TIGA, the trade associationrepresenting the UK games industry, says developers can boost their business
strength and resilience by adopting a portfolio approach where possible.
Jason Kingsley OBE, the group's chairman and co-founder of Rebellion, said
developers should not ignore smaller IPs which he believes are good for
stimulating creativity and the long-term economic success and stability of
studios.
He spoke out ahead of the busy autumn period in which many big name games will
be released at about the same time, competing head to head in a battle of the
giants.
The run up to Christmas has traditionally become dominated by big titles and
sequels but there is a risk in that an over-reliance on major franchises alone
can backfire. Tomb Raider used to be a huge almost annual release but, Kingsley
argues, the all brilliant games can begin to lose their sparkle as the pressure
of almost annual releases take their toll on creativityand perhaps tire the audience.
Jason Kingsley OBE said:
“Games such as Tomb Raider
were hugely important along with many of the other IPs the UK has created and
exported world-wide like Judge Dredd in our own 2000 AD or our original title
Sniper Elite v2 for example. But we shouldn't ignore smaller IPs and the
benefits of a broad portfolio of products, after all the very biggest titles
have to come from somewhere.
“If we look at the case of Eidos, arguably it suffered with perceivedover reliance on only one title and was, in the
end, sold to Square Enix for £84.3 million, partly perhaps because it did not
manage to replicate the early successes and build a spread risk of titles.
“Looking at history, empires fall and nations crumble, no matter how
unlikely it may seem to an insider. Eventually even big franchises fail
in the market or need to be rested which is why we are so enthusiastic about
backing smaller and more varied IP and grassroots development.”