MCV906 January 27th by Future PLC

THE BUSINESS OF VIDEO GAMES

TAKING YOUTUBE SERIOUSLY

ISSUE 906 FRIDAY JAN 27TH/FEB 3RD 2017

MEET THE PEOPLE MANAGING THE MEDIA’S NEW STARS P20

SWITCHING UP Everything you need to know about Nintendo’s new machine, its release slate and what the industry thinks PAGE 16

WHO’S THE MAN?

BOXING CLEVER

As the bald assassin comes to physical retail, developer IO Interactive explains why it went episodic for Hitman 2016

With Yooka-Laylee and Sniper Elite 4, Sold Out’s Garry Williams has his sights on the publishing big leagues

PAGE 24

PAGE 22

PLUS HALO WARS 2 ■ ABZU ■ MINI METRO 01 MCV906 Cover_V3.indd 1

25/01/2017 18:28

NEWS NINTENDO SWITCH

UK retail optimistic about Switch, but divided on its price Publisher’s new console is still expected to be a Day One purchase despite higher than expected cost

By Alex Calvin THE Nintendo Switch has been priced and dated, and though games retail is positive about the machine itself and its first year line-up, the £280 price-point has proved divisive. Speaking to MCV, execs at UK stores point to a premium feel and build for Nintendo’s new machine, and praise its release slate for its first year. And while they say that the price point of £280 is higher than expected, they doubt it is going to harm its prospects on launch. “Although the Day One slate is thin, the titles to come over the quarter should make up for this,” said Robert Lindsay, the managing director of Scottish indie chain Games Centre. “The price point is a little higher than expected, although I don’t see this affecting sales on launch. Further down the line this will need to come down if they are to attract the masses.” The concerns about Switch’s price point are echoed by GameSeek managing director Stephen Staley. In fact, he was so convinced Nintendo’s new machine would come in at below £200 that he put this as the preorder price for the new console. “It’s really exciting – we are all looking forward to the launch of the Nintendo Switch here at GameSeek and not only myself but many staff members will be purchasing one. We all grew up playing Nintendo and eagerly look forward to playing this latest console,” he said. “Sadly, though, I believe the price is too expensive. It should have been £199.99. Nintendo had an amazing chance here to get off to a great start but I think £279 is too high. “When we priced the Switch on our website for pre-order we did so at £198.50. We sold nearly a thousand units. Good news to our

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The Nintendo Switch is set to launch worldwide on March 3rd and will cost £279 in the UK. Above, left to right: The Hut Group’s Fethers, Games Centre’s Lindsay, GameSeek’s Staley and Insert Coin’s Long

customers though, for everyone that pre-ordered it at £198.50 we are going to honour all orders quite simply because I am extremely passionate about the video game industry and believe the customers deserved this at the £200 mark.” However, The Hut Group games and tech boss Mike Fethers is convinced by the Switch’s hardware, as well as its launch line-up. “I’m really excited by what I’ve seen,” Fethers told MCV. “Nintendo and its partners have gone for quality over quantity for its announcements. It’s a Day One purchase for me. It justifies its price point through the portable element. Everything feels great

The price point is a little higher than expected, although I don’t see this affecting sales on launch. Robert Lindsay, Games Centre

in the hand and you know a lot of effort has gone into it.” Dan Long of merchandise firm Insert Coin was also widely positive: “It’s always exciting when new hardware is announced but I think Nintendo have pitched the Switch very well,” he said. “It was so important to deliver something distinct, innovative and unique, and they’ve definitely hooked into the things that gamers want from their next Nintendo experience. Sensibly priced and armed with a solid range of titles to support it too, this is definitely a launch to get excited about.” Turn to page 16 to read more on the Switch as well as what the wider industry thinks

www.mcvuk.com

25/01/2017 18:31

YOUTUBE MANAGEMENT NEWS

‘Running a YouTube channel is a business and must be approached as such’ By Marie Dealessandri WITH the number of YouTubers on the rise, influencers should aim to be more professional if they wish to be successful in their field. That’s according to Henry Clay, founder and director at YouTube talent management agency Hype Management. Talking to MCV, he discussed what could be done to prevent online controversies as well as how gaming YouTubers should try and prepare for what lies ahead in the future. “Outside content creation, professionalism is key. Running a YouTube channel is a business and must be approached as such, from time management and forward planning to client relationship management and brand building,” he told MCV.

“And those YouTubers who adopt the more professional approach will certainly be more successful in the commercial side of their operations.” Clay added: “YouTube is saturated with content, so in order to build a successful channel you have to stand out from the crowd.” His stance was supported by uChannel Management’s director Sam Barkaway, who called for YouTube to provide more explicit guidelines on how influencers can avoid controversy. “YouTube changed its policies in 2016, so a solid list on the matter would lay the groundwork for influencers knowing what’s right and wrong,” he said. Turn to page 20 to read more from Henry Clay and Sam Barkaway on YouTubers

Above left to right: Hype Management’s Clay and uChannel’s Barkaway

THE EDITOR WHAT PRICE BREXIT? OUR colleagues over on Toy News have been kept very busy of late with Toy Fair 2017. The big news being that toy prices are set to rise by 15 per cent due to the sterling’s fall. Not bothered by that? Then maybe the news that beer prices are on the up, too, with most of the big brewers edging them up by a few per cent will catch your attention. Don’t have kids? Don’t drink beer? Well, how long before game prices start to rise, too? Apple made the first move, increasing prices on the App Store to put the pound on par with the dollar. Surely, more price rises can’t be far behind. Despite the strength of UK developers, most games are made overseas and UK gamers’ cash simply isn’t paying developer’s wages at the same rate it was a few months

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back. And if the game’s publisher counts its profits in dollars or euros, then that’s a problem, too. Now there are a lot of costs related to games that aren’t going to change. The price of marketing, advertising, what goes to retailers - that’s all in sterling, so fair’s fair. But still, the industry’s going to have to make some tough choices. Of course, there may be an upside to all this. With a weak pound and a lax tax regime, the UK could become a haven for cheap games floating just off Europe, like a kind of gigantic Jersey from the Play.com era. That company was turning over $400m a year thanks to a tax loophole, so just imagine how much UK retailers could make from European gamers if the situation was favorable.

With a weak pound and a lax tax regime, the UK could become a haven for cheap games floating just off Europe.

Speaking of Brexit, it also looks like it’s affected Switch’s pricing. Compared to the US, it’s actually £15 less than the current paltry exchange rate plus VAT would suggest. Certainly not the usual ‘rip-off UK’ prices we’re used to. If price is a problem then there’s an easy way for Nintendo to fix this: create a Switch Box. If you can squeeze all the parts into a slender tablet-like device, then fitting them into a dinky, Apple TV-sized box surely won’t be a problem. With no screen, battery, dock, speakers, casing, or complex two-part controller, that’s a lot of money saved. Given the chipset inside, I reckon a Switch Box could be around £100 less than the Switch itself. Given the choice, I know which device I’d buy on launch day. sbarton@nbmedia.com

January 27th 2017

25/01/2017 18:31

NEWS MINICLIP

Miniclip eyes console publishing as next big venture By Katharine Byrne MOBILE and browser game publisher Miniclip says it hopes console games will become a big part of its portfolio going forward. The firm is due to enter this market for the first time next month with the release of Saber Interactive’s MX Nitro, a follow-up to the Motocross Nitro browser game, which is set to launch on PS4, Xbox One and PC on February 14th. Miniclip originally started out in 2001 as a free, browser-based gaming website before eventually branching out to publish mobile games on Android, iOS and Windows Phone platforms. It now has over 200m active monthly users and in 2016, its mobile game portfolio reached 1bn downloads. “We’re going to be putting our all into [MX Nitro] and hoping we can achieve big things,” Miniclip CEO Rob Small told MCV.

“We’re branching out into console with MX Nitro because we see it as a great opportunity to explore a new area of the industry and hopefully make a success out of it. The more great games we can make, and the more places that people can play them, the better. As for more console games, I would love for this to be a big part of our company going forward.” Matthew Karch, founder and CEO of Saber Interactive added: “We’ve lavished all the skill and polish we’ve practised on the triple-A titles we’ve developed for clients, like Halo Online and Quake Champions, on our own title, MX Nitro. We’re superexcited to be working with Miniclip again, and are looking forward to cementing our relationship with this game, which we hope will be the first of many successful, future collaborations.”

Miniclip's Small (pictured) hopes to 'achieve big things' with MX Nitro

Halo Wars 2 could take RTS games to a wider audience By Alex Calvin MICROSOFT and Creative Assembly collaboration Halo Wars 2 has the potential to be a RTS game for everybody. That’s according to Creative Assembly's console creative lead Alistair Hope, who told MCV that the combination of Creative Assembly’s experience in the RTS genre with the Total War franchise and Microsoft’s mass market Halo IP could bring strategy titles to a much wider audience than before. “This was a great opportunity to make a RTS for everyone,” Hope said. “We were big fans of the Halo universe, we really like the original Halo Wars and being given the opportunity to make a sequel was just something we leapt at. “It’s that combination of our heritage in making strategy games plus this amazing universe – combining those

Hope (pictured) said Halo Wars 2 could become a 'RTS for everyone'

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things could really take strategy games to a wider audience. There’s great potential there. That was probably our biggest focus – making sure we could give a wider variety of gamers an experience within Halo Wars 2 that they’d find really engaging, satisfying and rewarding.” He continued: “There are more people playing strategy games than ever before. One of the goals for us with Halo Wars 2 was to make a game where people would play it and then say they didn’t realise they liked strategy games. “If players want a fun and engaging experience, this is the game for them. It’s exciting taking Halo Wars to Windows 10 – we’re taking Halo in a really big and meaningful way, to PC for the first time in years. That opens up the potential audience to Halo and Halo Wars 2 enormously.”

www.mcvuk.com

25/01/2017 18:22

BIG STORY NEWS

ZENIMAX VS OCULUS TRAIL GOES TO COURT ZENIMAX’S lawsuit against Oculus claiming the Rift was built using stolen technology when John Carmack departed id Software has finally come to court in the US. ZeniMax originally started its suit against Oculus in 2014. ZeniMax also claims Oculus later destroyed evidence of the theft, but the latter has denied all allegations. Carmack, Mark Zuckerberg and Oculus founders Palmer Luckey and Brendan Iribe have all provided testimony. During proceedings, Carmack revealed he had indeed copied files from ZeniMax, but it's currently unclear whether Oculus then used those files to help create its Rift headset. It was also revealed that Facebook paid $3bn for Oculus rather than the previously reported figure of $2bn.

WHAT THE PRESS SAID...

WHAT THE INDUSTRY SAID...

...AND WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

WIRED reported that one of the big issues lying at the heart of this case is what it means to steal code, “a question that’s at least as philosophical as it is technical”. Polygon also noted that the history between the involved parties was “a complicated and entwined one". Rock Paper Shotgun noted that, “the first sticking point is that ZeniMax shared itss work and improvements with Luckey under NDA but claim Oculus have never received permission or a license to use them commercially or share them with others.” Forbes, however, said that, having read the complaint, it “leaves the impression that ZeniMax’s lawyers have done their job in presenting a compelling condemnation of Oculus.”

IN a statement provided to Polygon, Oculus dismissed the lawsuit as a waste of time. “Oculus and its founders have invested a wealth of time and money in VR [...]. We’re disappointed that another company is using wasteful litigation to attempt to take credit for technology that it did not have the vision, expertise, or patience to build.” ZeniMax, meanwhile, has remained silent, but its complaint contains the following statement: “Luckey lacked the training, expertise, resources, or knowhow to create commercially viable VR technology. His computer programming skills were rudimentary, and he relied on ZeniMax[...] to demonstrate the prototype Rift.”

THE case likely won't finish for another week, but much of the remaining testimony will no doubt focus on whether Oculus did or did not use the code Carmack acquired before he left id Software. If ZeniMax wins this lawsuit, the company could potentially demand an injunction against the sale of the Rift headset. This could also impact Samsung’s Gear VR headset, which also uses Oculus' virtual reality technology. ZeniMax has neither confirmed nor denied whether it will seek an injunction if its suit is successful, but if this does come to pass, it would no doubt deliver a “devastating blow” to the fledgling VR industry, says Polygon. All eyes will be on the trial next week as we await the final verdict.

EVENTS CALENDAR MARCH 2017 ......................................................................... MCV AWARDS 2017 The Brewery, London Thursday, March 9th ■ The MCV Awards, now in their 15th successful year, are returning for 2017 to recognise the best and brightest the UK games industry has to offer. ■ The 21 main categories are judged by a panel of members of the games industry while Store Manager, Unsung Hero and Person of the Year are selected by the MCV team. ■ For more information on the ceremony, simply head to the event’s website – www.mcvawards.com

EGX REZZED 2017 Tobacco Dock, London Thursday, March 30th Saturday, April 1st ■ Indie-focused EGX Rezzed will give

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PRESENTS

5 SECOND FACTS

gamers the opportunity to play PC and console games before they're released, meet the creators behind these games, chat with recruiters, play board games, buy merchandise and more. ■ BioShock creator Ken Levine will headline EGX Rezzed on Thursday, March 30th.

LONDON GAMES FESTIVAL 2017 London Thursday, March 30th Sunday, April 9th ■ After its first edition last year, the London Games Festival is returning in 2017 from March 30th to April 9th. ■ Games London expect 50,000 people to attend this year's edition, after 38,000 people gathered last year. ■ The 2017 London Games Festival will open with EGX Rezzed and, like last year, will include the British Academy Games Awards, on April 6th, and the Now Play This fest, from April 7th and 9th.

EA Access subscribers will be able to play Mass Effect Andromeda a week before its launch

$5bn

A new report from ESPN suggests around $5bn was made from CS:GO skin gambling

2.5m

Chucklefish has announced that Starbound has sold over 2.5m copies

$7.8m

Crowd-funding platform Fig has raised $7.8m in its first round of venture capital financing

3rd

The Nintendo Switch will launch worldwide on March 3rd 2017 AG Prismatic Controller - PDP Design and manufacture the Afterglow Prismatic Controller for Xbox ONE Officially licensed by Microsoft europesales@pdp.com

www.pdp.com

January 27th 2017

25/01/2017 18:22

NEWS INTERNATIONAL IN ASSOCIATION WITH

United States games market hits $30.4bn in 2016 THE American games market is on the rise, with consumer spending increasing by $200m (£159m) in 2016. That’s according to a report from US games trade body the ESA and market tracker NPD, which says the nation’s games industry generated $30.4bn (£24.18bn) in 2016. 2015’s figure was $30.2bn (£24.02bn). That includes revenue from hardware, software, accessories and in-games purchases. Software revenue rose six per cent year-on-year, with $24.5bn (£19.4bn) generated by sales of boxed and digital games, mobile titles, DLC, subscriptions and ‘other revenue streams’. $23.2bn (£18.4bn) was made in 2015. “2016 was another enormous year for the interactive entertainment industry,” said ESA president and CEO Michael D. Gallagher. “The industry’s innovative genius and ability to engage and delight billions of gamers worldwide delivered another record performance.” Meanwhile, NPD’s report for the console and PC market in 2016 paints a slightly bleaker picture. The market tracker reports that $12.16bn (£9.67bn) as made from

hardware, console and PC software and accessories – a 12 per cent dip. NPD says that hardware revenue dropped 24 per cent to $3.68bn (£2.92bn). Console software revenue – from both physical and digital releases – saw a six per cent dip to $5.79bn (£4.60bn), while PC game revenue rose five per cent. Accessories and peripherals revenue – which includes subscription and full game download cards - fell six per cent to $2.35bn (£1.86bn). “2016 was a tough year for hardware spending,” NPD video games industry analyst Sam Naji said. “The average retail price for consoles declined compared to 2015. On a positive note, Nintendo did shift an additional four per cent of 3DS systems thanks in large part to the heightened demand for Pokémon.” He continued: “Total hardware spending reached $3.7bn (£2.9bn), a decline of 24 per cent versus 2015. The release of the Xbox One S and the PS4 Pro did not generate dollar spending growth. Although the combined ARP for the Xbox One and PS4 systems decreased by 15 per cent, consumers bought seven per cent fewer units.”

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare was the best-selling game of the year in the US

THE 2016 TOP TEN IN THE US

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10

Xxx.

CALL OF DUTY: INFINITE WARFARE ACTIVISION Title Battlefield 1 The Division NBA 2K17 Madden NFL 17 Grand Theft Auto V Overwatch Xxx Call of Duty: Black Ops III FIFA 17 Final Fantasy XV

Publisher EA Ubisoft 2K Games EA Rockstar Blizzard Activision EA1 Square Enix

505 Games parent company buys Assetto Corsa studio SIM racing game Assetto Corsa has a new owner, as developer Kunos Simulazioni has been purchased by italian company Digital Bros – which also owns publisher 505 Games - for £3.7m. £2.36m of that figure is cash; half that amount is being paid now, with the rest coming in one year’s time. Meanwhile, the additional £1.37m is being paid through Digital

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Bros issuing 150,000 ordinary shares at a price of £9.12 each. Kunos Simulazioni had previously partnered with 505 Games to release Assetto Corsa on PS4 and Xbox One, while it self-published the title on Steam. Digital Bros revealed that the game has sold 1.4m copies worldwide to date. Digital Bros MD Raffaele Galante commented: “These two transactions clearly highlight the

long-term strategy that the group intends to pursue, that is, to remain present, competitive and professionally prepared in the video game sector, which is constantly evolving,” “The acquisition of Kunos strengthens the IP portfolio held by the group and we are certain that, thanks to the undoubtedly, talented professional members of staff that make up Kunos’ team, we will achieve great things.”

www.mcvuk.com

25/01/2017 18:23

APPOINTMENTS NEWS

Improbable appoints new lead content editor Gina Jackson joins Imaginarium n Mobile studio Sybo appoints Byron n Videogamer has a new editor IMPROBABLE | Writer DAN GRILIOPOULOS has joined Improbable as lead content editor. He’ll be directing Improbable’s content strategy as they build the next generation of virtual worlds. Previously, he’s worked as a games journalist, scriptwriter, author, consultant and game designer. He commented: “Improbable’s simulation technology has a wide range of applications, but I’m particularly excited by the potential to create new experiences in games, where developers can use Improbable’s SpatialOS platform to build huge, immersive worlds and give players’ actions real meaning. I’m pleased to join the team,

SYBO GAMES | POPPY BYRON has been appointed community and PR manager at mobile developer Sybo Games. She joins from Surgeon Simulator makers, Bossa Studios, where she worked as the firm’s community manager for two years before progressing to PR and social media manager in 2015. Before that, Byron was community coordinator for Jagex for six years. She said: “Sybo are an amazing, forward thinking company with a huge, vibrant and varied player base, and I feel honoured to be able to help them out with all things community and PR.”

and looking forward to helping Improbable and the industry finally make real those dreams of persistent, giant, complex simulations that we’ve been promised almost since the dawn of computer gaming.” IMAGINARIUM STUDIOS | GINA JACKSON has joined the motion capture studio as head of games. She was previously managing director at NextGen Skills Academy, and has also worked for the likes of Nokia, Eidos and Kuju. She said: “I’m excited about the challenge ahead of me and looking forward to working with developers with one aim, bringing the art of storytelling into games.”

VIDEOGAMER | ALICE BELL has been promoted to editor at VideoGamer. She joined in 2015 as junior staff writer before rising to content editor last year. Her promotion follows the departure of previous editor and founder TOM ORRY. She commented: “I’m thrilled to be the new editor at VideoGamer. This year we’re going to make sure we cover things in the industry that are interesting as well as those that are popular, which means more indie coverage - but we still enjoy massive triple-A explosions too. We’re working on some new video plans we’re keeping secret for now... but it’s all in our own indomitable style, of course.”

Distributed by IT World Services TEL: +44 (0)17538 21122 EMAIL: sales@itworldservices.co.uk

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January 27th 2017

25/01/2017 17:05

BIG GAMES

ABZÛ

DEVELOPER Giant Squid Studios PUBLISHER 505 Games DISTRIBUTOR Advantage Distribution PLATFORM(S) PS4 PRICE £17.99 RELEASE DATE January 27th

WHAT THE PUBLISHER SAID...

WHAT THE PRESS SAID...

...AND HOW WELL WILL IT DO?

ABZÛ is described by 505 Games as “an adventure, exploration game where you are The Diver in a beautiful, vibrant ocean world full of mystery and bursting with color and life.” Speaking to MCV ahead of the game’s digital launch last summer, 505 Games’ SVP of global brand Tim Woodley added that Abzû “is about our connection to the natural world and the creatures we share this planet with.” In short, Abzû is more about relaxing and exploring the mythical underwater world around you than defeating enemies, even though it features some puzzles for players to solve. Indie developer Giant Squid is clear about the fact it wants to create games that “can be an artistic medium that delivers beautiful, meaningful, and timeless experiences.”

REVIEWS have been mostly positive about Abzû, altough some critics have disapproved of the fact it’s so close to Journey (Giant Squid Studios was created by alumni from Journey studio Thatgamecompany). IBTimes UK’s Ben Skipper even called the title an “unapologetic imitation”. Most critics agreed, however, that Abzû is a beautifullycrafted odyssey, even if it doesn’t require much from the player. GamesTM said its “art direction is one of minimalist splendour,” while Destructoid’s Zack Furniss praised Austin Wintory’s score - “dense yet delicate, as graceful and arcane as the water you’ll propel through on this journey.” For VideoGamer’s Tom Orry, Abzû is all “about discovery, learning what tale the sea has to tell and experience the underwater world.”

ALTHOUGH Abzû is a niche title, the game did benefit from a pretty effective word of mouth spread and from Journey’s existing fanbase. 505 Games never released digital sales figures for the title, but we can assume it did quite well considering the fact it’s now releasing physically. Abzû’s unique gameplay and art style, combined with the good reviews it gathered when it launched digitally, should help the title to perform well at retail.

DIGITAL RELEASES CALL OF DUTY: INFINITE WARFARE SABOTAGE

KNEE DEEP

FIRE EMBLEM HEROES

DEVELOPER: Infinity Ward PUBLISHER: Activision PLATFORM(S): PS4 PRICE: £11.59 RELEASE DATE: January 31st

DEVELOPER: Prologue Games PUBLISHER: Wales Interactive PLATFORM(S): PS4, Xbox One PRICE: £11.99 RELEASE DATE: January 31st (PS4) February 3rd (XO)

DEVELOPER: Intelligent Systems PUBLISHER: Nintendo PLATFORM(S): Android, iOS PRICE: Free RELEASE DATE: February 2nd

THE first DLC pack for Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare will be landing on PS4 in a few days, with other platforms to follow (but not dated). Called Sabotage, it will include the franchise’s popular zombies co-op experience, entitled Rave in the Redwoods this time around. Four new multiplayer maps will also be featured.

THIS point-and-click story-driven adventure lets players investigate a mysterious suicide. It is set in a large theatre stage, which rotates and evolves depending on the player’s decisions and interactions with the characters. Knee Deep has over 30 supporting characters, all of which are fully-voiced.

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AFTER Super Mario Run (which is coming to Android in March), Nintendo unveiled a new mobile game based on another of its popular franchise, Fire Emblem. It is free-to-play but features an in-app purchase system, which allows players to buy additional characters. Much like Super Mario Run, Fire Emblem Heroes will require a constant internet connection.

www.mcvuk.com

25/01/2017 17:06

BIG GAMES

INCOMING TITLE

Bandai Namco has two RPGs hitting shelves today – Digimon World: Next Order and Tales of Berseria – while Hitman will launch in a few days FORMAT

GENRE

PUBLISHER TELEPHONE DISTRIBUTOR

Abzû

PS4

Adventure

505 Games

01215 069 590

Advantage

Digimon World: Next Order

PS4

RPG

Bandai Namco

0121 506 9585

Advantage

January 27th

Earthlock: Festival of Magic

PS4/XO/PC

RPG

Soedesco

01902 861 527

Pavilion

Industry Giant 2 HD Remake

PS4/XO

Simulation

UIG Entertainment

01902 861 527

Pavilion

Tales of Berseria

PS4/PC

RPG

Bandai Namco

0121 506 9585

Advantage

PS4/XO/PC

Stealth

Square Enix

01256 385 200

Koch Media

January 31st Hitman: The Complete First Season February 3rd Forestry 2017 - The Simulation

PS4

Simulation

UIG Entertainment

01902 861 527

Pavilion

Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 4: Road to Boruto

PS4/XO/PC

Fighting

Bandai Namco

0121 506 9585

Advantage

Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World

3DS

Platform

Nintendo

01753 483700

Open

PS4

RPG

Koei Tecmo

01462 476130

Open

LEGO Dimensions Batman Movie Fun Pack

PS4/XO/Wii U/PS3/360

Toys-to-life

Warner Bros

01216 253 388

CentreSoft

LEGO Dimensions Batman Movie Story Pack

PS4/XO/Wii U/PS3/360

Toys-to-life

Warner Bros

01216 253 388

CentreSoft

LEGO Dimensions Knight Rider Fun Pack

PS4/XO/Wii U/PS3/360

Toys-to-life

Warner Bros

01216 253 388

CentreSoft

Slain: Back from Hell

PS4

Action

Merge Games

07885 723 353

Open

February 8th Nioh February 10th

CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEK: Hitman: The Complete First Season Steelbook Edition HITMAN’S new episodic series launched digitally between March and October last year and now all episodes are finally hitting retail as The Complete First Season. “It’s being released in a SteelBook market-wide and with this edition there’s a huge amount included, like The Making of Hitman Documentary, official soundtrack, three bonus missions and the Requiem Blood Money pack,” Square Enix’s UK senior product manager Chris Arnold told MCV. “We’ve proved the quality of the game now and with live content still rolling out, this is a must-have for anyone who has been waiting patiently for the disc release. “The Hitman series and Agent 47 in particular are incredibly

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well-known and we have a big opportunity to make this the key release of early 2017.” To ensure the launch goes smoothly, Square Enix is investing in traditional ad campaigns but also heavily relying on videos. “We’ll be all over games media, social and YouTube,” Arnold said. “Video assets will make up the vast majority of the activity, so we can fully demonstrate the depth and creativity available to players.” The marketing campaign will also emphasise the good reviews Hitman has received since it launched last year. “Hitman has been very well received by gamers and critics alike, winning multiple Game of the Year awards, and we want to bring

We’ll be all over games media, social and YouTube to fully demonstrate the depth and creativity available to players. Chris Arnold, Square Enix

FORMAT: PS4, XO, PC RELEASED: January 31st PUBLISHER: Square Enix DISTRIBUTOR: Koch Media CONTACT: 01256 385 200

those moments that make the game so special to the forefront of our marketing,” Arnold added. “It’s a massive game with an enormous amount of content, so we’ll be highlighting what a great value proposition the game is. We’re investing heavily in both media and at retail, and want to ensure that the boxed release feels like a big event.”

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25/01/2017 17:06

GAMES WEEKLY CHARTS

WEEKLY CHARTS TOP 40 UK PHYSICAL RETAIL 011

TW 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

LW 01 03 02 04 06 07 09 05 08 18 13 11 NEW 17 12 NEW 14 21 22 15 16 24 10 20 25 23 28 19 30 26 27 29 31 33 35 38 RE RE RE RE

Title Format Grand Theft Auto V PS4, XO, PS3, 360, PC FIFA 17 PS4, XO, PS3, 360, PC Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare PS4, XO, PC Battlefield 1 PS4, XO, PC Watch Dogs 2 PS4, XO, PC Rocket League PS4, XO Steep PS4, XO Forza Horizon 3 XO Mafia III PS4, XO, PC WWE 2K17 PS4, XO, PS3, 360 Overwatch PS4, XO, PC Minecraft Xbox Edition XO, 360 Dragon Quest VIII Journey of the Cursed King 3DS Skyrim: Special Edition PS4, XO Pokémon Sun 3DS Gravity Rush 2 PS4 LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens PS4, XO, PS3, 360, Wii U, 3DS, Vita Final Fantasy XV PS4, XO Pokémon Moon 3DS Tom Clancy’s The Division PS4, XO, PC Doom PS4, XO, PC Star Wars Battlefront PS4, XO, PC Gears of War 4 XO Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection PS4, XO Minecraft: PlayStation Edition PS4, PS3, Vita Fallout 4 PS4, XO, PC Just Dance 2017 PS4, XO, Wii U, PS3, 360, Wii The Last Guardian PS4 LEGO Marvel Avengers PS4, XO, Wii U, PS3, 360 Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End PS4 Dishonored 2 PS4, XO, PC NBA 2K17 PS4, XO, PS3, 360 Super Mario Maker Wii U, 3DS Minecraft: Story Mode - Complete Adventure PS4, XO, PS3, 360 Mario Kart 7 3DS Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Edition PS4, PC Guitar Hero Live PS4, XO, PS3, 360 Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege PS4, PC LEGO Jurassic Park PS4, XO, Wii U, PS3, 360 Battleborn PS4, XO, PC

Publisher Rockstar EA Activision EA Ubisoft 505 Games Ubisoft Microsoft 2K Games 2K Games Blizzard Microsoft Nintendo Bethesda Nintendo Sony Warner Bros Square Enix Nintendo Ubisoft Bethesda EA Microsoft Ubisofts Sony Bethesda Ubisoft Sony Warner Bros Sony Bethesda 2K Games Nintendo Telltale Nintendo Square Enix Activision Ubisoft Warner Bros 2K Games

MORE than three years after it hit shelves, Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto V was once again at the top of the UK charts last week. The game returned to pole position the week before and held its title despite a five per cent dip in sales. This was the 11th time that Rockstar’s crime romp had spent on the head of the UK Top 40 – the most for any title in the franchise to date. There are a variety of reasons why GTA V is still ranking so highly more than three years since its September 2013 launch. For one, the game is a rather cheap proposition at the moment – with it regularly costing in the region of £25 at the moment. It’s also likely some of these sales have been the result of people who received or bought a PS4 or Xbox One over the Christmas period wanting something to play on their new machine. The UK-made crime blockbuster has also shifted more than six million units over the last three years. Ubisoft’s new winter sports IP Steep claimed its highest chart position since its December release last week, with the title coming in at No.7. Sales of the new title rose three per cent week-on-week. That wasn’t the only title to see sales increases week-onweek. Overwatch rose eight places to No.18 with a four per cent rise

in sales. The last time Blizzard’s team shooter was in the Top Ten was the week ending November 12th. There were a few new releases in the charts this week, too. The highest-ranking of these was the 3DS re-release of Dragon Quest VIII – Journey of the Cursed King, which came in at No.13. Meanwhile, PS4 -exclusive Gravity Rush 2 charted at 16th place. NEW HORROR This is still the quiet January period, so the Top 40 is much as you’d expect it to be. What will be interesting is the performance of Resident Evil VII once all the figures are in. Reviews are largely positive, but survival horror games do tend to struggle in today’s market (see also 2014’s scary double team of Alien Isolation and The Evil Within). That being said, pre-orders for the new survival horror game were the sixth mostpurchased item on Steam last week. Daybreak Game Company’s H1Z1 King of the Kill topped the PC ranks, while last week’s No.1 – System Era’s Astroneer - fell two places to No.3. Grand Theft Auto V was still present in the Steam Top Ten, coming in at fifth place. Amplitude’s Endless Grand Master Collection charted at No.4 thanks to a price promotion on this bundle that saw 85 per cent knocked off the price.

Source: UKIE/GfK Entertainment, Period: Week ending January 21st January 27th 2017

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25/01/2017 18:39

WEEKLY CHARTS GAMES

Market Data With a lack of new titles, software revenue dipped by 11 per cent, while unit sales dropped 14 per cent week-on-week

£30m

£20m £15m

£25.9m 954,942 units £30m £10m

£10.5m 396,861 units

Week Ending December 31st

Week Ending January 7th

£7.2m 271,205 units

£6.4m 233,034 units

Week Ending January 14th

Week Ending January 21st

GLOBAL STEAM CHARTS (UNITS)

01 TW 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10

LW 02 01 RE 05 NEW 10 RE NEW NEW

Sponsored by

gaming merchandise uk

MARGIN MAKERS THIS WEEK: HITMAN With Hitman: The Complete First Season launching in a few days, Marie Dealessandri checks out the killer tie-in items that are available for fans to purchase

WHEN developer IO Interactive announced that Hitman was going episodic, it came as something of a surprise. The studio then released six episodes between March and October last year, sending the deadly Agent 47 on missions in exotic locations such as Sapienza, Marrakesh and Bangkok. In the end, the Square Enix-published game found its audience and performed pretty well, leading to the release of a physical edition, hitting shelves on January 31st. “There was a lot of scepticism, which I think is very common when you’re doing something

new,” creative director Christian Elverdam commented back in November. “Part of the scepticism was, is this going to work? Are you going to be delayed? How does this even work for a game like this? And that kind of scepticism, I think we proved that we have a good way of doing it.” Hitman: The Complete First Season will also support HDR and 4K resolutions, making it compatible with Sony’s PS4 Pro. You can read more about Hitman’s episodic model on page 24 and on the title’s marketing campaign on page 9.

HITMAN: ABSOLUTION PLAY ARTS KAI – AGENT 47 Square Enix’s high-end figurines label Play Arts Kai is behind this Agent 47 figure, launched to celebrate the release of Hitman: Absolution back in 2012. It is still available and should satisfy any fan of the franchise, with its signature rifle and two silver ballers included. That title may be wildly different to this most recent release, but you have to admit that Mr 47 looks pretty slick here.

HITMAN COMPLETE SEASON 1 STEELBOOK EDITION The complete first season of this most recent Hitman title is releasing as a Steelbook edition only, with plenty of bonus content for fans to enjoy. There are, of course, all six parts of the episodic title and its prologue, plus three bonus missions, the game’s soundtrack, the Requiem Blood Money Pack (which gives access to exclusive in-game items for Agent 47), a documentary on the making of the project and more.

SRP: £39.99 Manufacturer: Play Arts Kai Distributor: Square Enix Contact: 020 8636 3000

SRP: £44.99 Manufacturer: Square Enix Distributor: Koch Media Contact: 01256 385 200

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25/01/2017 18:09

MERCHANDISE GAMES

HITMAN SYMBOL MUG Even contract killers deserve coffee breaks, which is why this mug exists. It will hit shelves at the same time as the Steelbook edition of Hitman this January.

HITMAN TIE

SRP: £11 Manufacturer: Gaya Entertainment Distributor: Gaming Merchandise UK Contact: hello@ gamingmerchandiseuk.com

The Agent 47 look wouldn’t be complete without his signature blood-red silk tie. This version launches alongside Hitman’s first season later this month. SRP: £19.99 Manufacturer: Gaya Entertainment Distributor: Gaming Merchandise UK Contact: hello@ gamingmerchandiseuk.com

HITMAN: DAMNATION Best-selling author Raymond Benson is behind this official Hitman novel, which takes place just before 2012’s Hitman: Absolution. This might be a good starting point for those who wish to learn more about the franchise after they’re done with the first season of Hitman launching in a few days. SRP: £8.99 Manufacturer: Headline Publishing Group Distributor: Headline Publishing Group Contact: 020 7873 6000

INTRIGUE BLAZER With its neat and elegant style, Hitman’s Agent 47 was an obvious pick for trendy apparel company Musterbrand. Part of the brand’s collection is the agent’s signature blazer. This version of the jacket features a high-quality print of Agent 47’s arsenal on the inside. SRP: £114 Manufacturer: Musterbrand Distributor: Musterbrand Contact: karrie.shirou@musterbrand.com

CYPHER CUFFLINKS A proper gentleman should always wear cufflinks, whether he is a cold-blooded killer or not. And that’s why Musterbrand has Hitmaninspired cufflinks. SRP: £24 Manufacturer: Musterbrand Distributor: Musterbrand Contact: karrie.shirou@musterbrand.com

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January 27th 2017

25/01/2017 18:09

FEATURES NINTENDO SWITCH

SWITCHED ON Launching worldwide on March 3rd, the Nintendo Switch could be one of the most disruptive consoles the industry’s ever seen. Katharine Byrne takes a look at the hardware, its games both at launch and beyond, and speaks to members of the UK games industry to see what they think

DISPLAY The Switch has a 6.2in display and a 1,280 x 720 resolution. In a Nintendo first, the touchscreen will be capacitive rather than resistive, allowing for more smartphone-like interactions compared with previous Nintendo consoles. A brightness sensor is also located at the bottom of the screen, either side of the stereo speakers.

GAME CARDS Instead of playing games on disc, Switch users will be buying tiny game cards that slot into the very top of the console. A small plastic flap keeps them in place, and there’s a standard headphone jack next door.

STORAGE The Switch will have 32GB of onboard storage, but players will be able to expand this up to 2TB via microSD card. The microSD slot is located on the rear of the console, underneath its kickstand.

SWITCH DOCK This allows players to connect their Switch to their TV at home. Open up the back cover and you’ll find an HDMI output, a USB port and an AC adaptor for connecting the dock to the mains. There are also another two USB ports on the side of the dock next to a small LED indicating it’s outputting video to the TV.

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BATTERY LIFE Nintendo estimates that players should be able to get around 2.5 to six hours of play from the Switch on a full charge. The console charges via USB-C and a power adaptor will be included in the box. You can also charge the system while playing via this USB-C connector.

www.mcvuk.com

25/01/2017 18:02

NINTENDO SWITCH FEATURES

SWITCH LAUNCH LINE-UP GREAT hardware is one thing, but a new console also needs a strong list of games that will help it fly off shelves. Admittedly, Nintendo’s taken a rather lean approach with the Switch this time round, launching with just six titles on Day One in the UK, with at least three more releasing before the end of the month. Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé, however, has told CNET that “launch day is not the be-all and end-all” for Switch and that it will

have a steady stream of titles released throughout the year. He also spoke to GameSpot about the lack of a pack-in title, saying that bundling a game at retail would have made the Switch’s price too high. “It really needed to be at $299 without a piece of software,” he said. “Obviously the inclusion of the two Joy-Con, critically important; all the right cables, the dock, critically important. But at a $349 or $399 price point [with a game], we just didn’t feel that was the right place to be.”

LAUNCH GAMES SHARING THE JOY THEY are the Switch’s secret weapon. Collectively known as the Joy-Con, these tiny controllers slot onto either side of the main Switch display. They can also be used as independent motion controllers in each hand thanks to their respective accelerometers and gyro sensors, or docked into the Switch’s additional Joy-Grip accessory for a more traditional controller configuration. One Joy-Con can even be shared by two players. They’re packed with buttons, each hosting their own clickable analogue stick, four face buttons, shoulder button and rear trigger. There are also two side buttons on each Joy-Con’s flat rail area for when it’s being used in a horizontal configuration, along with a sync button and a row of LEDs indicating the number of active players. The Joy-Con R has a Home button, an NFC reader/ writer built into the analogue stick (crucial for all those Amiibo figures), and a motion infrared camera built into the bottom. This can sense the shape, motion and distance of objects in front of it, as well as distinct hand gestures. Meanwhile, the Joy-Con L has a Capture button for sharing screenshots on social media. Video capture won’t be supported at launch, but this will be added in a future update. The real magic of the Joy-Con, however, is Nintendo’s HD Rumble feature. This is able to convey the feeling of multiple objects inside the controller, such as ice cubes or small marbles, as well as the sensation of liquid passing through it from top to bottom. A curious addition, you might think, but having seen it being put to excellent use in Nintendo’s 1-2-Switch launch title, it might just be the company’s ace in the hole to opening up more tactile styles of play. The Joy-Con will be available in a neon red and neon blue configuration in addition to the standard grey model. Different coloured wrist straps will be available separately. These provide extra security as well as a more rounded edge (not to mention more pronounced side buttons) to the Joy-Con rail area.

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THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: BREATH OF THE WILD The star of the Switch launch line-up and the first openworld Zelda title. This huge adventure should be more than enough to keep players entertained throughout the Switch’s launch window.

SKYLANDERS: IMAGINATORS Imaginators originally launched last year, but the Switch version takes it truly mobile thanks to a new digital library that players can use to load and store their toys directly into the console.

1-2-SWITCH Designed to show off the full capability of the JoyCon, 1-2-Switch is a classic Nintendo mini-game compilation title that sees players milking virtual cows, cracking safes and conducting wildwest shootouts among others.

JUST DANCE 2017 Ubisoft was one of the first companies to pledge its support to the Switch, and this version will have an exclusive track and three months of free access to Just Dance Unlimited, the title’s ‘dance-ondemand streaming service’.

SUPER BOMBERMAN R After years of silence, Bomberman is back with a bang. Developed and published by Konami, Super Bomberman R will have with support for up to eight players and a 50-stage single player campaign. A co-op mode will also be included.

I AM SETSUNA Tokyo RPG Factory’s debut RPG is another 2016 game, but this digital-only title will add a new, Switch-exclusive feature called the Temporal Battle Arena. Here, players can fight against other people’s parties by downloading data uploaded to the internet.

MARCH SNIPPERCLIPS - CUT IT OUT, TOGETHER! The surprise hit of Nintendo’s UK Switch Premiere. Armed with two highly expressive paper characters, players must work together to snip bits out of their friends in order to solve puzzles on each stage.

FAST RMX It might not be the Switch F-Zero game we were hoping for, but Shin’en’s futuristic racer will have 30 tracks to choose from, as well as four-player local splitscreen. Players will also be able to challenge up to eight players online.

HAS-BEEN HEROES A brand-new rogue-like strategy game from Trine developer Frozenbyte. It’s not exclusive to Switch, but it does make excellent use of the console’s HD Rumble.

January 27th 2017

25/01/2017 18:03

FEATURES NINTENDO SWITCH

THE INDUSTRY VERDICT JOE SKREBELS, IGN UK The Switch looks rad. The launch line-up is weak, but I do think the base unit looks fantastic. To me, it almost feels like a soft-launch. Here’s the console in, from what we can tell, limited allocation, and then we ramp up like a giant advert towards Christmas and Mario.

RHODRI BROADBENT, DAKKO DAKKO GAMES I’m really excited to see another push toward motion controls. Local multiplayer has been huge in the indie community for the last five years, and I think [Nintendo’s] deliberately trying to make it more accessible for indies to bring those games to them, as well as bring in their own focus on local multiplayer.

MARK WALTON, ARS TECHNICA In the UK it’s effectively more expensive than a PS4 or an Xbox One. Nintendo’s going to have difficulties making that sell, but the Nintendo magic’s there. You’ve got a set of games that, once they’re out, will give it an enviable set of titles that the other consoles won’t have.

RICHARD STANTON, KOTAKU I was much more impressed with the hardware than the software. I’m looking at that line-up and thinking ‘What am I buying this for?’ It amazed me that 1-2-Switch isn’t a pack-in game. The hardware itself feels both high-end and dinky, but the controllers are fabulous. I’m disappointed with the price, but I blame Brexit for that, not Nintendo.

JAMES TEMPERTON, WIRED It’s a shame they’re not bundling 1-2-Switch with it, but re-releasing Mario Kart 8 with everything included is smart. A lot of people won’t have played it on Wii U and more people deserve to play it. As for the price, my phone’s worth £600700, so £280 is still good value.

STEVE HOGARTY, CITY AM Some of the games seem to be repeating the Wii launch lineup, so I hope they’re not going to reiterate some of the Wii’s mistakes. I’m optimistic about how it’s going to turn out. I don’t think the price is a hurdle. I spent £500 on a PlayStation and that’s my benchmark for what’s an expensive console.

KATE GRAY, FREELANCE GAMES WRITER I’m not super enthused by [the launch line-up]. There are some games that I like the look of, but most of them are ports, like Disgaea 5. It’s already on the other consoles, so I hope there’s more original stuff, and more Nintendo stuff I like.

RICH KEITH, YOGSCAST The product is brilliant, and the first party games are really strong. It reminds me heavily of the Wii, and the appeal it can have to a wider, especially family audience. I don’t think at this point it’s for the core gamers. My worry is the price point as I think it will be harder to hit those big audiences. STEFANO PETRULLO, RENAISSANCE PR I really love the design. I really love the fact that Nintendo, as usual, want to innovate and experiment with a new market solution. On the other side, I would like to see how third parties are going to jump on the train. WILL FREEMAN, FREELANCE GAMES WRITER The struggle is communicating to the public what it is, because it’s so many different things. The more time I have with it, the more I understand it, so they need to get people getting their hands on it, because it’s still quite hard to explain exactly what it is and where it fits. GERAINT EVANS, PQUBE GAMES There’s not a huge selection of games, but Arms is probably my favourite, which is surprising, because I thought it would be motion control boxing and I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to do that again. Nintendo’s never been that cheap, really, so I think it’s a fair price. STEPHEN STALEY, GAMESEEK The price is too expensive. It should have been £199.99. When we priced the Switch on our website for pre-order we did so at £198.50. We sold nearly a thousand units. Good news to our customers, though, as we’re going to honour all orders as I believe the customers deserved this at the £200 mark.

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NINTENDO SWITCH FEATURES

THE SWITCH 2017 LINE-UP SPRING Arms Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Disgaea 5 Complete Puyo Puyo Tetris Rime LEGO City Undercover Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove Constructor SUMMER Splatoon 2 AUTUMN Fire Emblem Warriors The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim HOLIDAY Super Mario Odyssey 2017 Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Minecraft Minecraft: Story Mode - The Complete Adventure Project Sonic 2017 FIFA Syberia 3 NBA 2K Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 Steep Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition Sonic Mania Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers Farming Simulator

DEBBIE BESTWICK, TEAM 17 The concept of a new platform that can bridge the void between the home and handheld markets is fantastic and it’s great to see a global approach from Nintendo in terms of launch date and flexibility in region restrictions. GARRY WILLIAMS, SOLD OUT Price, battery life and the question ‘is it too big to be portable and too small to be your front room machine?’ vex me. Then I remember I never saw the point of the DS, yet when purchased ‘I got it’ and it became my most played games machine. So I remember – never write Nintendo off.

AND BEYOND... Shin Megami Tensei: Brand New Title No More Heroes (working title) Project Octopath Traveller

DAN LONG, INSERT COIN I think Nintendo have pitched the Switch very well. It was so important to deliver something distinct, innovative and unique, and they’ve definitely hooked into the things that gamers want from their next Nintendo experience. Sensibly priced and armed with a solid range of titles to support it too, this is definitely a launch to get excited about. ALICE BELL, VIDEOGAMER.COM The price isn’t really bad, but it’s more than a lot of people were hoping it would be. On the other hand Nintendo are bloody well putting their best foot forward with what they do have at launch. A huge new Zelda game. Be still my beating heart. Or possibly pieces of heart.

TOM PHILLIPS, EUROGAMER £280 is a lot higher than some were expecting. That said, the machine is very good quality. It feels like a premium product, and it’s very pleasing to see Nintendo hasn’t compromised on build quality.

GARETH WILLIAMS, PREMIER We have the usual concerns over third party support, but Nintendo has never needed third parties to make its platforms a success. My concern is the price proposition. At £279, Switch will be more expensive than PS4 and Xbox One, and they’ll need traditional gamers for third parties to enjoy success.

PIERS HARDING-ROLLS, IHS A hybrid device strategy such as this is unproven in the market. This is not an impulse purchase or as cheap as other recent Nintendo consoles. As a result, communicating the unique aspects of the Switch and its exclusive content through marketing spend will be key to gaining market traction.

MIKE FETHERS, THE HUT GROUP Nintendo and its partners have gone for quality over quantity for its announcements. It’s a Day One purchase for me. It justifies its price point through the portable element. Everything feels great in the hand and you know a lot of efforts gone into it.

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ROBERT LINDSAY, GAMES CENTRE Although the Day One slate is thin, the titles to come over the quarter should make up for this. The price point is a little higher than expected, although I don’t see this affecting sales on launch.

January 27th 2017

25/01/2017 18:03

FEATURES YOUTUBERS

Why YouTubers need management While it has now become a force to be reckoned with, the place of YouTube and its army of influencers within the industry is still a work in progress, and is dimmed by regular controversies. Which is why YouTubers’ management agencies now exist. Marie Dealessandri reports

ouTubers are now an indivisible part of the games industry. What started as a hobby for kids in their bedroom has evolved into a massively important – and influential – part of our industry. Now, YouTubers need to be more professional than ever. That’s why a new type of company has emerged in the games industry these past few years: whether they’re called ‘talent management agency’, ‘influencer relations agency’ or simply ‘managing company’, their goal is the same: be the bridge between YouTubers and gaming brands, so that the former can become bigger and the latter can reach a larger audience. uChannel Management is one of them: “What we do is essentially connect YouTubers with various brands to advertise their product,” explains founder Sam Barkaway. Former Activision digital PR manager Henry Clay also founded Hype Management at the start of 2016 with the same goal. “The primary service should always be to further a YouTuber’s career, that is the focus from which everything else should flow,” he tells MCV. “At Hype we use industry contacts to put the YouTuber forward for projects that will help them build relationships with brands, raise their profile and increase their fanbase. “These opportunities could include setting up event appearances, brand sponsorships, media interviews, promotional content campaigns and merchandise development. We also have our eye on the long term too, so where appropriate we look to develop areas of work off-platform, so that talent becomes more than just a YouTube personality.” January 27th 2017

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The truth is some YouTubers now have as much appeal and power as some TV or movie stars in their respective industries. “YouTube personalities are the equivalent of the rockstars or movie heroes of the previous generation, ” Legend of Gaming Live director Thomas Greenwood-Mears told MCV last September, and that’s something both Barkaway and Clay agree on. “You ask a 10-year-old who is Tom Hardy or Brad Pitt, they may or may not know who they are, and more than likely they don’t care. But you ask them who is KSI or Stampy and they go crazy,” Barkaway confirms. Clay adds: “What you might call ‘traditional celebrities’ will always exist in their given fields, be that film, music or TV. The online content creator is just the latest category in which individuals can rise to meteoric fame. For youth audiences, talents on YouTube have already attained the level of stardom experienced in other sectors. From an awareness level that is without question, and when it comes to the power of their influence, the demand that YouTube stars are in is evidence alone of their pulling power and status.”

YouTubers who adopt a more professional approach will certainly be more successful on the commercial side.

CLEARING THINGS UP But, as everyone knows, with great power comes great responsibility. And that latter part is probably what has been slightly forgotten in the process of YouTubers’ professionalisation so far. You just have to take a look at all the controversies that agitated the YouTube sphere recently: from illegal gambling to the grey area surrounding sponsored content, it’s not like all is well.

Henry Clay, Hype Management

“It is honestly so stupid,” Barkaway frankly says about the gambling controversies. “If your company sells in-game coins and you are advertising it as the best, to a key audience for that game... mention it’s your company. That is just common sense to me.“ Clay continues: “It was an unfortunate situation where a little transparency would have made all the difference.” The key word there is ‘transparency’, which is something that should come with the sector becoming more professional, and also something management agencies can help with. “In a majority of these incidents there hasn’t been actual intent to mislead audiences,” Clay argues. “YouTubers work in a quickly evolving space, promotional content plans often have a number of variables meaning brands, influencers and their management are often faced with new situations. They therefore may not have had a clear understanding of what was required to ensure full transparency.” Facing this ‘quickly evolving space’ and tackling the transparencies issues: these are part of the reasons why YouTubers need management. “If a YouTuber wants to build an all round successful career from their YouTube channel, then management can without doubt provide the support necessary to do that. Just like the traditional relationship between talent and representation, YouTubers benefit from an expertise and support structure that allows them to focus on what they do best, which is creating great content and engaging with their fans.” www.mcvuk.com

25/01/2017 17:56

YOUTUBERS FEATURES

Clay and Barkaway say that YouTubers have the same sway as ﬁlm stars in some instances

Barkaway echoes Clay’s stance: “Really a YouTuber just wants to create content doing what they love for their fans. This is why it is very beneficial to have a person they can trust dealing with all the ups and downs that come from dealing with business ventures for the channel.” THE DOS AND DON’TS The process leading to transparency and decreasing controversies could be simplified by further efforts from all areas within the industry – and YouTubers themselves - though, Clay believes. “Brands need to ensure that they have consistent internal policies and procedures that are aligned with industry guidelines, influencers needs to understand these guidelines and also their responsibility to their audiences, and industry bodies should maintain active and ongoing communication www.mcvuk.com

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to the industry at large,” he says. “For all parties these practices and guidelines need to be regularly updated as new methods and practices come into use.” And YouTube needs to be willing to go the extra mile as well, Barkaway reckons. “YouTube changed its policies a lot in 2016, so to have a solid list of Dos and Don’ts on the matter from Youtube would lay the groundwork for influencers knowing what is right and wrong,” he states. But as long as policies from all parties are not aligned, YouTubers management agencies will remain an essential part of what is now a business, helping influencers to understand the aforementioned ‘Dos and Don’ts’ of the platform. YouTubers are both a wellestablished presence in the industry, a booming market and a nascent medium – this hybrid position is also why management

YouTube having a list of Dos and Don’ts would help influencers know what’s right. Sam Barkaway, uChannel

from veterans of the industry seems to be very much needed. “At just over a decade old, YouTube’s platform is a relatively new area for business, and the business of being a YouTuber even more so,” Clay says. “As such business practices are constantly developing. And those YouTubers who adopt the more professional approach will certainly be more successful in the commercial side of their operations. It’s also important to note that over the past few years, industries at large, not just the games sector, have come to understand how to harness the power of YouTubers, so it has been a learning process on both sides of the fence.” “Running a YouTube channel is a business and must be approached as such, from time management and forward planning to client relationship management and brand building.” January 27th 2017

25/01/2017 17:57

FEATURES SOLD OUT

Sold Out’s biggest year yet After three years of growth since its 2014 origin, Sold Out’s boss Garry Williams believes the publisher is on track to enter the Top Ten publisher ranks with titles like Sniper Elite 4 and Yooka-Laylee. Alex Calvin reports

espite the narrative of digital sales becoming a bigger part of today’s games market, 80 per cent of new releases are bought in a box. This is a sector within which publisher Sold Out has built its business, and it’s done it rather successfully, too. The current version of this company formed at the beginning of 2014, after being spun out of Mastertronic, producing a turnover of more than £4m in its first year of operation. Now in its third year, the firm is targeting a turnover of between £18m and £20m. 2016 was a sizeable year for Sold Out, too, with the publisher releasing the likes of Worms WMD and Overcooked from Team17, as well as Introversion Software’s Early Access darling Prison Architect and vehicular violence title, Carmageddon: Max Damage. “We’re now getting traction,” the firm’s boss Garry Williams says. “People are discovering us. In publishing, Year One is about putting your goods out there and having a good year. The second year, we kept putting releases out and gathering more partners. We’re in our third year now, and it’s been all about the consolidation. “We have the traction and some good people have joined us. We want some more smart people from developers to actually see that gap.”

STRONG START While the firm’s 2016 was rather promising, what we know of its 2017 release slate is even more impressive. The company has the latest entry in Rebellion’s Sniper Elite series hitting shelves on February 14th, while YookaJanuary 27th 2017

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Laylee] are extremely high. Both of those put us in the Top Ten publisher ranks. That’s a place we haven’t lived before. We have offered great choice and great titles, but now we have the best that we ever had. Then there’s our Q2 – I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people in the second quarter. There are three major releases coming up that are very interesting, which we’re going to announce around GDC.”

February is a great time to release games as January sales have finished, people are thinking about buying again and quality rises to the top. Garry Williams, Sold Out

Laylee, the Kickstarter release from former Rare developers Playtonic, launches in April. “Our Q1 will knock everyone out the park,” Williams says. “They’ll start to take notice. The people who work with us know that we know what we are doing, so they’re happy and not going anywhere. But when you start seeing the chart stuff and see how many copies Sniper Elite

4 sells next month, people will pay attention. Yooka-Laylee will probably do very well, too. There’s a real love from the fans for that product that I just didn’t appreciate. A lot of people didn’t know that the consumers who go into retail are actually really big Nintendo fans and love that sort of game.” He continues: “Our expectations [for Sniper Elite 4 and Yooka22

ENJOY THE SILENCE The start of the year isn’t the worst time to release games, either, especially considering the pile-up of big releases that failed to match the sales of their predecessors at the end of 2016. “The Top Six publishers always do the same thing,” Williams says. “You’ve just seen the carnage at the end of last year. If you put all your games out with a top budget at the same time, people haven’t got the time to buy new games. They’re probably still playing one of the other big releases. “Toy technology never stands still, and people always want entertainment. But there are other things to do – there are free-to-play games, internet titles - people only have so much time. It was always the case on console: Sega and Nintendo said they were selling four big titles per year. That was enough for people. “If you put eight or twelve games out at Christmas you get lost. There’s going to be carnage. There’s too much stuff and too much noise. “For us, February is great because January sales have finished, people are thinking www.mcvuk.com

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SOLD OUT FEATURES

(From top to bottom) Sold Out’s Williams, Morgan and Garrity

about buying again and quality rises to the top. You lose all that background noise. All that discovery, all that looking at other stuff just disappears. Those games that launched at the end in Q4 are now down to £20, so your bar really needs to be higher for a £40 product. “The majority of software and hardware used to be sold during October and January, so everyone sticks to that maxim. It’s oldfashioned publishing, and that’s what we’ve disrupted. We put Zombie Army Trilogy out in March 2015 and it flew off shelves. I think Sniper Elite 4 is going to knock it out of the ball park.” LOOKING FORWARD In general, despite a rather disappointing Q4 season, Williams is confident about that the games market will increase over the course of 2017. www.mcvuk.com

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“The games market is going to grow this year,” he says. “It might come from more digital. We’re not against digital, we have more digital projects in the works, we’re just not talking about them yet. In Q3 and Q4 you’ll probably hear a lot more from us regarding our digital line-up. “We’re still very much in the boxed market because those developers are still there and we need to take them to market.” As a result, Williams and his team are bullish about Sold Out’s prospects for 2017 and beyond. “We’ve built a war chest, we can do what we want in years three to six. We didn’t have that luxury before. We didn’t have the time or resource and everyone was flat out on doing their job.” He concludes: “We’re going to be putting out more great games. I just want to work with the best games I can get.”

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? SINCE Sold Out’s inception in 2014, the definition of an indie game has changed dramatically. Whereas before an innovative pixel art title from a bedroom coder might have been able to cut the mustard, consumers are, by and large, coming to expect more from their indie releases. For Sold Out, the most important thing the team’s after is a studio that understands what they’re doing. It sounds simple, but it’s more difficult than you might think. “They really need to be a lot more organised and stable than they have been so far,” MD Garry Williams explains. “We’ve had people who just pitched ideas and dreams to us. With teams like Playtonic, they understand what they’re doing. There may be glitches, but they’re not going to mess it up.”

Product manager George Morgan adds: “They have to have a more level head. You have titles like Hyper Light Drifter and Inside where the developers understand what they are doing. Developers also need to open to critique and be able to come up with a plan and stick to it. We’ve worked with developers who haven’t had a basic time scale of how long things would take to make at all – they would freewheel.” Meanwhile, digital content manager Joshua Garrity says that what’s required of bedroom coders has changed. “The punk rock phase of digital distribution has gone. It’s still about small teams, but if they’re working with a publisher and other business partners, they just have to take responsibility.”

January 27th 2017

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FEATURES HITMAN

Hitting the spot In 2016, developer IO Interactive decided to take its murder simulator Hitman in a new direction, releasing the latest entry in the series episodically. Ahead of the game’s physical release, Alex Calvin catches up with creative director Christian Elverdam to find out why the Danish studio made this move

t E3 2015, IO and Square Enix revealed a new entry in its Hitman series. Simply called Hitman, this was a departure for the franchise, being released in an episodic fashion. Square had seen success with this model the year before with Dontnod’s episodic surprise smash hit, Life is Strange. But it was the first time the firm had attempted something like this with one of its triple-A, established franchises. “We knew that doing this was likely to raise some eyebrows, both from our fans and from the gaming community as a whole,” creative director at developer IO Interactive Christian Elverdam says. “We expected that it would be up to us to prove why we thought an episodic format would work well for the sandbox-levels.” Though it may have raised questions about the episodic release model, it appears to have been a more-or-less perfect fit for Hitman’s sandbox design. Gamers could experiment with a variety of ways to approach their targets and weren’t ‘forced’ to move straight on to the next level. “One of fundamental problems with building Hitman, a problem more than a decade old, is how to make sure people get the depth and variety in each sandbox mission,” he explains. “[2012’s] Hitman: Absolution tried to streamline the gameplay to make this more clear, and the mechanics improved tremendously. However the

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levels suffered from a loss of complexity. This time around we adopted a different approach. We wanted streamlined mechanics but we also wanted to bring back the depth and creativity that made the Hitman series stand out. Our solution was to let the episodes stand alone as individual episodes, thus really encouraging people to dig in and discover the depth. At the same time, one level being ‘live’ at a time meant that everyone playing Hitman would have a feeling of playing together with everyone else. You were all in the same chapter, discovering many new ways of completing the missions as a community. Following that activity has been pretty amazing to watch.” Before launch, there was a great deal of skepticism around this new Hitman, but Elverdam says that ultimately the business model was met positively by fans. “There was a lot of skepticism, which we expected, as we were doing something new,” he admits. “I think it’s natural that some players were thinking ‘Will this work?’ or ‘Will it be delayed?’ and we proved that we have a good way of doing things. And I really love that people actually see the game for what it is. That was the major reason for doing the things we’re doing. How can we get people to appreciate a classic Hitman sandbox? Being episodic, where you spend time getting to know a location, really get under the skin of it, that’s the best way

IO and Square Enix decided to release Hitman episodically last year

to appreciate the depth in a game like Hitman. So I would say we have proven our case. I also want to underline that if you prefer all the content at once, which I think many players do, we always said that you should jump in when the season concludes. We will still continue with a lot of activities, not least the Elusive Targets that have become extremely popular.” COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN It wasn’t all clear sailing, however. The fact that the launch model and content available upon release changed a lot meant that

many were a bit concerned about the title. Initially set for release at the end of 2015 with a ‘sizeable chunk’ of content, the plan was to release episodes throughout 2016, including different locations and extra missions. That later changed with a three-month delay to March 2016, and the news that only three maps would be present upon launch, with others joining over the summer. One final change before launch saw just one map – Paris – ship with the Day One version of the game, with subsequent locations launching monthly.

www.mcvuk.com

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HITMAN FEATURES

PHYSICAL ACT AFTER being released over the course of 2016 digitally, Hitman is sneaking into retail in the form of a physical Steelbook release in just a few days. This includes all six episodes of the title, as well as all the additional content that came out during the game’s first year. “In 2016 we delivered Hitman in a totally new and innovative way, but the plan was always to release the full game physically as well,” Chris Arnold (pictured, top right), UK senior product manager at publisher Square Enix, says. “Some consumers prefer to wait for a full game rather than

“I think we made it hard for ourselves by not being clearer about what we wanted and also what we communicated,” Elverdam admits. “If you’re going to do something like we’re doing, the internet is a fairly unforgiving place. If you remember back to when we announced the game, we were trying to work out ‘How much content is enough content to start with?’ and that led to communication confusion and skepticism, which is a perfectly normal reaction which we had created ourselves.

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purchasing episodically, want to avoid downloads or just like having a physical box on the shelf. We want to give gamers the choice on how they want to purchase and play Hitman.” He continues: “We’re very happy with the digital release of Hitman, but we know there are more players out there who have yet to jump into our world of assassination and who have been waiting for the disc version. “The Hitman series and Agent 47 in particular are incredibly well-known and we have a big opportunity to make this the key release of early 2017.”

There was a lot of skepticism, as we were doing something new. Christian Elverdam, IO

Ultimately, IO feels vindicated by Hitman 2016’s performance and that the development team learned a great deal from its debut episodic release. “First of all, this format means there is a place for the wonderful, complex and humouristic Hitman sandbox. That in a time where many things are bite-sized, people can still dig deep and explore a game experience that cannot be boiled down to five-to-ten minute segments,” Elverdam says. “That said, the first season was one big exciting and ongoing

“When we confirmed episodic, it was terminology which players understood so it was less confusing – and then we had to just let the game do the talking and let players dive into our world of assassination. “We also knew that we needed to hit the episodic beats on time and reliably. If we had had delays on all episodes, I think many skeptics would have remained skeptical, whereas today we get so much praise for what we did, and that we dared to do something different.”

learning phase, this is our first live game, our first episodic game. Getting that infrastructure and those processes fluid, whilst a dull answer have been a huge learning for us. He added: “The team at IOI have worked incredibly hard, and we’ve collectively learnt how to do things better and more efficiently. “Also being able to react to feedback from the community during the season has been a big element for us, it’s helped us improve the game so the learnings from Season One are invaluable to us.”

January 27th 2017

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XXX XXX INDIE INTERVIEW MINI METRO

Going underground After a few years out of games development, brothers Peter and Robert Curry entered the Ludem Dare game jam. One year later, now working as Dinosaur Polo Club, the team released minimalist puzzle game, Mini Metro. Alex Calvin reports

BACK in 2001, brothers Peter and Robert Curry joined the games industry working at developer Sidhe Interactive. The duo went on to work on titles such as Adidas Football Fever, Rugby League and Gripshift. After a five-year stint, along with fellow programmer Lloyd Weehuizen, they set up an indie studio called Wandering Monster. But, by Peter Curry’s own admission, it was too early to be successful as an indie in 2006, so the trio went their separate ways. But in 2013, the brothers Curry made a return to games and entered the Ludem Dare game jam. That year, the contest had the theme of ‘minimalism’, and they decided to make a game inspired by their experience of commuting. “My initial desire was to simply make a game,” Peter Curry says. “By 2013 I’d been out of game development for about five years. I talked Robert into it, and we started by listing the constraints we needed to place around a project for us to have a realistic chance of finishing it. “As neither of us were artists, and both had limited hours, we decided

on something procedural with an abstract art style that wouldn’t require significant production art. We tossed some ideas around, one of which was travelling around on a metro map. Robert had visited London the year before and found the daily task of planning the commute on the tube surprisingly satisfying – ironically we don’t have any subways in New Zealand. “I suggested that reversing the idea, and having the computer travel on the subway that the player builds, would be more fun. We parked the concept, but when Ludum Dare 36 began we immediately came back to it.”

While a premium app would never go gangbusters like a F2P app could, it was the business model the game was designed around. Peter Curry, Dinosaur Polo Club

was ‘properly’ released at the end of 2015, before iOS and Android versions launched last October. Curry says that the sales between the mobile and PC versions are ‘comparable’. On mobile, the title sets consumers back £4, which is more expensive than your typical mobile game. “Halving the desktop price for mobile seemed like a good place to start,” Curry explains. “A handful of games that had come to mobile after releasing on desktop had done exactly that, such as The Banner Saga, Thomas Was Alone, and Surgeon Simulator. “Robert also thought a price point somewhere between Threes! and Monument Valley would be appropriate, but when we were looking them up we forgot the prices we were seeing were in New Zealand dollars. So we thought that Monument Valley had a price of $6 when it’s actually $4... whoops.”

TRAINING EXERCISE The title – then called Mind the Gap – evolved into Mini Metro as the brothers set up a new studio called Dinosaur Polo Club. The game saw players trying to manage a subway system, making sure that stations don’t get over crowded and that people get where they’re meant to be going. In August 2014, it launched into Steam Early Access. That edition

FIRST CLASS TICKET Many mobile games, certainly the most successful ones, are freeto-play. While the team certainly considered taking Mini Metro in this direction, ultimately the team

Curry says Mini Metro has ‘exceeded all expectations’

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00 26

decided that a premium model was best for the title. “We thought about the monetisation model for the mobile release a lot,” Curry says. “Eventually we reasoned that while a premium app would never go gangbusters like a F2P app could, it was the business model the game was designed around and the one we understood the best. We knew we’d have to spend at least another six months redesigning the game around a different business model. “And we’re not free-to-play experts at all — we know just enough to understand how much we don’t know, and how much work goes on behind the scenes.” Overall, Curry is happy with how the game has performed – not least because Dinosaur Polo Club were able to hire some more staff. “[Mini Metro’s performance has been] good, I think,” he says. “This is the first game we’ve released ourselves, so we’ve nothing to compare it to. But it’s still paying the rent over two years after release and Dinosaur Polo Club has hired its first employee (Navi Brouwer, a producer — everyone should have one!), so it has by far and away exceeded all expectations we had.” www.mcvuk.com

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AdTemplate.indd 1

11/01/2017 16:53

XXX XXX GENERATION MEDIA INSIGHT Generation Media is a Media Buying and Planning firm focused on the leisure and entertainment markets. You can contact the company on 0207 307 7900

Getting thenonempo mix just rightribernam – the Tur sum main developments the games inctiatetur lorem inipsum? TV channel mix Generation Media account executive Joe Phelan looks at which television channel mixes advertisers are relying upon and whether there are any developments in tried and tested ways of reaching younger men

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Comedy Central, at the expense of Film 4, the key difference was that E4 did not have such a monopoly on reaching younger men. In 2015, there was a 625 Eq TVR difference (42 per cent) between E4 and second placed ITV1, versus a 320 Eq TVR difference (33 per cent) between E4 and second placed Sky Sports 1 in 2016. Sports content remains a key opportunity in targeting younger men, with 25 per cent of the Top Ten channels being sports-focused.

securing airtime in high-performing Gogglebox and Crystal Maze Special. When comparing mobile to console gaming there are also notable differences. The three mobile titles used terrestrial channels more frequently, adopting a channel mix that sees traditional channels making up 27 per cent of the Top Ten channels used. Deploying on regional airtime and using shorter time lengths resulted in a stronger allocation to terrestrial from mobile games. With console games, sport channels play a bigger role in targeting younger men should the product lend itself to that audience. 25 per cent of Overwatch’s (the highest ranking console title in terms of M16-34 Eq TVRs) Top Ten channels were sports channels, a percentage split which was also adopted by Uncharted 4, Xbox One S and Doom. The other common stations used by the Top

TV BATTLEFIELD Despite a commonly-used mix across the category as a whole, it is important to look at these on a campaign-by-campaign basis. Of the Top Ten products that ran in 2016, Channel 4 was the only channel to be used as a key delivery driver in the channel mix, with Uncharted and Battlefield 1

Sports remain Xxx. key to targeting younger men.

Xxx

Joe Phelan, Generation Media

Ten were free-to-air channels linked to terrestrial channels. E4, ITV2, ITV4, Film 4 and 4Music recorded 1,157 M16-34 TVRs across the Top Ten campaigns in 2016. While there is a decline in the total number of M16-34 Eq TVRs across the category in 2016, TV remains a stable medium and is a vital part of the communications strategy. Although there are variations in how some advertisers tweak the channel mix, it is vital that a campaign spans all channels that convert positively to the elusive M16-34 year-old audience.

Games and consoles Top TV 20 channels 1400 NB: 233 TV channels used totaling 15,141 M16-34 Eq TVRs

1200 1000

BTSPORT 3

GOLD

BTSPORT 2

4MUSIC

BOOMERANG ITV 4

SKY 1

CARTOON

FILM 4

FOX

SKYSPNHQ

COMCEN

5TV

200

ITV1

DAVE

C4TV

ITV2

400

SKY SP1

600

BTSPORT 1

800 E4

Eq M16-34 TVRs

WE live in a time where new media opportunities become available before the current tech has had a chance to establish itself, so TV as a source of main media consumption may appear archaic. Despite growing concerns that TV is not as relevant in reaching men aged 16-to-34 (M16-34) demographic, viewing to spot advertising across all stations has only decreased by one per cent when comparing 2016 to 2015. It therefore remains a key communication tool in any games and console brand’s marketing strategy. Looking at the games category as a whole, it is worth highlighting a 48 per cent decline in the number of M16-34 TVRs across the gaming category year-on-year, suggesting decreasing faith in the medium with advertising budgets moving elsewhere. The number of campaigns on air remained stable yet they were backed less heavily. However in terms of the channel mix that is commonly used by advertisers, there hasn’t been a change in what channels are selected. E4 was the most commonly used channel, with nine per cent (1,309) of M16-34 equivalent TVRs (Eq TVRs) recorded across the free-to-air station. This was down 63 per cent compared with 2015, where it made up 11 per cent of all equivalent TVR delivery across games. Top spots in key shows such as Big Bang Theory and Brooklyn Nine Nine recorded 150,000-to-200,000 impacts per spot. While the only new channel to break into the Top Ten was

TOP 20 CHANNELS Source: DDS/BARB January 2017 Summary Report 00 28

www.mcvuk.com

25/01/2017 17:58

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To place an order hit up your account manager on 01183 345 736

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FEATURES AKAMAI

Network connections Akamai is one of those companies that keep the internet running smoothly – without it gamers simply wouldn’t get today’s slick online experience. Marketing director for gaming Nelson Rodriguez tells MCV about his work with big publishers, how gaming is changing, and discusses game streaming R&D and AR security

Can you explain what Akamai does in layman’s terms? Akamai invented the Content Delivery Network (CDN) business. The internet is terribly built and terribly designed, still it’s a brilliant outcome for something that has been developed over years and years. Business relationships and peering agreements that means the route the data takes is non-optimal, it’s a labyrinth. The CDN business was designed to try solve those inherent problems. The first one we solved was how we can get cacheable data to the end user as quickly as possible. Akamai doesn’t have data centres, instead we have 200,000 points of access across the globe, with most people being no more than one or two hops away from one. Installed at carriers, ISPs, leased boxes at providers, and now moving into mobile as well. That’s part of the magic, that’s why the internet works as quickly as it does for many people - getting them that game file as quickly as possible. We work with most of the big publishers and competitive gaming companies: EA, Sony, Activision, Ubisoft and more. So Akamai handles a lot of gaming data? Akamai got into games as there were lots of big files, but then realised it could do things for games that most businesses didn’t need. January 27th 2017

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We’ve gotten into multiplayer, helping maintain the connection, helping speed up the connection to endpoints that are far away. The big changes are coming in Latin America, in Africa, where better networks are coming online. Five years ago you couldn’t launch a big title in Nigeria and have a good multiplayer structure, that’s changing. Two things are happening, the end point networks are getting faster and we’re coming up with better routes to get to those users. Connecting them with low latency connections that are key for gaming.

industry where there are frictions that have not yet been solved. My son refuses to download games because he can’t wait, it can take hours to download, so it’s often still quicker to go to the store and buy the game. We helped solve that problem for streaming video and we’re helping mitigate it for games.

How is technology changing gaming? The key changes in the games space over the last 15 years have been friction reduction innovations. It’s not a question of whether your game has space marines or unicorns, it’s not game mechanics, but the rise of mobile, casual and free-to-play have been the key changes. You can play anywhere, putting machines in everyone’s hands, you don’t have to commit to £50 upfront and by the same token casual games. Imagine going to EA ten years ago and saying to them: your games are going to cost $1 or less and players are going to control them with a single thumb and the resolution of the devices will be smaller and less powerful. It would have sounded crazy. This game type is compulsive, but we’re still at a place in the

We’re at a place in the industry where there are frictions that need solving. Nelson Rodriguez, Akamai

What about streaming games to users, as with Nvidia’s GeForce Now? There are several R&D teams I’ve met with at the big publishers working on hybrid streamingdownload technologies. The 30

characters are locally installed but the backgrounds are streamed, as they change at a less critical rate, which reduces the latency concerns. The key thing is whether my character moved when I told it to - did the bullet go where I wanted? It’s one of the hybrid experiments for game streaming that’s being worked on. Streaming games will come but the goal at present is how quickly can you get a local copy delivered. Are there any issues particular to augmented-reality games such as Pokémon Go? If you look at AR in gaming, it creates an additional strain in networks, because key elements of gameplay are dynamically generated. Let’s say your visit San Francisco and you install an AR game, the game has no idea you live in London normally, so when you start to play at Waterloo it’s calling the server in a way that it didn’t expect. It has no idea where you’re going to go, calls to the server could overload the system. If your AR game is more popular than you expected it’s really hard to keep it standing. A thousand people standing at the Sydney Opera house all trying to capture something, that’s going to create data problems and that becomes a potential security weak point. Next issue we’ll be talking further to Rodriguez on choosing the right network strategy for your game and the security issues that face our industry. www.mcvuk.com

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