthy of an award.

www.gamescom-cologne.com

e succ t le p m o c 09 was a 0 2 m o c s game untries o c 1 3 m o r ibitors f • 458 exh visitors 0 0 0 , 5 4 2 an visitors e • More th d a r t l a ternation in % 2 . 3 4 countries • 9 4 m o r f urnalists jo 0 0 1 , 4 •

Koelnmesse Ltd. 4th Floor, 205/207 City Road London EC1V 1JN, Great Britain Phone: +44 20 75 66 6340 Fax: +44 20 75 66 6341 info@koelnmesse.co.uk

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DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION SPECIAL

It is cheaper to buy PC blockbusters such as BioShock 2 from traditional retail than via digital distributors

The Digital Age The PC download market is now as important as its retail counterpart, with some publishers using digital platforms over High Street stores. But with prices on certain games still so high, is the sector holding itself back? Christopher Dring investigates… THERE’S NO hiding from it – digital The retail sector for PC games is in downloads are now a major part of the decline. Earlier this month, ChartTrack video games industry. data showed that PC game sales fell by Last year there were some significant 27 per cent during 2009. releases in the digital space, such as Sony’s PSPgo and Steam has seen year-on-year Rockstar’s GTA IV DLC. growth of more than 100 per Meanwhile, almost every cent for five years running, big new game launch is followed by additional and that looks to continue. downloadable content. Doug Lombardi, Valve Even Nintendo – a firm notoriously cautious when it comes to However, without the inclusion of the internet – is heavily promoting its digital sales in the PC charts, the true Wii and DSiWare services this quarter. state of the market is unknown. For But for all the progress made by the instance, many PC publishers bypass home and portable consoles, the real traditional retail outlets altogether and growth in digital is happening on PC. head straight for the download route.

“

In fact, 1C’s international publishing director Darryl Still told MCV this month that he expects digital sales to eclipse retail by 2011. So the significance of stores such as Steam and Direct2Drive is likely to increase greatly in the year ahead. “Steam has seen year-on-year growth of more than 100 per cent for five years running,” says Valve’s VP of marketing Doug Lombardi. “Every indication shows that growth is likely to continue through 2010 as well. We still have a very long list of new features and functionality we’d like to roll out.”

”

THE DISTRIBUTOR BOOM

The growth in PC digital sales has seen a huge rise in companies trying to get in on the act. New digital distributors are appearing on an almost weekly basis, while traditional retailers are also making moves into the download space. So how much can a growth in digital retailers benefit the sector? “I think it was just a matter of time until the digital distribution market started to grow bigger,” says classic PC games distributor Good Old Games’ marketing manager Lukasz Kukawski “Lots of new services popped up in the last two to three years, and that’s good news for all gamers – the bigger

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DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION SPECIAL

competition on the market the better offers and prices. We’ve picked a niche – classic PC games – which hasn’t been exploited yet.” Oliver Birch, director of digital download marketing and PR agency PlayReplay, agrees: “More digital entrants will provide an industry of niche download services that cater for specific types of gamers. “This is great for smaller indie publishers and developers who want to promote their games to as wide an audience as possible and be able to compete for online exposure.” Although a rise in digital distributors has its benefits, it can be a difficult thing to get right, and a bad distributor can be detrimental to the entire sector. “There are many companies who attempt to enter the digital market but not many who get it right as it’s a very tricky area of business to be in,” says NCSoft’s European marketing manager Marc Berekoven “There are so many factors involved in making digital platforms work well – from download capability to payment systems to customer service. The ones who make successful businesses out of digital platforms are still relatively few.” Valve’s Lombardi adds: “We view competition as healthy for the market – it drives progress and provides customers with choices. We’re a lot more concerned about platforms that don’t provide an enjoyable experience than we are about those posing a threat to Steam’s market share. Everyone stands to suffer if their first experience is a bad one.”

Some PC publishers expect revenue from digital downloads to eclipse retail sales by early next year

“The revenue share model, with fixed prices, rarely provides us with the flexibility to respond to aggressive pricing, and whilst we’re not into driving profit out of the market, we still need to have the ability to compete. “Digital consumers are some of the smartest players around and they just won’t pay a premium for the ability to

PRICING PROBLEMS

One of the biggest The biggest challenge digital challenges for the digital faces is achieving competitive market is the issue of pricing with the High Street game pricing. More often than not, a and online retailers. major new game can be Rich Keen, Direct2Drive bought cheaper on the High Street than through digital download games at home – a process platforms, which has been a big many of them consider should result in deterrent for consumers who might be games being cheaper, not more looking to download. expensive than the High Street.” “The biggest challenge digital Marcus Whitney, sales and business distribution faces is achieving director at game code distributor competitive pricing with the High Street TripleACodes adds: “Pricing is tough as and the traditional online retailers, such the margins are so small. Publishers also as Play and Amazon,” says Direct2Drive’s keep a close eye on these and keep UK marketing director Rich Keen. RRPs consistent across territories and

“

platforms. But, I think pricing with digital should be experimented with more.” That’s not to say everyone has been inflexible with their pricing. Last year saw a selection of publishers trial new models, such as when Eidos allowed consumers to choose their own price for the latest Championship Manager game. Meanwhile, Steam often plays with its prices with regular special offers and promotions. Dan Connor, CEO of digital studio TellTale Games, says: “If you have your own store then experimenting with the pricing model is critical. The digital consumer expects a different experience than the retail consumer and the price point is a big part of that. It’s important to remember that 95 per cent of the content on the internet is free.” Meanwhile, GameStreamer’s EVP of marketing Robb Lewis feels that the industry should try experimenting with entirely new business and pricing models: “We think there’s an

”

opportunity to test things such as rental or tiered subscription packages similar to cable TV,” he said. “This is a much harder rock to move since you have to get the publishers on board as well as the online sellers.” It’s becoming increasingly clear that the digital market for PC has grown, so much so that ChartTrack will be incorporating digital sales into its PC charts over the next few weeks. But the scope for further growth is still huge. New streaming services – such as OnLive – are fast approaching, and digital retailers are experimenting with new business models, such as Green Man Gaming’s trade-in solution. But most excitingly, retail want in on the act. Play, The Hut, HMV and GAME have all talked up their digital strategies, and when these businesses get involved we can expect prices to become more fluid and the number of digital consumers to increase. And maybe next year talk will turn to the revival of the PC sector, and not its continued decline.

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DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION SPECIAL

A digital directory MCV provides a run-down of the key digital delivery firms currently operating in the games industry… AWOMO

GAMESLOAD

NEXWAY

A World of My Own boasts super-quick download speeds, and is also offered as a white label games download service. www.awomo.com

Gamesload is a German download service owned by Deutsche Telekom, which also owns T-Mobile. The company has recently expanded into 20 countries, including the UK and Ireland. www.gamesload.co.uk

Another white label specialist, Nexway has 500 publishing partners and references more than 3,000 games to download. www.nexway.com

GAMESTREAMER See GameStreamer profile is on page 38 www.gamestreamer.com

OTOY Similar to Gaikai and OnLive, OTOY will stream video games to consumers through any web browser on any internet-enabled device. www.otoy.com

GAMETREE GameTree Online is a digital games store targeted at Mac users. It is run by Transgaming, a company that is responsible for delivering many PC titles to the Mac platform. www.gametreeonline.com

BIG FISH Big Fish Games is the largest distributor of casual PC titles. The firm distributes its in-house developed titles as well as those from third-party firms. www.bigfishgames.com

DIGITAL RIVER

GET GAMES Get Games focuses on new, independent, classic and free-to-play PC games. www.getgamesgo.com

GREEN MAN GAMING

Digital River is the firm behind many of the web’s online digital stores, powering digital downloads for THQ, EA and its own store GameZone. www.digitalriver.com

DIRECT2DRIVE

The new platform doesn’t launch until March, but will allow consumers to trade-back their digital games for money off their next purchases. www.greenmangaming.com

GOOD OLD GAMES

See Direct2Drive profile on page 39 www.direct2drive.co.uk

EA STORE See EA Store profile is on page 37

Good Old Games is a digital platform focused on classic PC games. Games are available for between £4 to £6, and all have been made compatible with today’s operating systems. www.gog.com

IMPULSE Gaikai is the rival to OnLive, although co-founder Dave Perry insists Gaikai is not going after the same mass-consumer audience and instead hopes it’ll become a tool for publishers (and even Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft) to deliver their games to any web browser. www.gaikai.com

The games-on-demand service promises to change the way games are consumed. It hasn’t launched yet, but Take-Two, Ubisoft, EA, THQ, Codemasters, Atari, Epic and Warner are all on board. www.onlive.com

SPROCKET

www.eastore.com

GAIKAI

ONLIVE

Impulse is a digital distribution platform by software specialists Stardock, featuring big budget games and indie-developed titles. www.impulsedriven.com

Operated by IDEA Games – an association of indie developers – Sprocket sells games from its member studios – which includes Bohemia, Black Element and Altar Games. www.sprocketidea.com

STEAM See Steam profile on page 39 www.steampowered.com

GAMEHOUSE

YUMMY INTERACTIVE

GameHouse offers a range of digital downloads for Mac (as well as PC), and sells more family-friendly mainstream games. It is operated by Real Networks. www.gamehouse.com

Yummy is a US-based white label provider and offers games-on-demand, subscription and rental services. It also runs its own digital store. www.yummygames.com

GAMERSGATE The GamersGate digital store allows you to download games without a client, and features in-game chat and web browsing powered by PlayXpert. www.gamersgate.com

METABOLI Metaboli provides white label sites for companies such as GAME. The firm offers a subscription-based games-on-demand service, in addition to a downloadto-own platform. www.metaboli.co.uk

WILD TANGENT The large family and casual games portal is available pre-installed on many new PCs worldwide, including, HP, Dell, Toshiba and Acer machines. www.wildtangent.com

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DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION SPECIAL: PROFILE

[EA STORE]

Electronic Art’s digital commerce marketing manager for Europe and Asia, Shane Bellamy tells us all about the EA Store…

What is the EA Store? EA Store is the online destination where people can download games, expansion packs, downloadable content and direct from EA to their PCs. We feature upcoming games to pre-order and preload, digital exclusive content, the latest new releases and an impressive back catalogue of EA titles. What makes your platform unique compared to the others? It’s not a platform, for a start. It’s simply a website – so you can visit it from anywhere you can get online, and that means you can browse and purchase at work or college, then download at home. It also means you don’t have to be online to play a game from EA Store – good for people with decent laptops. But once you’re at the Store, we provide exclusive content direct from EA studios, plus other exciting reasons to buy (for example, guaranteed beta access to the Bad Company 2 beta) for our customers. What type of customer do you serve? A whole range – when I started with EA Store, it felt as though our audience predominantly comprised of hardcore gamers, FPS and RPG fans that had the

The EA Store team: Bellamy (left) and product marketing manager, Emma Fisci (right)

best tech and had paid for the top broadband solutions. But with time and increased knowledge of our customers we see that it’s a much wider spread than that. To demonstrate this, our two best ever selling titles have been Dragon Age: Origins and The Sims 3. For me, this shows we have a strong and wide audience base and more people embracing digital content every day.

be in honing their skills before the masses come online, whereas for more casual gamers that means they have plenty of time to download the game before it’s released. Once a game has been around for a while, we can look at promotions, additional content and other added value offers. At the time of writing we have a ‘Games for under a tenner’ promotion on Store which has a good choice of old favourites, plus some new and upcoming titles like Battlefield 1943. We also look at promotions on older titles for a good period before the latest in that series comes out. www.eastore.com 01483 463000 What kind of offers do you promote through your store? For new titles, we offer pre-load, exclusive content, beta access, etc. Pre-load has been a great addition to EA Store as it allows our customers to begin the download process days before the release date. Then, at the point of release, there’s a short conversion process and you’re in, nice and early. For hardcore fans that means they can

What are your ambitions for this year? We’ve made massive steps in the past year in how early we can get products up and this will only improve. Right now you can pre-order Command & Conquer 4, which launches in March, with guaranteed beta access. We’re already working on titles due in April, May and June. We’re also putting a lot of work in with the studios, looking at what exciting content we can offer our customers on new releases. There are some bigger changes to EA Store in the works too.

RELEASE DATE: 19TH FEBRUARY 2010 RICH & DETAILED GRAPHICS FROM THE CREATIVE TEAM BEHIND “THE CURSE OF MONKEY ISLAND” SWITCH BETWEEN 3 PLAYABLE CHARACTERS USING SPECIAL GHOST POWERS TO SOLVE INNOVATIVE PUZZLES NUMBER 5 IN THE “MOST ANTICIPATED ADVENTURE GAMES” - JustAdventure.com Visit: www.ghost-pirates.com for more information. Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island © 2009 dtp entertainment AG. All rights reserved. Developed by Autumn Moon Entertainment. Distributed by Lace Mamba Global Ltd All company names, brand names, trademarks and logos are the property of their respective owners.

CHALLENGING PUZZLES

For sales contact Glenn Hayes tel: 07919 415 728 email: glenn@lm-global.net

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DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION SPECIAL: PROFILES

[GAMESTREAMER]

MCV speaks to GameStreamer’s EVP of marketing Robb Lewis to discuss the firm’s ever-evolving digital offer…

What is GameStreamer? GameStreamer is a digital platform service provider, developing innovative technology for the digital distribution, commerce and social engagement of video games. We have built the first truly enterpriseclass digital distribution platform for digital media and sell our products as software-as-a-service solutions. What makes your platform unique compared to the others? Unlike other service providers that cobble together third-party services and don’t develop their own technology, we develop our own IP. Our primary differentiator is the GameStreamer proprietary streaming technology. This tech produces a readyto-play stream that negates the need for consumers to install games. It also allows them to play a game after just a very small percentage has been delivered over the internet. But this is just the beginning. GameStreamer technology will bring in the next-generation of gaming – Instantaneous Gaming Anywhere. GameStreamer’s streaming technology architecture is built to support streaming

enables games to be merchandised across a number of third party websites. Premium offerings we are developing include integrated achievement rewards, player matching systems, and social network integration. For website owners, our base offering is a white label software-as-a-service turn-key game store. All stores contain online merchandising and management tools and website operators can select from multiple store templates and refine the style sheet directly to achieve the desired store design. Premium offerings include fully customisable templates, private domains with SSL cert, newsletter creation and distribution as well as the option to have GameStreamer manage the store.

GameStreamer www.gamestreamer.com 0203 318 4226

delivery to any connected CE device, such as set-top-boxes, internet connected TVs, mobile phones, home entertainment systems, even in-vehicle entertainment systems – enabling games to be streamed over next generation LTE networks to cars connected to the cloud. We demonstrated this at CES. Additionally, we have taken a financial market approach to digital distribution: we have built out a large, distributed

multi-honed network across two continents for today’s market and will be expanding into more data centers in the future. Speed and uptime are critical to our business. What type of customer do you serve? We serve two primary customers: publishers and website owners. For game publishers, our base offering is a digital distribution solution that

What kind of offers do you promote through your store? We have a number of different offers going on at any one time. As a baseline, we ensure our distribution partners are aware of publisher promotions and ensure the stores are all merchandising the right promotions. We also work with publishers to craft marketing campaigns unique to our channel and sometimes for a specific distribution partner.

agile online marketing™ We are a trusted digital distributor for publishers and developers. • Contact us if you are a publisher developer wishing to expand your digital business. We can help you with our network of over 100 channels across 34 territories. • If you are an online business looking for a reliable and stable supply of digital product please also contact us. Now is a great time to expand your digital business, we look forward to hearing from you.

www.tripleacodes.com

We are the only Marketing & PR agency focused exclusively on the effective promotion of digitally distributed games on all of the download platforms. • XBLA • DSiWare

• PSN/PSP • iPhone

• PC Download • Virtual Worlds

• WiiWare • MMO

Don’t let your game disappear!

sales@tripleacodes.com

nima

DESIGN I DIGITAL I LITHO

www.PlayReplay.net enquiries@PlayReplay.net twitter.com/PlayReplay

TEL: +44 (0)20 7138 1062

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DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION SPECIAL: PROFILES

[STEAM]

[DIRECT2DRIVE]

Valve’s VP of marketing Doug Lombardi tells MCV how Steam remains the most popular digital platform…

Marketing director Rich Keen discusses the advantages and future of IGN’s download service…

What is Steam? Steam is a leading platform for the delivery and management of PC games with over 25 million accounts, and over 1,000 games from over 100 publishers and developers around the world.

DIRECT2DRIVE has sister companies such as IGN.com, FilePlanet and GameSpy, which provide a breadth and depth to its services that are both unique and constantly evolving. At its heart, Direct2Drive is about delivering triple-A and indie PC and Mac games to anyone that wants to play, with an easy access solution coupled with depth of content and great customer service. As a result we enjoy a broad range of customers – we’re incredibly proud of the serious committed players who use our site, yet we’re also pleased that we’ve been able to attract more casual gamers. By being aligned with the demo and patch distribution community of FilePlanet, we’re able to provide MMOs and publishers the ability to drive beta and demo programs as well as full price pre-order promotions. Incentivisation of consumers is a necessity within digital distribution. We have knowledgeable and demanding customers and we have learnt over the years that offering value for money isn’t always about discounts.

What type of customer do you serve? Steam services over 25 million accounts worldwide with games that span from the latest ground-breaking independent titles to top selling blockbusters. What makes your platform unique compared to the others? The majority of other systems are simply download services – they offer games for purchase and nothing more. Steam offers a host of services for customers, such as the ability to access their game and game data from any PC, social networking services via the Steam Community, and more. There is also plenty for publishers and developers, such as Steamworks’ services offered free to developers includes antipiracy systems for tangible and electronic goods, support for paid DLC, and more.

Steam www.steampowered.com What kind of offers do you promote through your store? Steam offers a variety of special promotions for publisher and retailers. These include ‘Free Weekends’, ‘Gifting’ and more – all of which are trackable via Steam’s backend reporting so publishers and developers can see in great detail the success of failure or each promotion run.

Direct2Drive www.direct2drive.co.uk Many consumers are motivated by exclusive content, or early access and pre-load. For others, it’s about exclusive bonus content and competitions. Even within price promotions, consumers respond to varying types of offers depending on the title. In short, price alone cannot provide the perfect solution to product promotion – it has to be part of a range of incentives.

For sales contact Glenn Hayes tel: 07919 415 728 email: glenn@lm-global.net

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MCV INTERVIEW NIK BLOWER, SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR, NORDIC GAMES

Nord Focus Up and coming publisher Nordic Games enjoyed a highly successful year in 2009 thanks to a strong line-up for its UK debut. James Batchelor speaks with the firm’s sales and marketing director Nik Blower about how this was accomplished…

What were Nordic’s 2009 highlights? At launch, when there was plenty The major success was of course of stock in retail, the only music title launching our first titles across the PAL selling more than We Sing was SingStar region. Those being Kart and Truck Take That. Outside of the UK the Racer, Dance Party Pop Hits and Club picture was even better – the worst Hits – eight SKUs in all. We also found position we had was still in the Top 10. some fantastic distributors to work with, all of which have been more supportive How important is the UK market to than the economic situation would have your business? led us to expect. For us, this varies depending on the title In product terms, We Sing is the and format. In the UK, We Sing was shining star for us. The initial reaction strongest compared with other markets, was mixed, but we had the majority of but only just – Kart Racer and Dance the big guys coming to us during Gamescom to Packaged and priced discuss distribution, or correctly, our games will find poke around to see what the right consumers instead we were doing. We sold out at launch, of the bargain bin. we sold out our second Nik Blower, Nordic Games shipment and now we are doing our best to keep up with demand. Party Wii were by far the strongest overall. We are also naturally strong in the Nordics, especially on PS2.

“

Blower claims sensible pricing is just as important as quality when aiming for success on Wii

What challenges do you face as a new publisher, and what have you done to overcome them? The first challenge is getting people to listen. If you don’t begin your pitch with big numbers, a lot of people turn off. But if you go in with big numbers and never reach them, the same thing happens. So it took some time to gently persuade people to give us a go, even if we weren’t offering big volumes with big marketing and bigger licences. We also had to source accessories to complement our games, which in itself was very time consuming and often complicated, but our leader – Pelle Lundborg – is exceptionally smart and he solved this without any drama. Have you faced many difficulties getting your titles into retail, and has the use of new IP helped or hindered this? It is always tricky to generate interest for new IPs and notnew genres. Many retailers have preferred partners too, making the challenge even more exciting. The upside of a new IP

is it takes some explaining, during which time you can involve people in the journey of the game’s creation. Whilst Dance Party and Kart Racers were selfexplanatory, We Sing had something worth talking about. The Wii market is often criticised for being oversaturated with poor quality third-party titles. What have you done to avoid being tarred with the same brush? The key to not being one of the many companies making rubbish games is to build one that makes good games. We quickly realised the benefits of making the quantum leap from Dance Party ‘s level of production to that of We Sing. That’s not to say every game we make will score in the top percentile of Metacritic, but packaged and priced correctly they will find the right consumers instead of the bargain bin.

”

A key selling point for your titles was the affordable price tag. Do you plan to stick to this price bracket, or will you venture into full price products? We try our best to make the price relative to the overall product. Apart from typical online discounts, you’ll struggle to find our games reduced or in multi-buys anywhere. In fact, We Sing’s price actually rose in some outlets. We carefully manage our supply of stock and always offer the right price. In relation to pricing itself, we don’t categorise between budget or full price. The price of our games will reflect their quality and value and have more to do with what consumers would be happy to pay than fitting in to a price category. What lessons have you learned? That two blokes, a little cash from a ‘parent’ and a fantastic production agency can both launch products and have a bonafide hit. Also, the same two blokes and their agency need very understanding and patient families.

mcv Feb Frenzy advert:Layout 1 25/01/2010 16:16 Page 1

For more information on the fantastic offers available throughout this promotional period, contact your Gem account manager on 01279 822822 or go online at www.gem.co.uk/februaryfrenzy Terms and conditions apply Offers available for a limited time only and while stocks last

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