MCV 925 15th September

MCV 925 THE BUSINESS OF VIDEO GAMES 15.09.17

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15/09/17 The licensing and merchandising issue 12 License to thrill

With Brand Licensing Europe coming up, we investigate the growth in brand extension

Features

Driving license

22

We speak to Slightly Mad Studios’ Rod Chong about licensing in Project CARS 2

EA’s pursuit of happiness

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EA’s Laura Miele tells us how live services are very much ‘in the game’

Warner Bros’ Q4 flagship

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Warner Bros is pulling out all the stops to make Shadow of War a Q4 smash

Page 5 The Editor • Page 6 On the Radar • Page 8 Opinions from the industry • Page 46 Margin Makers • Page 48 Sales analysis • Page 50 Big releases • Page 56 End Game – community and events September 15 MCV 925 | 03

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“Once upon a time, the industry wasn’t fussed about player engagement. Now it’s the number one concern.”

TheEditor

Destined to succeed Destiny 2’s week one sales were the biggest this year. They didn’t quite live up to its predecessor’s, which is bad news for retailers, but Activision itself shouldn’t be too worried as it quickly announced a whopping 1.2m concurrent players online.

It’s great when people buy your games, but it’s better still when they play your games a lot. Once upon a time, the industry wasn’t too fussed about player engagement – as long as they didn’t head straight back to the shop and trade the game in. Now it’s the number one concern. Get them playing, get them engaged and the money is bound to follow – or at least that’s the thinking of EA (see page 26). t s not ust the pub isher that bene ts rom this onger term view o the average player, either. Coming back to Destiny 2, the game launched with nary a review to be seen – not surprising as the servers had only just been switched on. Even the biggest media outlets, however, have bided their time in evaluating Bungie’s latest, and their strateg to cover the game going orward isn t too di erent rom ctivision s prioritising engagement with an evolving community – and that will provide far greater tra c in the ong run than even the biggest exc usive review (see page 42).

All that brings us to this month’s main topic: licensing and merchandising. With game engagement rocketing, players want more than just a game to play; they want to live it as well. That brings huge opportunities right down the chain for branded products related to both classic titles and ‘live service’ games.

With Brand Licensing Europe in just a few weeks time, it’s the best chance you’ll get all year to look at the opportunities that licensing can bring across the gaming sector and the potentia bene ts are ar greater than se ing the odd t shirt, with brand extension being another great wa to urther engage the pub ic

TheTeam

Seth Barton sbarton@nbmedia.com

Katharine Byrne News Editor

kbyrne@nbmedia.com

Marie Dealessandri Senior Staff Writer

mdealessandri@nbmedia.com

Sam Richwood Designer

srichwood@nbmedia.com

James Marinos Production Executive jmarinos@nbmedia.com

Sophia Jaques Games Sales Manager sjaques@nbmedia.com

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ontheradar

SpecialEffect’s One Special Day September 29th n ust two wee s time, pecia E ect wi be ho ding its annua ne pecia a undraising initiative Last year’s event raised £90,000, but this year the charity is aiming to top £100,000 as it celebrates its tenth anniversary. A special eBay auction will also be running from September 14th-24th in the run-up to the event, with several items donated from the UK games industry. he response rom the games industr to the ne pecia a has been astounding, said r ic onegan, ounder and E o pecia E ect he eve s o generosit rom the do ens o participating companies has been incredible. They’ll be helping us to celebrate ten years assistance to people with disabi ities b donating per cent o their da s pro ts, donating tit es to a specia umb e sa e and staging undraising events and streams To get involved, contact Nick Streeter on nick@specialeffect.org.uk

EGX 2017 September 21st-24th

Ukie AGM 2017 September 21st

Ukie’s 2017 AGM will be taking place at EGX in Birmingham this year, and all members are invited to attend. The AGM will feature the election of the new board members, an update on Ukie’s yearly activities and presentations on ie s igita choo house initiative, its wor on building a nationwide support programme and a panel session on how to survive and thrive as a UK games business. Be sure to stay behind for the drinks reception, too, which takes place immediately afterwards.

The UK’s biggest consumer games show is almost here, returning to Birmingham’s NEC for its tenth edition in just under a week’s time. Headlining the event is Microsoft’s Xbox One X, which will be making its UK playable public debut when the show opens on September 21st. Industry passes are available now, but consumer tickets are selling out fast.

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Project CARS 2 races to retail

September 22nd

Bandai Namco and Slightly Mad Studios’ racing sim arrives on PS4, Xbox One and PC next week, with multiple special editions to boot. Turn to page 22 for our interview with CCO Rod Chong, where we talk licensing deals and how the team has been ne tuning its console controls.

VR Awards 2017 October 9th

The inaugural VR Awards 2017 is being he d in centra London next weekend. Hosted by virtual reality comparison site VR Bound and presented b , the ceremon will be celebrating outstanding achievement in the VR industry over the last year, with 12 awards to be handed out on the night. Tickets and tables are available now.

FIFA 18 shoots onto shelves

September 29th

PLAY Expo Manchester

October 14th-15th

Returning for its sixth edition at Manchester’s Event City next month, Play Expo is the biggest gaming show in the north of England.

Over 25,000 visitors attended last year’s retro-themed event, but 2017’s show is set to be even bigger. Not only will it play host to its rst a Expo inba Batt e, but it wi a so eature an exc usive Nintendo 64 Goldeneye panel with members from the original development team appearing live on stage to discuss the game’s creation. Tickets and industry passes are available now.

The latest entry in EA’s FIFA series comes to PS4, Xbox One, PC and the Nintendo Switch at the end of September. See page 32 for our in-depth interview with EA about the future of its football franchise.

SPONSORED BY

If you’d like your product, event or upcoming news to appear in On the Radar, email Katharine on kbyrne@ nbmedia.com

PRE ORDER TOP 5 TW

TITLE

Publisher

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Nintendo Classic Mini: SNES Nintendo a o ut WW inc mu tip a er upgrade incentive ctivision outh ar he ractured But Who e inc tic o ruth biso t Super Mario Odyssey Nintendo ed ead edemption a e wo September 15 MCV 925 | 07

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guestopinion

Dan Amos - Head of New Media, Tinderbox

L

The Blurring of Two Worlds

In his new role as The Nazi Hunter, Tennant should feel ast month, Game of Thrones fans might have been at ease voicing a character who is quite similar to the Time surprised to see Ed Sheeran in the latest series. Fans Lord. In turn, this will allow fans to be far more receptive to were split over the cameo itself, but it opens up a the crossover from television. Fans of David Tennant and wider conversation regarding the crossovers that are The Doctor are also likely to follow him across to the new becoming more popular across the entertainment industry, platform of gaming – a sector they may not be familiar with and specifically in the gaming world.

– thus extending the fan base of both the core game and its Every entertainment medium has its well-known stars. accompanying consumer products programme.

In gaming, voice actors such as Troy Baker and Jennifer A larger audience means more possibility to grow the Hale are prized. But with guest-starring roles becoming an product assortment associated with the game. By creating increasingly popular plot addition, the line that separates successful crossovers between the two industries, Activision film and gaming celebrities is beginning to blur. is working towards a world in which there’s little difference Stars of the screen are beginning to appear in games between a gaming franchise and a film franchise. frequently, with talented actors like Kevin Spacey and Indeed, Call of Duty is well Norman Reedus lending both their vocal skills and likenesses What better way to draw in new on its way to delivering its own to games. And it’s not just series of blockbuster films. audiences than an actor with a actors, as British Formula This makes crossovers even One driver Lewis Hamilton more important, as fans will huge fan following? made his debut appearance be able to enjoy the franchise last year in Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, as did UFC’s without having to view them as two different forms of Conor McGregor. entertainment. This will then grow the reach of the gaming While there is an argument about whether or not franchises’ consumer products programmes, allowing the celebrities belong in these worlds, their placement creates a films to support the games and vice versa. link to new audiences and other pop culture spheres. This It’s certainly a challenging task to merge two industries can create excellent PR for the release of an upcoming game that have historically been seen as different experiences, and will require considerable effort. But the small steps publishers by broadening audiences. are taking already could pay off. It might not be too long Someone that’s set to do just that is a man best known for playing The Doctor. Bringing with him years of onscreen until it’s possible to go to the cinema and watch a compelling talent, David Tennant has secured a top role in the zombie story unravel for a gaming franchise and then go home and segment of Call of Duty: WWII. Tennant’s appointment is a play the game itself. clever one. What better way to draw in new audiences than Will we soon see a time where all edges of the an actor with a huge fan following from previous roles? entertainment industry are blurred? It is entirely possible.

Dan Amos is head of new media at Tinderbox, the digital division of leading global brand extension agency, Beanstalk.

For more information, please visit: www.tboxagency.com.

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guestopinion

Hannah Tovey - Conference Manager, NewBay Media

T

The Future is Bright

how its promotional copy describes the protagonists as “the hree months ago, as part of my role as conference ambitious engineer and his high-society wife.” It’s like a manager here at NewBay Media, I was asked much cooler version of Emmerdale. to research content for a gaming conference – namely the Future Games Summit. I’m not going With eight weeks to go before the doors of the Congress to lie, up until 12 weeks ago the last proper game I played Centre swing open, I’m really proud of where we are with was Super Mario Land on my Nintendo Game Boy, and the programme. We have an incredible line-up of speakers that was in 1994. I say “proper game,” because I don’t think from the likes of Facebook, Blizzard, Xbox, Ubisoft, Toxic playing Heads Up! at 2am counts.

Games, Sony, Team17, Unreal Engine, Revolution, Spirit I grew up in Hong Kong where arcade games are the AI, Jagex, Supermassive Games and many more, covering beating heart of the city, but instead of spending my time a wealth of topics including AR, blockchain, influencer immersing myself in the weird and wonderful games on marketing, narrative storytelling, VR, streaming, mixed offer (there were lots of fishing games, but then again, we reality and everything in between. are a harbour city), I spent all We’ve also got a halfday esports workshop my time in photo booths with Future Games Summit has more on Thursday November my friends creating stickers of our faces. Knowing what I than just amazing speakers; it’s an 2nd, a game jam that will know now about this incredibly together teams of opportunity to rub shoulders with bring vibrant industry, I wish I’d developers (and aspiring spent my time more wisely. game developers) for a the industry’s brightest minds.

When I tell people I work in development challenge conference production, they tend to look a bit bemused. My on site under the theme of Man vs. Nature, and speed networking sessions to help you break the ice and connect father still thinks I stand in exhibition halls with literature racks, but thankfully that’s not at all accurate. It all starts with fellow game enthusiasts. It’s also important to note with a research topic, this time being the exploration of the that there will be many opportunities to chill out with a future of gaming, and from there I go about speaking to, beer or five.

Future Games Summit has more than just amazing meeting with, and outright harassing, anyone and everyone within the sector to give me all the insight I need to make a speakers, roundtables and seminars; it’s an opportunity to reconnect with the industry and rub shoulders with the valuable and insightful programme.

First port of call – play a game! I was advised to start brightest and boldest minds in interactive entertainment. with The Room, and I was amazed at how quickly I was I hope to see as many of you there as possible, but if you hooked. How have I never experienced this glorious game have any questions, please drop me an email at htovey@ before? I’m so excited for the fourth instalment, and I love nbmedia.com or head to www.futuregamessummit.com

Hannah is conference manager at NewBay Media, where she identifies and develops seminars, conferences and awards programmes across the gaming, music, technology and broadcast sectors. She’s originally from South Wales, but grew up in Hong Kong before coming back to the UK to study at university.

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guestopinion

Marie-Claire Isaaman - CEO, Women in Games

O

Times They Are a-Changin’

among progressive companies that gender equality and ur seventh annual conference highlighted the increased diversity in games is ‘a good thing’. Our sponsors key role women play in the European game included Rovio, ustwo games, Epic Games, SimBin Studios, industries as designers, makers, thinkers, Dovetail Games, Tamalaki Games, Wargaming, University educators, players and everything in between. of Brighton, ReFIG, Centre for Digital Entertainment, The extra time afforded by the new two-day format allowed for more diverse subjects and speakers than ever Gamesindustry.biz and Google Women Techmakers. before. We had panels on making and designing games, Our awards included a new Mobile Games Award in social media and personal branding, VR, business, HR and collaboration with IMGA, our annual Student Awards, increased discussion about the educational pipeline. and The European Women in Games Hall of Fame Award This was fitting, as our host was the wonderful East 2017. Two of our sponsors announced new female-focused London Arts and Music – a progressive educator with a initiatives at the conference: Rovio’s forthcoming MumJam strong commitment to diversity – on the first day of its new – designed to encourage mums into and back to the game academic year and its new games design course. industries – and SimBin Studios Women and Wheels – the Our two Amazon Appstore sponsored headline speakers, world’s first women-only car racing esports competition.

Anita Sarkeesian and Brie Over the two days, people Code, were major attractions. I If we have monocultural inputs, we kept saying to me how great it interviewed Anita – an awardwas to be in a working college, only get monocultural outputs. winning critic and executive surrounded by such a diverse director of Feminist Frequency – in a ‘fireside chat’. Often, and enthusiastic group of young people embarking on their interviews with her focus on the misogyny and abuse she’s journey into the game and creative industries. I believe this suffered online, so it was great to have the chance to move added focus and drive to the conference, reinforcing that beyond this and to discover more about Anita the person we have to make games education and the game industries and what really motivates her. equally accessible, welcoming and rewarding to all our young Brie Code’s closing keynote was an altogether different people, regardless of gender, ethnicity, socio-economic proposition. More performance piece than talk, it resulted in background or anything else. It only makes us stronger.

If we have only monocultural inputs, we only get people running up to me afterwards describing how she had just ‘blown their minds’. I suppose such a provocative, playful monocultural outputs – and everyone knows these are neither innovative nor sustainable. To thrive in an experience was to be expected from the creative director of a studio that makes games with people who don’t like games – increasingly uncertain future, we must grow and retain all but even so, it was amazing. our talent more effectively, without prejudice. However, The generous amount of sponsorship this year is an going on evidence from our wonderful 2017 conference, I’m optimistic times are at last beginning to change. encouraging signal. It demonstrates a growing realisation

Marie-Claire Isaaman is CEO of Women in Games (WIGJ), an NPO that works to address gender imbalance, inequality and lack of diversity in the games industry. She also works as a games educational consultant and researcher 10 | MCV 925 September 15

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CONSUMER PRODUCTS ®

®

®

FOR LICENSING OPPORTUNITIES, PLEASE CONTACT

LICENSING@ACTIVISION.COM

©2017 Activision Blizzard Studios, LLC. SKYLANDERS and SKYLANDERS ACADEMY are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. Overwatch, Hearthstone and World of Warcraft are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc., in the U.S. and other countries. © 2017 King.com Ltd. “King”, “Candy Crush” and associated marks and logos are trademarks of King.com Ltd or related entities. All Rights Reserved. © 2017 Activision Publishing, Inc. ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY, CRASH and CRASH BANDICOOT are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. © 2017 Bungie, Inc. All rights righ reserved. Destiny, the Destiny logo, Bungie and the Bungie logo are among the trademarks of Bungie, Inc. Published and distributed by Activision.

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Pictured left: The character parade at last year's Brand Licensing Europe

Licensed to thrill Gaming brands have never been bigger, and with the licensing industry gathering in London next month, Seth Barton looks at how your business can take full advantage of the huge predicted growth in brand extension

G

aming merchandise is nothing new. As our regular Margin Maker’s section (see page 46) shows, there's already something to complement almost every game under the sun, so much so that merchandise has now become a key element of modern games retail, be that online, on the high street, or increasingly via massive public events.

Despite all that activity, however, the brand owners, licensees, distributors and retailers we've spoken to are all confident it will see strong growth over the coming years.

That can be seen here in the UK next month, with gaming taking centre stage at the upcoming Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) show, taking place at Olympia between October 10-12th. The show has long-featured gaming brands, of course, but this year there are a number of new aspects in order to really get games product flying onto – and flying off – shelves.

Meanwhile, the list of companies exhibiting include Sega, Ubisoft, Capcom, Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe, King, Activision Blizzard, Rovio, The Pokémon Company, Tinderbox and many more.

“We’re also working with SIEE as our key gaming partner and launching the Gaming Activation Area," Knight adds. "That includes a very cool mock store to help retailers who are yet to dip a toe into the world of games merchandise see what they’re missing out on.”

We wonder why all this is necessary. Has the industry been a bit slow on making the most of gaming licences?

Knight is emphatic: “Yes," she says. "Given the creativity, fanbase size and growth forecast, it's surprising that it remains such a relatively untapped market licensing-wise.

"That’s partly because of a lack of understanding and education on the part of licensors and retailers. Don’t get me wrong, there have been some fantastic brand extension programmes.

Angry Birds and Minecraft, to name just two, have been recent licensing phenomena with merchandise including everything from duvet covers to birthday cakes, books to mobile phone cases.”

"As the market grows, so does the demand for accompanying merch."

BEST IN SHOW We ask Anna Knight, brand director of Brand Licensing Europe, about what’s new at the show for 2017.

“We’ve really stepped up the gaming content at this year’s event, including a gaming-themed keynote panel on Tuesday October 10th featuring experts from all corners of gaming licensing,” she says.

The panel includes representatives from Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe and Activision, alongside leaders in design and distribution. MCV will also be represented, so best not to miss it. In addition, she continues, “GfK’s Dorian Bloch will deliver a seminar on the UK video games industry with an emphasis on the trends and opportunities."

ENGAGEMENT PARTY The success of those massive brands are a big part of what's kickstarted the sector’s interest, says Daniel Amos, head of new media at Tinderbox, a brand extension agency that’s working with Activision on Call of Duty.

“Gaming franchises have always gathered huge followings with higher levels of engagement than any other media but I believe the [recent] growth in the licensing industry is linked to the initial explosion of

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BRAND ACTIVISION ACTIVISION has recently reorganised internally to make the most of its brands. We talk to Ashley Maidy, vice president of global consumer products (pictured), about the company’s strategy for BLE this year and beyond.

Just how big an opportunity is Call of Duty as a brand?

Call of Duty has become a cultural blockbuster that’s surpassed more than $15bn in sales, and is played by millions of fans around the world throughout the year. While we've built a robust merchandising program to support this amazing property, we believe there's still an enormous opportunity to provide fans with extra compelling consumer programs.

Has Activision’s brand licensing strategy changed in recent years?

Under the leadership of Tim Kilpin, the newly formed Activision Blizzard Consumer Products group builds on the success of the existing consumer products businesses. It provides us with more strength at retail and generates more engagement opportunities across gameplay, linear storytelling, esports and consumer products. The availability of ongoing new game content supports our mission of giving fans around the world new ways to play, display, wear and live the brands they love – 365 days of the year.

Why did Activision choose this year for the activation at BLE? Is that down to the specific strength of its brands this year, or a more general acknowledgement of a growth in the sector?

Activision, Blizzard and King have all been exhibitors at BLE in the past, and this year we are excited to present under the newly formed group Activision Blizzard Consumer Products. We see the show as a great opportunity to demonstrate the power of the portfolio. Activision Blizzard is at the forefront of gaming. We have some of the strongest, most culturally relevant IP in the entertainment industry reaching virtually all demographics. We have an exciting growth plan based

on company initiatives including esports, film and television. These far-reaching platforms, the size of the video game industry and our highly-engaged audiences make this an exciting year to participate in the Gaming Activation at BLE as we look to grow our business globally.

What advantages do Activision’s gaming brands have for licensees compared to film or TV properties, for example?

Initially, we focused our efforts on launch, just like you would do for traditional feature film releases. Today, we support our game launches with robust merchandising programs to tie in with the marketing activity that goes into a game launch. We continue to release licensed product as we deliver new content throughout the year for our fans. This increases consumption rates of our games and provides year-round merchandising opportunities. The sheer size of the video game industry – more than that of Hollywood box-office and music industry combined in 2016 – provides significantly larger opportunities for our partners.

mobile games entering the space. This opened the door to licensees and retailers discovering PC and console gaming franchises with huge fanbases and made them aware of what we know to be evergreen franchises.”

That awareness of the gaming sector, and a bigger effort to service it, means serious growth for licensed products. Luiz Ferreira, managing director at Gaming Merchandise UK (GM UK) is also convinced about growth. “Undoubtedly so," he says. "As the video game market in general grows, so does the demand for accompanying merch. And products are permeating through to new categories – homeware, board games, cosplay, for example.”

With more brands and more product categories, the licensing industry is keen to make more out of gaming brands, and sell them at more outlets, too, says Amos: “What’s really exciting is that this product isn’t restricted to specialty and gaming retail any more. We're seeing product at major grocers and fashion retailers, including those you wouldn’t consider gaming retailers at all.”

Knight adds some analysis to the chorus of upbeat voices: “Video game licensing is growing. According to the LIMA Annual Global Licensing Industry Survey 2017, global retail sales of licensed merchandise within software, video games and apps grew by eight per cent between 2015 and 2016. What’s more, it’s predicted to continue growing over the next five years at least.”

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS So where will the best opportunities lie for new licenses and products? “The opportunity for game-inspired product is huge, with the popularity of both new and old IPs seemingly bigger than ever before," says Amos.

"This, coupled with remasters of much loved franchises, new console launches and new IP, means that supporting product for the fans is in high demand.”

This suggests the recent retro boom is the best place to look for the next wave of big sellers, but Knight isn’t so sure it’s that simple. “There’s always some element of security when dealing with retro brands – you’ve already got an installed fanbase and consumer loyalty in place," Knight explains. "And nostalgic products – when done well – can be a huge hit at retail. But look at Angry Birds and Minecraft – neither of those are retro. They are both relatively new IP,” suggesting that watching the app stores is perhaps a better indicator than looking to the past.

At the other end of the gaming spectrum lies esports, which brings a whole new aspect to licensed products, says Andre Schmitz, owner of Gaya Entertainment, a major manufacturer and distributor of licensed merchandise across Europe.

“Esports are a driving force not only in events, but every part of the industry," says Schmitz. "Supporting

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Pictured above from top to bottom: Tinderbox's Daniel Amos and GM UK's Luiz Ferreira

and promoting esports is an important part of our strategy. We’ve partnered with a few popular esports teams to produce branded apparel, and we’ll continue to explore opportunities in this regard. As esports become more mainstream, we can legitimately see merchandise becoming as important to participating teams as it would be to, say, a sports franchise.”

We wonder whether the interest in the sector means more competitors for firms such as Gaya? “The approach varies on a publisher-by-publisher basis, but we’re actually beginning to see some consolidation here," Schmitz counters. "IP holders are seeing the value in being more selective in respect to who they work with.

They understand that the quality of accompanying merch reflects on their IP and are increasingly keen to work with manufacturers that share their philosophy."

MERCH OF VENICE There’s no doubt that traditional retailers are keen to diversify further into merchandise, if only to counteract the ongoing shift to digital sales, Schmitz continues: “As the demand for boxed product diminishes, both on the high street and online, retailers are increasingly seeing the value of ranging a complementary selection of merch to replace that lost income. Provided you have a quality range, at the right price point, merch is a relatively straightforward add-on sale. It also adds ‘theatre’ and impact to a bricks and mortar offering.”

Indeed, merchandise can really enliven an in-store experience, breaking up the monotony of game boxes,

and allows customers to go hands on with products and experience that level of quality for themselves – something that's simply not available when buying online. Schmitz is also keen to point out the stability of merchandise sales: “While demand for merch spikes on release of its ‘parent’ game, there is a selection of evergreen merch that continues to sell through even years after a game’s release – Skyrim, Half-Life and Portal have been around for an age, yet the merch still provides a steady and reliable source of income for those ranging it. In an industry where incomes are so dependent on newrelease product, it’s comforting to be able stock items that will sell all year round.”

Beyond bricks-and-mortar stores, merchandise is now a huge part of the equation at practically any major gaming event, as anyone who’s seen the jam-packed merchandise hall at Gamescom can attest. Schmitz sees more advantages in this, too: “For many customers, it’s the only opportunity to see and touch merch first-hand," he explains. "This allows us to get amazing qualitative feedback, which informs our product development. Quantitative data can also be shared with our partners to help inform their ranging decisions."

However, both online sales and events are troubled by one common problem, says GM UK’s Ferreira: “Counterfeit merch is continuing to cause real problems in the industry. You only have to walk the floor at an industry consumer exhibition, or take a cursory look at eBay, to understand the scale of the problem. A

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holistic approach is needed from industry stakeholders – IP owners, manufacturers, retailers, industry bodies, government agencies, event organisers – to truly tackle the issue,” he says.

“Encouragingly, we’re starting to see real action from event organisers, particularly EGX and MCM, who are taking proactive steps to weed out counterfeit merch before their shows begin, and walk the floor once they open their doors to confront any traders who have slipped through the net. They can’t win this on their own though – it’s time for the industry as a whole to step up and take responsibility.”

MUG SHOTS It can sometimes seem that gaming merchandise is stuck in a rut. There's usually a t-shirt, action figure, guide book and mug, but not much else. BLE’s Knight is having none of it, though: “No, it’s not stuck," she says. "There has been some truly creative gaming merchandise that goes way beyond the basics. There just needs to be more of it – more brands need to realise the potential licensing and brand extension can offer them in terms of creating new channels to market, consumers and revenue. And more licensees from different categories need to dig deeper into how they could work with gaming licenses.”

Amos, from Tinderbox, agrees: “There's always going to be a need for gift product and basic fan merchandise, but there are also incredible innovators out there in the licensee space making great product. Sometimes retailer demand drives the decisions on product categories, but there are retailers willing to push the boundaries.

Ultimately, I want to help bring to life product that I’d want to buy.”

Gaya Entertainment’s Schmitz agrees that things are improving in this regard: “This may have been a fair criticism 18-24 months ago, but as competition increases there’s an increased desire and necessity to innovate and differentiate. We’re maintaining our core range while moving towards a range of higher-end products – statues, plush toys and cosplay items are particular areas where we’re pushing that envelope.”

A wider range of product will help the market to expand, then, but a wider range of price points is another way to stimulate growth, primarily in value rather than units, says Schmitz: "[We’re] seeing a number of boutique manufacturers producing much more expensive high-end items," he explains. "It’s clear there’s a body of customers with levels of disposable income that allow them to be more discerning purchasers.” And those higher price points also mean it’s easier to expand the range, as larger and more luxurious items can be branded.

OFF LICENSE If you’re a games publisher or brand-holder, just how big does a game have to be before potential licensees might be interested? Knight says there are surprising number of opportunities across the board.

“It depends what kind of licensee you are," she replies.

"If you create very high-end products targeted at a very specific consumer demographic, then volume isn’t your number one driver, so you could strike up a really strong relationship with a developer or publisher of quite a niche, almost underground title. If your products are at a lower price point and numbers are important to you in terms of sales, then you will want to work with a game brand that can reach those numbers.”

GM UK’s Ferreira agrees: “We’re also seeing smaller developers dipping their toes in the water. It’s a means of servicing a smaller, yet loyal fanbase with masses of passion for the product.” He reckons a great example is a title such as Stardew Valley, which, while not a household name like Minecraft, is still well-positioned with regards to its strong community.

It’s not just about the right license, either, as having the right retailer can create synergies well beyond what either could achieve alone. “Uniqlo has nailed it on several occasions working with Japanese gaming behemoths including BLE exhibitors Capcom and Sega, as well as Nintendo, on limited edition t-shirt ranges,” Knight says.

Pictured above, from top to bottom: Gaya Entertainment's Andre Schmitz and BLE's Anna Knight

MERCHANDISE NAVY While taking your smash hit title and putting the logo on a shirt will certainly bring profits for publishers, licensees and retailers, there are obviously far better ways of approaching merchandise. As noted here, there’s huge potential growth in sales, whether it's on November’s blockbusters or the next indie darling.

It’s just a matter of getting the right partners onboard to make the most of the brand and further amplify the community’s attachment to that game. After all, if they’ve bought the t-shirt and the mug, you shouldn’t have to remind them about your next big DLC drop.

With BLE returning next month, it’s well worth attending to get a real feel of the breadth and strength of the sector and the opportunities it can provide your business. We hope to see you there.

“There has been some truly creative gaming merchandise that goes way beyond the basics. There just needs to be more of it.”

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LOOT DROP Having fans buy your merchandise is great, but signing them up to a monthly goodie box of the latest items is better still. Seth Barton talks to Loot Crate to find out more

L

oot boxes have become a core concept in modern gaming as a way to reward players with new items. The anticipation when you pop open these little virtual presents has proved immense, with the concept spreading across multiple titles and genres.

However, there’s only one company that brings that same feeling to the real world: Loot Crate.

Since 2012, the company has been curating and delivering its titular Loot Crates to its subscriber base – some 14m boxes to date. From just a single offering to a wide range of regular and one-off crates, the company has expanded hugely, with gaming being one of its key areas. The company is always on the lookout to work with the best brand-owners and merchandise providers, so we talked to Loot Crate’s Sarah Clark, general manager of Europe, to find out what’s coming out of Loot Crate next.

How would you describe Loot Crate for those who haven’t heard of you?

Loot Crate is a leading subscription commerce platform targeting super fans of entertainment franchises. We partner with major studios, game companies, comics publishers, professional sports leagues and personalities in the shared curation of premium and exclusive consumer products in themed mystery boxes, delivered directly to subscribers’ doorsteps. Loot Crate was ranked the No.1 fastest-growing private company by Inc. Magazine’s Inc. 5,000 as well as No.1 on Deloitte’s Fast 500 list for 2016. It’s like having a mate who knows you really well put together a mystery gift box which is delivered to your house once a month.

What game brands are you working with now?

We work with a huge number and range of publishers, studios and indies. The brands in this month’s gaming crate will include Destiny, Borderlands and Prey. We also curate crates for individual games, such as Halo, Fallout, Call of Duty and Minecraft.

What kind of gaming brands work well for the Loot Crate model?

We try to mix it up with a mix of gear, from new games and franchises, old skool classics and fan favourites. Our Looters give us constant feedback on which items and brands they want to see in future crates.

Many Loot Crates are on subscription. How does this change the relationship with the consumer compared to typical merchandise buyers?

Our Looters trust us to provide a crate that they will love every month on an ongoing basis, so it’s more like a committed relationship than a first date. It’s a big responsibility, and why our community is so important.

We want to surprise and delight our Looters, so the relationship goes beyond the delivery of the crate. We provide them with content we generate in Loot Studios and out-of-box experiences; different ways to access to the entertainment they love are absolutely as important as the crates themselves.

Our mission is to add to the fan experience, so Loot Crate’s business revolves around our Looter community rather than the other way around. They drive the content of the crates through constant communication and feedback.

We do appreciate that some potential subscribers don’t want to commit long term or want to experience Loot Crate before committing, so we offer a range of options from buying one-off crates through to 12-month subscriptions.

The selection of crates has expanded a lot. How and why did this happen?

Loot Crate as a business grew incredibly fast because we offered a product that really resonated with a specific group of consumers (including ourselves). Everyone in this company is a fan with their own individual geekdoms and passions – just like our consumers. We started expanding our crate lines because our rapidly growing community told us that was what they wanted.

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Pictured above: Loot Crate’s Sarah Clark, general manager of Europe

Boxes of ‘random’ merch seem to have become very popular at consumer shows. How do Loot Crates differ from these?

There’s a big difference between a Loot Crate and a ‘random’ merch offering. We don’t put items in our crates because a manufacturer has an overstock or we can get a good price deal – that doesn’t fly with us as fans ourselves. Everything Loot Crate does is deliberate.

We work with brands our Looters tell us they want, we design and create exclusive items that are beyond the usual merch lines and cannot be bought at retail. 95 per cent of the content in every box is fully exclusive to us.

We curate each box around a theme and we listen to feedback. Nothing about what we do is random.

Consistency in value and quality is incredibly important.

It drives the trust needed for a subscription business.

The gaming crate subscription starts at £28 per month but the actual value of the content is more than £45.

“Our mission is to add to the fan experience, so Loot Crate’s business revolves around our community.”

How important is social media and unboxing to your marketing?

It’s pretty rare to create an offering that consumers get so excited about that it becomes a priority for them to share it. Social media and our Looters’ love of unboxing videos has been the driving force behind our marketing success. Word of mouth is the most persuasive element in a marketer’s tool kit, and when you have an army of passionate consumers that love your product and want to share their monthly experience, you do everything you can to enable and facilitate them to do just that.

In a world where people laser target every consumer decision, do you think the surprise nature of a Loot Crate is somewhat liberating?

Absolutely. In a world of constant communication where secrets are hard to keep, information flow is managed and internet spoilers are commonplace, the element of surprise is rare. Some of the best feedback we get is when Looters find something in the box that they didn’t expect or even know they wanted until they lifted the lid. Our mix of established and new release merchandise also contributes to the element of surprise. We’ll often get comments that fans discovered a new game or rediscovered an old one because an item included in the crate piqued their interest.

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Driving license With over 180 licensed cars to its name, Project CARS 2 is set to be Slightly Mad Studios’ biggest and best racing game yet. Katharine Byrne reports

W

hen Project CARS 2 launches next week, it will be the culmination of several years’ hard work for developer Slightly Mad Studios, not just in terms of getting the game to market, but also in its quest to secure over 180 car licences from almost 40 different manufacturers, giving the series its biggest and best lineup of cars to date.

“One of the more consistent messages we got from our fans after the release of Project CARS was for more elite

brands in-game,” CCO Rod Chong tells MCV. “Given Project CARS sold way over two million copies, that message was very loud. Right from day one, the decision was taken that the game would not ship without the addition of elite brands such as Ferrari and Porsche.”

As you might expect, winning the support of these mega brands is no simple task, with Chong saying it could sometimes take a better part of a year to get a company on board. The success of the first Project CARS, however,

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certainly helped the studio when it came to lining up brands for the sequel.

“Generally, these conversations begin with us contacting the [manufacturers], though on occasion, some will contact us,” he says. “One of the biggest challenges is to remain patient through the contract process; sometimes a contract can take six or even ten months to work through to completion.

“The challenge of dealing with the various ways automakers do business is as fascinating as it is rewarding, though. Dealing with a German brand, or an Italian, French, American or Japanese brand, all of them come to the table with their unique styles, but they all share this absolute commitment to seeing their brands in the Project CARS franchise both accurately and faithfully. The fact that this lines up perfectly with Project CARS 2 makes the challenge of attracting and securing licences for the world’s most elite brands a lot easier, for sure.”

He continues: “Slightly Mad Studios is also a known quantity now, and because Project CARS was such a big success, not only in terms of sales and reception, but also in our dedication to getting the cars right – both in terms of graphical accuracy and handling accuracy – this kind of dedication to detail really matters to automotive brands. They’re obviously extremely aware of their brand identity, and there is a trust that has been built-up through the years with Slightly Mad Studios – trust that we take their brands seriously, but also faith that we take the representation of their brands in our games just as seriously.

“There is also an awareness that we appreciate their racing heritage. Our commitment to bringing them to life is not just what we do, it’s our passion, and this translates into all languages. For me, getting the Porsche 935 in-game and getting to race it, knowing I’m finally in the cockpit of an ultra-rare beast that I have adored since I was a kid, and pushing this iconic Porsche to its limit at Le Mans as they did back in the day… We live for this stuff, and that kind of passion and knowledge for the heritage of automakers’ racing history does matter to these brands – in our passion and devotion, I think they see an echo of their own commitment and passion.”

engine layout, weight, turbo-lag – you name it and it’s in there – in order to craft a true and authentic experience for every car in Project CARS 2,” says Chong.

“For us, our 180-plus cars aren’t just ‘fluff ’ to make it sound as if we have loads of cars in-game. Every single car is built to exacting standards, not only in their look, that 1:1 graphical representation, but also – and crucially – how they drive. If you’re in a 70s Porsche, or a late-60s Ferrari, you’re going to be facing the same challenges drivers in that era faced. The same goes with our over-adozen current GT3s, or current IndyCars.

“In the run-up to release, we produced a series of films entitled ‘Built by Drivers’ that show the kind of development that goes into our cars and tracks, and the kind of feedback and close cooperation we enjoy from manufacturers like McLaren, as well as the seven professional drivers (including Ben Collins and Nicolas Hamilton) who we employ as handling consultants.

Their experience is invaluable when it comes to assessing the authenticity of our cars and tracks.

“For us, that’s what authenticity comes down to. It’s not enough in today’s market to make realistic-feeling cars; players demand more.

They want the experience of motorsport.”

To this effect, Chong says the team has also paid particular attention to enhancing the entire consumer playing experience, whether it’s those using huge driving wheel setups or just a regular game pad.

“The number one feature for the development team was revamping the feel of the game on all peripherals straight out-of-the-box,” he explains. “Our focus has been especially on game pads. For Project CARS, we didn’t get that right, as the experience from the first game was dampened somewhat by the need for players to fiddle excessively to get the feel right. The revamp has been an arduous process, but we’ve obviously hit the sweet spot with this, as the pre-release previews have made clear. We’re excited to get this into the hands of our drivers, for sure.”

“It’s not enough to make realistic-feeling cars; players want the experience of motorsport.”

DRIVE THROUGH In order to deliver the level of accuracy demanded by manufacturers, Slightly Mad Studios uses its in-house Madness engine. “This affords us the ability to directly input all the vehicles’ actual layout, from suspension to

SPECTATOR SPORT Needless to say, Chong is hoping these tweaks will prove fruitful with consumers come launch day. However, he’s also confident the game will be a hit with the competitive racing community, as it’s been built from the ground up with esports functionality in mind.

“We designed the game for esports competitions from day one,” says Chong. “The new Competitive Racing Licence feature will greatly improve matchmaking, and

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Pictured above, from top to bottom: Slightly Mad Studios’ Rod Chong and Bandai Namco’s Lee Kirton

also highlight each driver’s skill level and racing history to everyone in the community, thereby making it easy for teams to spot and recruit the best up-and-coming talent, and making it simple for casual racers to get the online experience they want.

“The Online Championships mode will also make life much easier for racing league organisers. The days of Excel spreadsheets are long gone, as admins will be able to schedule competitions entirely in-game, including tracking points, inviting players, choosing cars and tracks, setting the rules, and deciding when each race takes place, and in what weather conditions.

“We’re also making big improvements to how livestreams can be presented, thanks to the new dedicated Director and Broadcaster tools which give players a powerful way to make their races look more like TV sports broadcasts, with in-depth control over cameras, overlay graphics and more.”

GREASING THE WHEELS Add in compatibility for VR headsets, 5.1 positional audio and support for resolutions up to 12K, and Slightly Mad Studios seems to have every base well and truly covered when it comes to total immersion. For Chong and his team, however, it’s all part and parcel of delivering the most authentic racing experience possible, as it’s ultimately up to studios like his own to keep driving the genre forward.

“Slightly Mad Studios has been making racing games for almost 20 years now, and with every new release,

we get the same question – is the simulation genre in a period of stagnation? It has its ups and downs, for sure, like all genres, but the fan base is always there. It’s up to us as developers to constantly re-energise the genre.

“Experience is crucial here. Players demand a lot from their games today, and knowing what works and what doesn’t comes from that experience. We’re fortunate in a lot of ways, though. A lot of people don’t know this, but our studio began life as a modding outfit sometime last century; we got into this because we wanted to make cars and tracks for ourselves.

That passion has always been in our games, and that’s something that always ‘steers’ us in the right direction.”

Publisher Bandai Namco agrees, with UK PR and marketing director Lee Kirton adding: “Project CARS hit the sweet spot because the studio has been doing this for so long. They understood what players wanted from a racing game because they’re also gamers and players.

“Having the authentic feel of race cars combined with functionalities and specific features and tracks, all allowing the driver to choose their career paths. That was an important step forward in the genre.

“There are, of course, always markets which are stronger depending on the territories, but with Project CARS 2, we’ve pretty much covered worldwide motorsports with IndyCars, Rallycross, Touring Cars, Formula, Classic, GT cars – we’ve made sure to bring a lot to the game because that’s where the genre has moved on to. It’s what players expect.”

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“Players’ happiness, is the primary success metric for the company now. It’s no longer revenue, it’s how many players are playing the game.”

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Pictured left: EA’s EVP of global publishing Laura Miele

EA’s pursuit of happiness With Battlefield 1’s new expansion just around the corner, Marie Dealessandri catches up with EA’s EVP of global publishing Laura Miele to discuss the publisher’s live strategy across its entire slate of titles

A

s always, Q4 will be a blockbuster season for EA. Kicking off this year’s festivities in two weeks time is FIFA 18, which will then be followed by Need for Speed Payback on November 10th and Star Wars: Battlefront II a week later on November 17th.

However, even though these triple-A physical releases remain of prime importance for EA, the increasing value of the company’s digital content and live components means that a successful stint at retail is no longer the be all and end all for the publisher’s bottom line. When EA published its financial results for Q1 at beginning of August, for example, digital sales represented 60 per cent of the publisher’s total net revenue. What’s more, digital sales were up 27 per cent year-on-year.

Naturally, FIFA has been instrumental to this growth, but Mass Effect: Andromeda, which released in March, and Battlefield 1, which launched back in October last year, have also played a huge part in this evolution, with the latter’s first expansion, They Shall Not Pass, having released in March and the second one, In the Name of the Tsar, launching next Tuesday.

As we meet with EA’s EVP of global publishing Laura Miele at Gamescom, the publisher also announced a new competitive mode for Battlefield 1, which is currently in closed alpha. With so much new digital content on the way, it’s allowed the publisher to build a bigger and stronger community around the game, which has become a priority for EA across all its titles, Miele tells us.

“We have over 21m players in our Battlefield 1 community right now,” she says. “We also look at it as Battlefield as a franchise, so Battlefield 1 is one very important offering right now – our biggest offering within the franchise – but we’ve always considered the community in a very whole way and we want to offer as

many options and gameplay styles as we can. It wasn’t as if we were starting from ground zero and launched Battlefield 1 and had to start building it up. We were actually able to flow our community into the Battlefield 1 experience and we are continuing to fight for engagement every day and we earn our players’ time – that’s how we think about it.

“We launched the game last October and have not slept a day since. We really are seeing the largest engagement the Battlefield franchise has ever seen. When we look at it overall as a franchise, we’re at our height of engagement right now, and we’re not going to stop here.”

In order to keep the community engaged for as long as possible, EA has also experimented with including them in the development process, with Miele saying the company sees its connection with players “as a solid consistent thread that we never want to break.” Indeed, giving them a voice in the firm’s roadmap for a title has been key in maintaining that relationship.

“I really see it as a golden era of gaming right now, where players are at the centre of our business strategies, our game design and our execution,” she enthuses.

“Internally at EA, we now measure player sentiment and player engagement over dollars or units or sales. Players’ happiness, their net promoter score, is the primary success metric for the company now. It’s no longer revenue, it’s how many players are playing the game. We have really taken a really significant shift in motivating our teams to keep players engaged and in the content for longer. When you do that, you listen to players more, you respond to players and develop programs like Battlefield [Incursions], the competitive gaming mode. We had players in our studio helped us create this mode, and that’s why I think it’s a golden era for players, because they have such a strong voice in what we are creating.”

“We’re seeing the largest engagement the Battlefield franchise has ever seen.”

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Pictured above: a le el s se o e a sio e ame o e sar omes o e ee

The launch of a new mode like Incursions, and the fact that players were involved in its inception, also demonstrates that live games are now so much more than just DLC. “DLC is a component of that package but there are game services, there are community chats with the producers and the developers, there are events and content dropping daily, a fun little weapon that comes out as well as maybe a large map or an entirely new game mode,” Miele believes.

“We see it as programming content, and DLC is a piece of it, but there is so much more that we offer players as it relates to engagement. We want them to connect with each other, to connect with their friends, to connect with our game developers, and we want to surprise them with little presents. We look at it as daily, weekly, monthly, seasonal kind of programming across the board.”

YOU SHALL NOT PASS Despite a jam-packed portfolio of live games that all offer very different experiences, from The Sims to Madden, FIFA or Star Wars Battlefront, Miele tells us that EA’s core strategy and vision for live services “remain the same.”

“We want to stay connected and keep that thread full with the player, whether they’re a Sims player, a FIFA player or a Battlefield player,” she says. “Our motivation

is to keep players playing and keep them engaged in our games. How we fulfil that promise differs from game to game, of course, but they all have incredibly robust live services actually.

“In the case of The Sims, Sims 4 launched over three years ago and we have more players and more engagement with that game than we ever had. We just came out of a cycle; we’ve been putting a ton of content in the community and we’ve seen our engagement numbers and our unique player numbers higher than they were around launch.”

A good example of the different ways EA can fulfil that promise of keeping players engaged is its policy regarding Season Passes. Battlefield 1 launched with a Season Pass, but the firm decided to drop it for the upcoming Star Wars Battlefront II, making all DLC free for its entire player base.

“The core motivation behind that is when a player purchases a Season Pass, there’s a certain segment of your community that plays that Season Pass, but it’s still only just a percentage of the community that can enjoy it and play together. Our goal and motivation is to keep the community together on the same maps as much as possible,” Miele explains.

“So we decided to evolve and adapt our business model to keep the community as vibrant and as large as possible and to allow players to have as many game options to all play at one time.

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“It also allows us to adapt to how players are playing the game. We don’t set the plan. For a premium pass, we would set the plan for our expansion packs before the main game would even ship, right? Now, we’re really able to adapt and respond to the community. So I would say keeping the community together and adapting and responding to how people are playing the game is a big win for us and for our players as we move forwards in our online services.”

READY TO LAUNCH The shift to live games means that launch sales aren’t quite the make-or-break momenet they used to be for the biggest titles publishers.

Back in November last year, for instance, Ubisoft’s VP of live operations Anne Blondel supported this idea when she told MCV that Week One sales are still very important for the firm, “but not critical.”

At EA, Miele says launch sales are still vital for building a vibrant community of players. “We want to engage players as early on in the experiences as we can, and I think when you launch a game like FIFA, you want

a lot of players in that community so it feels populated and energetic. So that is our primarily motivation.

“We are seeing a different tail on the life cycles of our games because of live services. You keep players engaged for a longer period of time, so the tail of your game extends. I think that launching big is important because you want a robust, populated community, and thencreating live services and dropping lots of content and keeping players engaged extends the tail of your game.”

LIVE AND KICKING EA’s emphasis on live games and the company’s new success metrics “has shifted the entire company,” Miele continues, but does this mean EA will stop investing in more traditional, shorter, offline experiences?

“There’s room for all different types of game experiences, but, yes, we are certainly investing significantly in large game live services,” says Miele. “But I do think there’s a place for things like our EA Originals like A Way Out and Fe. We’re creative entertainers, so we need to prioritise that as well, so there is a balance in how we provide content to our players.

“I believe we’re incredibly fortunate and in an incredibly unique place when you think about how many hours players spend with our content and our games.

We have the most diverse set of live services as a game company, and the exciting thing about it is that we’re just beginning. I think modes such Battlefield’s Incursions are going to take our services and engagement to a new place, which I’m incredibly excited about.”

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Fantasy football

Every year, FIFA is EA’s safety net, a guaranteed best seller that will be generating revenue for months. But with FIFA 18, the developer-publisher wants to show the franchise still has room for big improvements. Marie Dealessandri chats with lead gameplay producer Sam Rivera to find out more

I

n a recent interview with GameReactor, EA executive vice president Patrick Söderlund admitted the company “played it safe” with FIFA 17. This year, however, EA is going “all in” with FIFA 18, and as we sit down with lead gameplay producer Sam Rivera at Gamescom, it becomes clear exactly what that means, as the title boasts a wealth of new features, mechanics and modes for players to enjoy.

“A lot of the people we’ve been talking to are really happy with the new features,” Rivera tells MCV. “In fact, I’ve been talking to people that didn’t know about the

new features, but when they play the game, they recognise them right away, since we picked those strategically so people get to enjoy more of the game. People are already calling it out as the best gameplay we’ve ever had.”

Among the many improvements Rivera wants to highlight is EA’s new Real Player Motion Technology.

“It’s a new animation system that allows us to pick animations every single frame instead of every step the player is taking. So for the human eye, animation frame by frame results in one fluid motion, so you don’t see bad transitions between animations.”

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Built with EA’s Frostbite engine for the second year running, FIFA 18 aims to be smoother, bigger, better and more powerful than ever.

“This engine also allows us to be more responsive in the game. It adds more personality, and we can now motion-capture players like Cristiano Ronaldo – and we did – and throw his animation in the game so he moves in-game exactly like in real life.”

The most interesting features in the game, however, have become two of its most renowned modes: The Journey and FIFA Ultimate Team.

HUNT FOR SUCCESS The Journey, which was created with help from developers who worked on EA’s Mass Effect series, was well received by both fans and critics in FIFA 17, so it’s no surprise the publisher chose to continue the story of protagonist Alex Hunter in this year’s entry.

“It’s the second year, Alex Hunter is back and he’s going to go to different places,” says Rivera. “He starts in the favelas in Brazil, and then you’ll see him going to LA and then more places I can’t tell you about yet, but it’s going be a very interesting story. You also have more impactful decisions, so whatever you do off the pitch – and on the pitch – is going to affect more of the story.”

The Journey will also feature additional customisation options for Alex Hunter, such as different hairstyles and tattoos. Rivera expects the story mode to attract even more players this time round, too, particularly after its successful debut in FIFA 17.

“The number of people that got FIFA and then played The Journey was a large percentage – I can’t remember the number exactly but it was a lot of people, and then the completion rate of the mode was also very big.

“That really inspired us to continue pushing hard and really, if you go through it, you’re going to see so many new things in the story. We just want you to experience more of the different situations that a young professional football player experiences through his career. So there are big surprises in the mode – basically Year One for The Journey was very successful and with Year Two we’re expecting another very big year.”

“It’s our most popular mode by far,” Rivera confirms.

“There are so many things you can do and it’s so rewarding. It’s a quite complex experience, but if you do it right it’s very rewarding. That’s why this year we listened to our fans. They really wanted a compelling game mode but offline. That’s why we’re bringing [Battle Squads] into the game. It’s a completely offline mode where you play against the AI to get big rewards. So it’s more about rewards here, but there are also objectives, which are going to be changing every day.”

This isn’t the only change in Ultimate Team, though, as EA is also bringing more football legends to the mode.

“FIFA Ultimate Team Icons [brings] some of the best players in the history of the world in FIFA Ultimate Team, for example, Ronaldo Nazário, Ronaldinho, Maradona and Pelé. There going to be three versions of each of these players from the beginning of their career, the prime of their career, and finally the end of it. The prime icons are going to have the highest stats we’ve ever had in any FIFA before.”

The popularity of Ultimate Team makes it a great fit for competitive gaming as well, but so far EA has been reluctant to talk about how it’s actually going to play out in practice.

“Right now, we haven’t announced exactly how it’s going to work this year,” Rivera says. “But I can tell you we’re adding a new feature called Champions Channel, which allows you to watch replays of the best players and the top matches of the week from your console and learn how the best players play. That’s to try to improve your skills. Right now, it’s the only thing we’ve announced that’s directly related to competitive gaming, but we will be telling more later this year.”

Pictured above: EA’s lead gameplay producer Sam Rivera

“Year One for The Journey was very successful, and with Year Two, we’re expecting another big year.”

THE ULTIMATE GAME The Journey might be FIFA’s rising star, but the title’s heavyweight feature is still Ultimate Team. This lets players build their team using any player from any league, essentially giving players their own Fantasy Football League in video game form.

SWITCHING TACTICS The competitive aspect isn’t the only unknown for FIFA 18 this year, as the title will also be coming to the Switch, making it the first portable entry in the franchise since FIFA 15. It won’t include The Journey mode, but it will be the first time FIFA Ultimate Team has appeared on a Nintendo console.

“It’s custom-built for Switch,” says Rivera. “It’s not the regular FIFA you played – it’s just different. It’s very fun and that’s the point.”

Of course, we’ll have to wait and see whether FIFA 18 is a hit with Switch players, but regardless of its sales performance on Nintendo’s platform, it’s clear EA has put its best foot forward with this year’s instalment, giving it another guaranteed hit when FIFA 18 launches later this month on September 29th.

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Warner Bros: ‘Shadow of War is a true Q4 trip e

flagship

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With Shadow of War launching on October 10th and a wealth of Lego titles hitting shelves before the end of year, Q4 looks to be jam-packed for Warner Bros. Marie Dealessandri discusses the firm’s expectations – which are particularly high for Shadow of War – with SVP international for games Olivier Wolff

E

ver since the first trailer for Shadow of War was revealed back in March, publisher Warner Bros has been releasing new footage of the game at an increasingly frequent rate. At first, it was only once a month, but now as we approach the game’s launch date, there are only a couple of days separating each new announcement.

Add to that what was arguably the largest party at Gamescom, not to mention the huge Shadow of War banners decorating the whole of Cologne throughout the week of the show, and it’s clear the game is Warner Bros’ biggest title for 2017.

“The reception to the game is absolutely fabulous,” Warner Bros’ SVP international for games Olivier Wolff tells MCV. “We are obviously expecting a lot of uplift coming from Gamescom because we have been investing

“We’ve never had such an investment in one marketing campaign.” massively around the game. You’ve seen the posters, but there’s way more throughout the city and we’ve got big shows around it, too.”

Nothing is done by half measures as far as Shadow of War is concerned, and as a result Warner Bros isn’t short of words when it comes to sharing its expectations for the title.

“We’ve never had such an investment in one game and in a marketing campaign,” Wolff says.

“And we believe that we have the right product in order to seduce a mass audience, so we have very high expectations. It’s definitely going to be our game of the year; there is strictly no doubt about that. We had a great start of the year with two big sellers – Injustice 2 and Lego Worlds – and both of them were really big successes, but Shadow of

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Pictured above: Warner Bros’ SVP international for games Olivier Wolff

War is going to be even bigger and we believe it’s a true Q4 triple-A flagship title.”

When we ask about precise sales expectations for the title, Wolff just smiles and answers “massive,” before adding: “Top ten, top five massive.”

He continues: “Pre-orders are pretty strong, they are above what we had for Batman Arkham Knight and we are very happy with what we have.”

RETURN OF THE KING Not only does Warner Bros want to launch big with Shadow of War, but the publisher also has plans to support Monolith’s title long-term.

“Shadow of War is a title that is going to last for a long time for us and there are live plans. So our campaign is going to be lasting for at least 18 months after launch. We have a very detailed roadmap with lots of events.”

Its predecessor, Shadow of Mordor, was also supported post-launch, but while its Lord of the Hunt expansion received mixed reviews, the title was successful enough to be considered as a game-as-a-service candidate – an approach that is becoming increasingly common in today’s market and sometimes even preferred to releasing sequels.

“The first game was such a success and such an innovation on the gaming market, and the comments from gamers and critics were so positive that it was kind of a no brainer to just continue thinking about how we could expand that in order to make new things,” he says.

“Our creative team already had in mind lots of ideas about the stories, the environment, and things that they couldn’t do for the first game, and now the technology has evolved, it was just natural to bring these new things [to Shadow of War].”

Wolff wants to make it clear that Shadow of War will be accessible to newcomers who haven’t necessarily played Shadow of Mordor. “It’s not a sequel in itself, but there are lots of innovations in it, in order to make gamers happy and passionate about this new game.

“You will see that the acclaimed Nemesis system is going to be expanded in a big way in this new game.

Now you will be able to use the Nemesis system for followers and not only for enemies – it’s a new story of loyalty, betrayal and revenge.

You will also have dynamic fortresses that you will be able to build yourself, to expand as well as conquer and find the right strategies in order to go after them. So this is a totally different experience, building on what was very strong from the first game. This game has also been built for the next gen, meaning Xbox One X as well as PS4 Pro. That will be an amazing experience for those who loved the first game.”

“We want to be broad,” Wolff tells us. “Middle-earth is a broad franchise with lots of appeal. We think we just scratched the surface in a very nice, positive and successful way with the first game, but because it is Middle-earth – because there is so much intelligence in the gameplay – we believe we can seduce a lot of other

“Middle-earth is a broad franchise with lots of appeal.”

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“Xxx”

players. And that’s what we are doing with this one. It’s longer, bigger, different. We want players to keep being surprised by all the innovations there is in it.”

BUILDING SUCCESS If Shadow of War is Warner Bros’ biggest launch of the year, the publisher certainly isn’t putting all its eggs in the same basket, as its two new Lego titles – Lego Ninjago on October 6th and Lego Marvel Superheroes 2 on November 17th – are still key parts of its Q4 strategy.

“Lego Marvel Superheroes 2 is going to really impress a lot of people,” Wolff believes. “It’s really building on the first Lego Marvel Superheroes, taking the story from when the first one finished, [and featuring] lots of different mechanics in the game, including time travel that allows for a lot of new types of adventures. So that one is really exciting, but you’ve got Lego Ninjago as well which, for us, is one of the best.”

He continues: “Lego is one of the key pillars of WB Games. As you know, we acquired [developer] TT Games a long time ago and we are absolutely thrilled whenever they come with their great, fun, engaging games. We’ve got a strong Lego slate this year, and for us it’s all about expanding and delighting gamers with our Lego offering, but also innovating around it as a brand.”

The publisher is also bringing its Lego titles to Switch, with Lego Worlds and Lego City Undercover having released earlier this year and Lego Ninjago and Lego Marvel Superheroes coming later this year.

“Nintendo offers an amazing platform,” Wolff enthuses. “It always had a natural fit with our brand and especially with Lego, so we are very excited to bring all these titles to the Switch.”

Flagship toys-to-life franchise Lego Dimensions isn’t being left behind either, as a couple of new level packs hit shelves earlier this September. Wolff is very much a believer in the toys-to-life sector, too: “I think the segment has been evolving over time and it’s just a matter of finding your place in it. For Lego as a toy, having a toys-to-life offering is absolutely natural, so it’s a natural fit for us and it works really well.”

With such a strong portfolio for Q4 on the cards, not to mention the successes the publisher met earlier this year with Injustice 2, Warner Bros is looking at healthy growth over the coming year.

“We can’t share figures, but the important bit is we will be growing massively this year versus last year,” Wolff enthuses. “We’ve had a great year so far. I mean, Injustice 2 was the best-ever rated game of NetherRealm Studios, and Lego Worlds was a massive success in terms of penetration and it’s continuing to sell really well. So with the slate that we’ve got for this Q4, we are looking at a very strong growth this year.”

Once again, however, Wolff makes it clear that it’s Shadow of War that is Warner Bros’ flagship title this year, saying he’s “excited” about what they have in store for the rest of the year, but “especially” excited about Shadow of War, making it the “key pillar” of late 2017.

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Pictured left: Sketchbook Games’ CEO and creative director Mark Backler

Putting it into words Lost Words was the UK Game of the Show at this year’s Gamescom. Seth Barton chats with winner Mark Backler from Sketchbook Games to write up its story

T

here were so many great UK-made games at Gamescom this year, but it fell to the staff of MCV to pick the winner of the UK Game of the Show award, which is organised by Ukie and presented to the best unpublished game on the show floor.

We saw dozens of brilliant titles, and it only reinforced the fact that the UK continues to be a creative powerhouse in the worldwide games industry, from its big studios right down to small indies – and it was at that latter end of the market that we found our winner: Lost Words from Sketchbook Games.

It’s a visually striking title that uses words in a playful yet poignant way by literally building its levels on top of its story – a tale penned by none other than Rhianna Pratchett. To find out more, we catch up with CEO and creative director Mark Backler, who explains the origins of the game and how the fledgling studio’s hoping to bring it to market.

DEAR DIARY In Backler’s own words, Lost Words is “an atmospheric puzzle game that’s set in the pages of a diary where players use words to solve different puzzles.” He’s cautious of using the word ‘platformer’, however, as this would bring a certain level of expectation from future players.

“It’s about a young girl called Izzy, who’s aspiring to be a writer, and her gran is helping mentor her,” he explains.

“Izzy goes through different issues in the real world, and uses the fantasy world to help her cope with them.”

It’s the game’s strong female presence that’s one of its many charms for us, but when Backler tells us about the

game’s development history, it’s clear Lost Words has quite a diary of its own: “It started at the Ludum game jam in 2013, when the theme was minimalism,” he explains. “I was then working on-and-off in my spare time for a couple of years after that, and I’ve been working on it two years full-time.”

His first full-time year was spent developing the prototype and securing funding from numerous sources, including the Wellcome Trust, Creative England, and the UK Games Fund. “We’ve also raised SEIS investment through Games Co. London and Goldfinch [Entertainment]. We could carry on with what we’ve been doing with different small sources, but each time there are different constraints and it takes time.

It’s a full-time job looking for funding, and I’d like to focus on the game.”

Sketchbook is now looking for a publisher to support the game right through to launch.

“We’re looking for some finishing funding,” says Backler. “We’ve got some grants and investments, but we want to get enough money to finish the game to the level of quality that it deserves. Our aim [at Gamescom] was to follow up with publishers that we’d met before and meet new publishers and show them the game, so having the booth has been cool as they can drop by.”

BOOK DEAL Backler is looking for a single partner to release all versions of Lost Words, including Steam and console.

He says he “would love to do a physical release,” but the decision would depend on what the publisher thinks. On

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Pictured above: Rhianna Pratchett wrote the script for Lost Words

pricing, he’s taken a lot of advice and thinks “maybe £15 or $20 for PC or console.”

After that, he plans to release it on mobile platforms: “We don’t necessarily need publishing support for mobile,” he says. “The thing seems to be if you can get it featured, and releasing it on the other platforms will help market it for mobile.” He adds that he “met Johnny Minkley [from Apple], who came to play the game, so it’s cool to make those contacts.”

There’s still a lot of work to be done, though, with Backler telling us Sketchbook is aiming to finish development in late 2018, with a launch window planned for sometime in March 2019.

SKETCHING OUT A TEAM Backler is the creator of Lost Words and the founder of Sketchbook Games, but he’s not the only one responsible for the game’s development. “There are nine people in total,” Backler tells us, “and there were three of us full-time. At the moment, however, it’s just me fulltime. We’re working with artists, but they’re just doing a few days a week.”

Backler expands on his role a little further: “I was a scripter at EA and Lionhead, but then I moved into games design. I’m not the best coder. To begin with, I was doing the coding and then I was using Playmaker because we’re using Unity, so a plug-in like that to do visual scripting was handy.”

Thankfully, Backler has now taken on some help to aid Lost Words’ development: “We have a part-time producer to help out as well, as I found it tricky to do all the production as well as everything else [by myself]. As we scaled up with more people, it was hard to do work at the same time as managing people.”

STAR SIGNING Sketchbook has also secured the services of writer Rhianna Pratchett on the project. “She’s written the whole script for the game and we discussed different areas of it with her. She’s also had input in the design and some of the mechanics,” Backler tells us.

For Pratchett, it’s the interplay between the script and the gameplay that makes Lost Words so intriguing: “In Lost Words, we use the script and character journey as direct inspiration for the gameplay mechanics,” she tells us. “They are always intrinsically linked. In some cases, this is very literal, with words becoming the puzzles or forming some of the platforming sequences. In other instances, it’s about setting the visual mood and utilising environmental narrative through elements like doodles and mementos.”

We wonder whether story leads gameplay or viceversa? “It’s kind of a mix,” Backler explains. “If there’s a puzzle [Rhianna] thought would work well, she’d suggest that, but then we had other puzzles that we’d already come up with that had no story attached, so then we would see if she could fit those in.

“You have to massage the story and the gameplay in together in order to make it work. Sometimes you have to make tough decisions, whether it’s changing the story to fit the gameplay, or cutring some gameplay we thought was really cool but just doesn’t fit in.”

The game switches between the pages of the diary and a full-blown fantasy world, and Backler says his team has been working hard to make each world feel like a natural extension of the other.

“We’re trying to do things to tie the two sections in as much as possible,” he says. “It was a criticism we had levelled at us early on – that they looked like they were from completely separate games – so we tried to make sure that the story elements and the visual are tying in the mechanics and making sure we use the words in both sections in similar ways.

“For example, in the diary you may have one puzzle where you’re opening something with the word ‘open’ and then, when you transition into the fantasy world, we’ll try and have something that’s related to that as well.”

ON DISPLAY Backler was very upbeat about being part of Ukie’s Gamescom stand and winning the award: “It’s great.

We’ve met so many awesome people, and the fact we’re looking for publishers, and the fact we’re sat here surrounded by publishers, and many of them were there when the award is given out is helpful.”

We love what we’ve seen of Lost Words so far, and we’re sure it will do well, so we’ll be following its progress to release carefully over the next 18 months.

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Tackling the

BIG ONE Destiny 2 launched with no reviews, but the pay-off in the long-term is huge for the modern gaming press. Seth Barton speaks to Eurogamer, GamesRadar+ and IGN about their coverage strategies

O

n the day of Destiny 2’s release, a quick look at Metacritic showed that all the big gaming sites were still working on their reviews. That certainly wasn’t out of a lack of interest, of course – this is, after all, the biggest game of 2017 to date.

Indeed, most had prominent stories on their homepages explaining exactly why the review wasn’t online yet and what the plan was to deliver it to their audiences of avid fans and readers.

With the servers only having just gone online, attempting a full review within hours would have been foolish. Naturally, that left consumers with little more than preview content to read before making their decision, though Activision certainly hasn’t been shy in providing players with information – including a substantial beta test in the run-up to launch.

At first glance, the lack of initial reviews could be seen as a problem for the gaming sites, but it’s actually something of a boon, as they’re now well-versed in providing multi-layered, ongoing coverage around the biggest titles.

We talked to Steve Butts, editor-in-chief at IGN, Dan Dawkins, global editor-in-chief of GamesRadar+ and Eurogamer’s reviews and features editor Martin Robinson about their approaches to Destiny 2.

ROOM WITH A REVIEW From the outset, IGN is keen to stress that it’s being transparent about its plans. “For a launch this big, we want to make sure that we put that content plan in front of the audience, so everyone knows what to expect in terms of content and timing,” says Butts. “The advent of online publishing, games as services, and ubiquitous broadband access have transformed the review process at IGN.” Dawkins echoes this sentiment. “A traditional ‘line in the sand’ review is pretty challenging,” he says. “You can’t write a definitive verdict that is all things to all the experiences that people will have with that game. So, to speak for GamesRadar+, our Destiny coverage adapted to reflect people’s changing relationship with the game over the weeks, months and years.”

Robinson agrees that a traditional review isn’t the finishing line any more: “Games coverage has changed massively over the last five years, and an evolving title like Destiny is at the forefront of that. It wasn’t that long ago that we used to have a ‘fire and forget’ approach to covering video games, with a preview cycle that led to a ‘definitive’ review, which would be the final say and the last substantial piece we’d publish on a game. Games are now too vast, too complex and too fluid for that to be practical, and critical writing has had to adapt.”

“Games are now too vast a defin t e e e and t al t ng had t ada t

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soldiers,” noting that near-endless coverage of a specific title can upset members of the community who aren’t long-term players.

Still, for many, Destiny is a game that can take over players’ lives. “It’s a game that recognises the demands of modern life,” says Dawkins. “It’s designed to work as well in long sessions as it is played in snatches – half an hour before bed, a sly hour in the morning before work – which reflects society’s demands on our time, and the increasing sense of breathlessness and being ‘always on’.

It’s all grounded in your very real relationship with your real life / online friends, and how those items reflect status and achievement. In short, Destiny is a game you live with and your character is your second life.”

Pictured, top to bottom: GamesRadar+’s Dan Dawkins, IGN’s Steve Butts, and Eurogamer’s Martin Robinson

Butts is clear about IGN’s objectives: “For a game like Destiny 2, IGN’s main concerns are to be fair to the game and helpful to gamers. To help gamers who are curious about the launch day experience of the game, we shared our unscored impressions based off early access to the game. Those early adopters definitely want us to help them dig into the details to decide whether or not to pick up the game.

“As the server, content and community start to settle in, we’ll be updating those impressions via a ‘review in progress’ and a provisional score. We’re also doing daily livestreams with the reviewer so the audience can see how our reviewer’s experience evolves in parallel with the game.”

GamesRadar+ will also shift its coverage in time with the community: “When it comes to Destiny 2, our coverage is built around that evolving relationship between game and player,” Dawkins states.

“There’s a wider discussion around the role of reviews in the modern context, but to focus on Destiny, you’re talking about perhaps the most influential game of its generation. A game that has re-defined the nature of online play, focusing on co-operation as much as competition.” No pressure there, then, from a community of insatiably-dedicated fans.

Robinson feels similarly: “With something like Destiny 2, the review is just the start of the conversation as we explore different perspectives, different stories and different angles on a game over its lifespan. I think it’s resulted in a better standard of coverage as we discover games alongside our readers, even if some of our commenters grow a little weary of our obsession with grinding out the best hats for our little fictional space

PREDICTING YOUR DESTINY That kind of ongoing relationship with titles such as Destiny is perfect for content creators, who can then evolve their offering alongside the community. From the off, GamesRadar+ is running a hydra-like review structure: “We’re running a review diary, but from three perspectives, with each writer playing as a different class (Hunter, Warlock and Titan), which we’ll update daily,” Dawkins explains.

“It’s more about building a conversation and relationship with our audience, and sharing the moments as we find them, critiquing as we go. I’m sure we’ll put a score on it, in the classic sense, but we’ve not committed to a date. It’s more when our panel of writers feel they’re ready to say something more definitive, even though the game will likely already be evolving into something else. We’ll naturally be working hard to cover the game from a tips, tricks and observations perspective, because it’s all about sharing the experience, and that sense of communion,” Dawkins concludes.

It’s not just a one-way street then, as IGN’s Butts agrees: “Our fans can even interact with us in the chat and share their own questions or comments about the game and our review.”

A final score isn’t miles off, though. In fact, they should be landing around the time you read this, presuming that the initial raid is cracked fairly quickly: “Given how important the raid content is, we feel it’s only fair to the game and the community to hold our final scored review until we’ve had a chance to experience the upcoming raid,” says Butts. “We want to get that review score up as soon as possible for those casual gamers who are craving that final, definitive review score.”

But that score is just another step along in the content strategy. The game’s community, and Activision, can expect to benefit from Destiny 2 coverage for as long as players want it, and that looks likely to be a very long time indeed.

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Sponsored by

g

gaming merchandise uk

MARGIN MAKERS:

RETRO NINTENDO

Nintendo’s Classic Mini: SNES is hitting shelves in two weeks – or rather it would be if it wasn’t sold out everywhere. To comfort fans who didn’t manage to get hold of one, Marie Dealessandri rounds up the best of the rest in retro Nintendo merchandise

SmartBoy for Android This one is for all the Nintendo fans out there who still happen to have their Game Boy games but don’t have the hardware any more. Hyperkin’s SmartBoy is compatible with USB-Cpowered Android phones and supports both Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges. Its battery can also be charged through the phone itse and asts ve hours SRP: £59.99 Manufacturer: Hyperkin Distributor: PQube Contact: 01462 487 373

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SNES Controller Mug

Bubble Bobble Plushies

For those who weren’t fast enough to pre-order a SNES ini, there s sti this o cia icensed ceramic mug that proudly displays the console’s iconic controller design.

While Bubble Bobble has been released on numerous platforms over the years, the title is forever linked to the NES for us at MCV. Those who are nostalgic for this golden age of gaming can now purchase Bub (that’s the green one) or Bob (obviously the blue one) in plush forms.

SRP: £6.99 Manufacturer: Pyramid International Distributor: Heo UK Contact: info@heo.com

SRP: £29.99 Manufacturer: Gaya Entertainment Distributor: Gaming Merchandise UK Contact: hello@gamingmerchandiseuk.com

Donkey Kong NES Poster 1981’s Donkey Kong marked the beginning of a new era, with Mario (then known simply as ‘Jump Man’) appearing for the rst time in a game ans can now ce ebrate the tit e s th anniversary with this poster.

NES Controller Keychain

SRP: £3.99 Manufacturer: Pyramid International Distributor: Heo UK Contact: info@heo.com

This metal keyring takes the shape of a classic NES controller and is part o intendo s o cia e chain range, which eatures eight products, from Luigi to Bob-omb.

SRP: £4.99 Manufacturer: Nintendo Distributor: Open Contact: 01753 483700

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chartanalysis

Lost and found n ust ve da s, on s ncharted

W

he Lost Legac eapt its wa to the top this ugust

ith the arrival of August’s monthly charts, Crash Bandicoot’s days at the top are now officially done and dusted, although given Activision will surely regain that top spot with Destiny 2 in September’s final tally, it’s not exactly going to sting the firm too much.

Instead, standing in its place was Sony’s latest entry in its flagship franchise, with The Lost Legacy finally pushing Crash off its throne despite being on shelves for just five days when GfK closed its report for August.

Despite its triumph, however, sales for The Lost Legacy are far lower when compared to last year’s Uncharted 4: A Thief ’s End. Admittedly, A Thief ’s

The Lost Legacy allowed Sony to take No.1 in the publishers’ charts in units in August, but Nintendo remained at the top spot in value.

End launched much earlier in the month compared to The Lost Legacy, and the latter was also free for Uncharted 4 Season Pass owners, which goes a long way in explaining why The Lost Legacy’s figures haven’t matched up to its bigger sibling.

Meanwile, Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy settled for No.2 with a 50 per cent sales decline month-on-month. Grand Theft Auto V also held its spot at No.3, despite a 15 per cent decrease in sales.

Elsewhere, Codemasters’ new entry in its F1 racing series debuted at No.4, but purchases for F1 2017 were down 31 per cent compared to the previous instalment.

F1 2017 faced tough competition from The Lost Legacy, of course, but last year’s F1 2016 also launched during a crowded release window, debuting the same month as Hello Games’ No Man’s Sky and Square Enix’s Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.

There were a few other new entries in the August Top 50. EA’s Madden NFL 18 debuted at No.21, the Game of the Year edition of Overwatch entered at No.34, and Warner Bros’ Cars 3: Driven to Win landed at No.39.

Meanwhile, Bethesda’s titles had another fantastic month due to continuing promotions. Fallout 4 gained six spots to No.5, with sales increasing 78 per cent month-on-month, Dishonored 2 climbed from

UK MONTHLY PHYSICAL CHART AUGUST 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10

Title

Format

Publisher

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy NEW Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy Grand Theft Auto V F1 2017 NEW Fallout 4 Dishonored 2 Doom Splatoon 2 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege

PS4 PS4 PS4, XO, PS3, 360, PC PS4, XO, PC PS4, XO, PC PS4, XO, PC PS4, XO, PC NS NS PS4, XO, PC

Sony Activision Rockstar Codemasters Bethesda Bethesda Bethesda Nintendo Nintendo Ubisoft

Source: Ukie/GfK, Period: July 30th to August 26th

No.19 to No.6 after a 75 per cent increase in sales, and Doom landed at No.7 thanks to a 61 per cent boost.

Last month wasn’t great for Switch, however, with market shares for the platform dipping from 9.7 per cent in units in July to 6.7 per cent in August.

Splatoon 2, which debuted at No.2 in July, also fell to No.8 last month, with sales decreasing 60 per cent.

However, Nintendo had decent sales with its 3DS in August, with Miitopia copies increasing 143 per cent for its second month on shelves, allowing the title to climb 19 spots to land at No.16.

Overall, August was a steady month at retail, with sales decreasing 0.22 per cent in units month-on-month and declining 4.5 per cent in value. In terms of number of copies shifted, the market is up three per cent yearon-year, but revenue is down 14 per cent year-on-year.

Thanks to The Lost Legacy, Sony made it to the top spot in the publishers’ charts in terms of units in August, but Nintendo remained at No.1 in value, likely due to higher price point of its Switch titles.

F1 2017 sales were notably down on the previous entry

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biggamereleases

Release date:

Project CARS 2

22/09

Developer: Slightly Mad Studios • Publisher: Bandai Namco • Distributor: Advantage • Platform(s): PS4, XO, PC • Price: £49.99 (PS4, XO), £39.99 (PC)

Project CARS 2 "is a huge improvement in just about every way."

The publisher says...

The press say...

How well will it do?

The much-awaited sequel to 2015's Project CARS is hitting shelves in a week. Talking to MCV earlier this year, Bandai Namco's UK marketing and PR director Lee Kirton said developer Slightly Mad Studios was "very passionate about delivering the best racing franchise ever.”

He added: “The team has worked hard to improve visuals, add key manufacturers, more disciplines including loose surface, ice, integrated esports functions, specifics on real-time weather, improved handling in every way and everything you wanted to see from the first release." n

In his preview entitled 'Project CARS 2 sets new standards for the racing genre', Eurogamer's Martin Robinson said the title "does an incredible job of portraying a live, evolving track." He added: "Other games can boast more cars, but none of them can boast cars with quite the same pedigree of those on offer here." The same story goes for the track selection, which Robinson says is "simply the best there is."

Tech Advisor's Lewis Painter agreed that the title "is a huge improvement in just about every way." He particularly praised the new, "strippedback" UI and the "vastly improved" handling. n

When it launched back in May 2015, Project CARS was the first racing title to claim No.1 in the UK weekly charts since 2013. Its second week on shelves allowed Bandai Namco to have two consecutive top spots for the first time in 16 years. As a result, the publisher has "high expectations considering the success of the first release" UK marketing and PR director Lee Kirton has told MCV, adding that it's "Bandai Namco UK’s largest investment."

However, Project CARS 2 launches at a busy time of the year, and will need to work hard to dethrone Destiny 2 before FIFA 18 takes retail by storm the week after. n

50 | MCV 925 September 15

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biggamereleases

Release date:

29/09

FIFA 18

Developer: EA • Publisher: EA • Distributor: CentreSoft • Platform(s): PS4, XO, NS, PS3, 360 • Price: £59.99 (PS4, XO), £54.99

"We want to be a part of the Switch, and help Nintendo grow that install base."

The publisher says...

The press say...

How well will it do?

It's that time of the year again: the new FIFA entry is coming out in exactly two weeks. FIFA 18 will bring its usual wealth of changes and improvements, but the biggest buzz around the title this year is, of course, its Switch launch.

Earlier this August, EA's EVP of worldwide studios Patrick Söderlund commented: "We want to be a part of the Switch, and help Nintendo grow that install base – that’s why you’ll see FIFA. It’s a fullyfledged FIFA game, for the first time on a portable device."

Back when it was announced, former COO Peter Moore also said the title was "custom built" for the Switch. n

Despite a new motion technology system supposedly improving players' movement, it's "difficult to tell the difference between new FIFA and old FIFA," Videogamer's Colm Ahern noted in his preview, adding that this year's title "feels worryingly similar to FIFA 17." He did say, however, that the AI "seems smarter this time around." Meanwhile, Eurogamer's Wesley Yin-Poole said the Switch edition "doesn't look anywhere near as good as the other versions," but is "pretty impressive" as a portable game.

He added it's "hamstrung" by the lack of Frostbite support, but that it "plays nicely and feels at least as responsive as FIFA 17." n

Previews for the title may not have been overly warm, but FIFA is a perennial best-seller in the UK, so we fully expect FIFA 18 to sell extremely well. Indeed, we'll be very surprised if it doesn't enjoy a healthy run at the top spot of the UK physical charts for weeks after release – at least until Call of Duty comes out in November, that is.

The real question, however, is whether it will do well on the Switch, as its success could determine whether we'll see more EA titles come to the console in the future. FIFA may be very popular, but we expect Switch sales for the title to remain modest compared to other formats. n

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biggamereleases

Release date:

15/09

Metroid: Samus Returns

Developer: MercurySteam, Nintendo • Publisher: Nintendo • Distributor: Open • Platform(s): 3DS • Price: £34.99

Samus Returns will include "actions never seen before in the Metroid series."

Announced during Nintendo's E3 Spotlight back in June, 3DS exclusive Metroid: Samus Returns is a 'reimagining' of Game Boy classic Metroid II: Return of Samus, released in 1991.

Nintendo partnered with MercurySteam to develop this title, with senior officer of Nintendo’s EPD department and Metroid co-creator Yoshio Sakamoto saying the collaboration is "the reason [why] we have been able to successfully pull together various features like actions never

seen before in the Metroid series, a stunning recreation of the planet SR388 and classical Metroid gameplay elements into a single powerful package.”

Metroid: Samus Returns also releases alongside two new Amiibo figures – a new Samus Aran and a squishy Metroid – but all former Metroid-themed Amiibo figures are supported too.

To boost sales, Nintendo can also count on a special Legacy Edition of the game and a new Samus-themed New Nintendo 3DS XL. n

Release date:

NBA 2K18

15/09

Developer: Visual Concepts • Publisher: 2K • Distributor: Exertis • Platform(s): PS4, XO, NS, PS3, 360 • Price: £49.99, £34.99 (PS3, 360)

Since Red Dead Redemption 2 got delayed, NBA 2K18 is one of the few Take-Two titles coming out this year.

This latest entry in the basketball franchise will be coming to the Switch this year as well, with CEO Strauss Zelnick telling MCV in August that Take-Two is a "believer in the Nintendo Switch platform" and has "high hopes" for both NBA 2K18 and WWE 2K18 on the console.

Previews for the Switch version of NBA 2K18 are fairly positive, with Forbes'

Brian Mazique saying it "was easily the best portable sports gaming experience" he has experienced.

The title will also be compatible with Microsoft's Xbox One X, which might boost sales come November.

NBA 2K18 will feature a wealth of novelties, including the introduction of the first "live world" in the franchise, called The Neighborhood. It will allow players to interact with various characters, with actions influencing the evolution of their careers. n

NBA 2K18 will introduce a revamped career mode called The Neighborhood

September 15 MCV 925 | 53

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biggamereleases

Digital releases The pick of the crop from upcoming digital downloads SteamWorld Dig 2

Developer: Image & Form Publisher: Image & Form Platforms: NS Price: £14.99 Release date: September 21st

21 09

The sequel to 2013's SteamWorld Dig will be landing on Switch as a timed-exclusive next week, with Image & Form's title hitting PS4 and Steam just a few days later. In its announcement, the studio said players should expect "around 10 hours of gameplay and multiple boss battles," not counting the unlockable content.

Ruiner

26 09

Developer: Reikon Games Publisher: Devolver Digital Platforms: PS4, XO, PC Price: £14.99 Release date: September 26th

Halo Wars 2: Awakening the Nightmare

26 09

First announced at E3, Halo Wars 2's first expansion Awakening the Nightmare will bring a new campaign to the title, as well as fresh maps and leaders, plus a brand-new co-op mode called Terminus Firefight. It is not, however, included as part of the game's season pass.

Stylish action-shooter Ruiner has been created by a team of veteran developers who have worked on triple-A titles such as The Witcher franchise, Dead Island and Dying Light. Polish studio Reikon has been working on Ruiner since 2014 and it's now coming to PS4, Xbox One and PC, courtesy of Devolver.

Developer: 343 Industries Publisher: Microsoft Platforms: XO, PC Price: TBC Release date: September 26th

29 09

Cuphead

Developer: Studio MDHR Publisher: Studio MDHR Platforms: XO, PC Price: £16.74 Release date: September 29th

After seven years of toil and several delays, Cuphead is finally coming out at the end of the month. Every element of the title's 1930s animation has been drawn and inked by hand.

Studio MDHR's platformer offers three difficulty levels and we certainly hope the game lives up to high expectations.

Release schedule Title

Format

Genre

Publisher

Telephone

Distributor

September 15th Blackguards 2 Dishonored: Death of the Outsider Inside/Limbo Double Pack Metroid: Samus Returns NBA 2K18 NHL 18 Shoppe Keep Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana

PS4, XO PS4, XO, PC PS4, XO 3DS PS4, XO, NS, PS3, 360, PC PS4, XO PS4 PS4, Vita

RPG Stealth Platformer Action Sports Sports Simulation RPG

Daedelic Bethesda 505 Games Nintendo 2K EA Excalibur NIS America

01902 861 527 0121 506 9585 0121 506 9585 01753 483700 01279 822 822 01216 253 388 01869 338 833 020 8664 3485

Pavilion Advantage Advantage Open Exertis CentreSoft Contact Sales Open

September 19th arve vs apcom n nite September 22nd Circuit Breakers Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 Mary Skelter: Nightmares Minecraft Story Mode - Season 2 Pass Disc Pharaonic Deluxe Edition Pokkén Tournament DX Project CARS 2

4,

,

PS4 NS Vita PS4, XO, 360 PS4, XO NS PS4, XO, PC

ighting Racing Fighting RPG Adventure RPG Fighting Racing

apcom Excalibur Bandai Namco Idea Factory Telltale Soedesco Nintendo Bandai Namco

entre o t 01869 338 833 0121 506 9585 020 8664 3456 01216 253 388 01902 861 527 01753 483700 0121 506 9585

Contact Sales Advantage Creative CentreSoft Pavilion Open Advantage

54 | MCV 925 September 15

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13/09/2017 17:27

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endgame

This week, Activision celebrated the launch of Destiny 2, and the European Women in Games Conference had its seventh outing

Guardians assemble To celebrate the biggest release of the year, Activision invited a wealth of celebrity guests to its Destiny 2 launch party at London’s Mondrian hotel last week, including Academy Award winner Jared Leto and his 30 Seconds to Mars an ate o o i i e i (below right), as well as world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, rapper Lady Leshurr and Tottenham Hotspur and England footballer Eric Dier (directly below).

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thedraft industry appointments

DOUG DAY and NIZAR ROMDAN have founded Virtual Arts, a new studio dedicated to creating VR, AR and MR content. Previously, both Day and Romdan (CTO and CEO respectively) worked at semiconductor rm , but have now teamed up with several ex-Guerrilla Cambridge employees in their latest venture.

Romdan said: “We want to take the next step and push the boundaries of the hardware.

Our [unique] team will enable us to deliver on our vision.

There will soon be a world where VR headsets are as readily available and as easily disposab e as co ee cup holders. The high end devices of today will be the dominant, entry level devices of tomorrow.

The content being delivered to these devices will come from Virtual Arts and the companies using Virtual Arts’ unique technology platform to create content.”

A009_AXIS STUDIOS_MCV AD_HALF PAGE_AW_OL_V1.indd 1

56 57 58 MCV925 End Game_V8.indd 2

CHARLIE HASDELL (below) has joined PlayStack as creative director from Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe, saying: “It’s fantastic to be working with [CEO] Harvey Elliott again” after seventeen years. Elliott added: “Charlie is an indispensable collaborator who’s able to bring together creative and technical sta with inva uab e insights into both disciplines. It’s a real pleasure to be able to work with him again.”

Ubisoft announced the creation of a new studio in Saguenay, Quebec last week, and its former online technology group director JIMMY BOULIANNE (above) will be its managing director. The studio will focus on online services, and will hire 125 employees over the next ve ears e said come rom the Côte-Nord region and am proud to be able to contribute to creating regional jobs. Ubisoft Saguenay is destined for a wonderful future.”

17/08/2017 12:08

13/09/2017 16:55

Uni Sans SemiBold

endgame

Who’s who?

Seth Barton Editor sbarton@nbmedia.com Katharine Byrne News Editor kbyrne@nbmedia.com Marie Dealessandri Senior Staff Writer mdealessandri@nbmedia.com Sam Richwood Designer srichwood@nbmedia.com James Marinos Production Executive jmarinos@nbmedia.com Sophia Jaques Games Sales Manager sjaques@nbmedia.com Charlie Gibbon Account Manager cgibbon@nbmedia.com Caroline Hicks Events Director chicks@nbmedia.com

The future is femme The seventh European Women in Games Conference took place last week, with over 40 speakers, including keynotes from Anita Sarkeesian (above right) and Brie Code. The event also saw the first Women in Games Mobile Awards handed out, with French studio Accidental Queens’ A Normal Lost Phone taking the Grand Prix, and Simteractive CEO Elaine Reynolds winning the Leadership Award (above centre). Media Molecules’ Catherine Woolley and Wooga’s Glenna Buford were also inducted into the Women in Games’ Hall of Fame. For more on the event, see page 10.

Presents

FIVE SECOND FACTS

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ISSN: 1469-4832 Copyright 2017

As well as creating two new studios in Quebec, Ubisoft will have invested $915m in the region by the end of 2027

Minecraft Marketplace creators have made more than $1m since the service launched in June

The Swedish games industry generated €1.4bn in revenue last year, showing a growth of 1,000 per cent since 2010

The Nintendo Switch has now sold 1.5m hardware units in Japan after just 21 weeks on sale

The number of customers potentially affected by CeX’s online security breach at the end of last month

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