The DICE Summit is underway in Las Vegas, which means that plenty of big names in gaming are giving presentations on what we need to see in the future of the industry. EA and Digital Chocolate founder Trip Hawkins argued that companies and developers need to learn to monetize effectively and change perception of gaming.
According to Hawkins, developers are trained for making products, but they don’t know how to monetize those games. He believes that it’s an issue that will be resolved, but needs to be approached systematically.
We have to learn how to monetize. Everyone’s struggled with it. In next five years we’ll get to be more systematic with it… I know we’re all going to figure this one out. We must get a lot smarter at virtual goods as a science.
But it’s not just about the money for Hawkins – he believes gaming needs to play a bigger role in education. He’s launched a new company, If You Can, which is developing a game targeted at kids aged 6-12 to teach emotional intelligence and combat bullying. However, he says games are still viewed as a “social ill” and resented by parents and teachers. He believes that changing the perception around games will only come when truly engaging, educational games become the norm. Looking at games like Minecraft, which has proven to be fun, popular and have educational uses, as well as a game like EA’s Madden, which is built around the NFL rulebook, he believes that there’s a chance to make games that are valuable and scalable. This, Hawkins believes, is how the industry can grow its revenues.
I may not agree with the whole thing, but I certainly think he makes a valid point. We are already moving to a stage where kids are expected to have iPads at schools. Whether or not you agree with it, digital learning will dominate and there are tons of opportunities for developers to make games that can become integrated into curricula. Typing of the Dead is a great way to learn typing while killing zombies with plenty of blood – c’mon, let’s get gory, violent ways of teaching everything!
Last Updated: February 6, 2014
Admiral Chief in Vegas
February 6, 2014 at 15:03
Ugh dat marketing lingo, sies!
RinceThis2014
February 6, 2014 at 15:12
Tell me about it man. As you know was at a media thing the other day, didn’t know what the hell they were saying most of the time…
General JJ the ashamed
February 6, 2014 at 15:18
Beep beep boop boop
TiMsTeR1033
February 6, 2014 at 15:59
translated: I hate your face
General JJ the ashamed
February 6, 2014 at 16:14
You speak astromech droid?? O_O
VFacharnmethe85
February 7, 2014 at 03:23
?? ?????’? e?-???e ???e? $80 e?e?? ???? ?? ??e ??????e?. ??e ??? ?ee? ??????? ???? ??? 7 ?????? ??? ???? ????? ?e? ?????e?? ??? $217?? ???? ??????? ?? ??e ??????e? ??? ? ?e? ?????. ??? ???? ?e????e SaveJury.com
Grant Hancock
February 6, 2014 at 15:06
“learn how to monetize” … Gaming Anti-Christ !!
Gustav Willem Diedericks
February 6, 2014 at 15:47
Like they aren’t already monetizing the crap out of games. Mayhap this be the problem causing EA to be disliked?
Macethy
February 6, 2014 at 15:09
Speaking of monetizing…
Did anyone see the extremely low scores that the new Dungeon Keeper game has been getting? Due to monetization…
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 6, 2014 at 15:15
lol. It was a learning experience?
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
February 6, 2014 at 15:41
EA should learn to not be cunts.
SheHulkNigri
February 6, 2014 at 15:49
The sad thing is, even if all the gamers in the world pitch up at EA HQ chanting that uhm, choice word, they won’t get the message…
ToshZA
February 6, 2014 at 16:41
They’ll get the message if everyone stops buying their cra… er… games?
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
February 7, 2014 at 09:18
The funniest part of it is their attempts to defend the practice – http://www.examiner.com/article/ea-defends-dungeon-keeper-paywall-with-positive-ratings-neglects-manipulation
I guess another Golden Poo is in their future!
Gustav Willem Diedericks
February 6, 2014 at 15:48
Ditto
Weanerdog
February 6, 2014 at 16:40
I read a review on it and it would have been the funniest thing I have ever read if it was not so sad.
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 6, 2014 at 15:12
I can’t take anything seriously when it’s said by someone called Trip.
Hammersteyn
February 6, 2014 at 15:17
Thats how I feel about Major Nelson.
SheHulkNigri
February 6, 2014 at 15:22
What about Bonthuys?
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 6, 2014 at 15:29
Of course. Darryn is my brother from another mother after an unfortunate lab accident that the doctor’s assured us won’t be repeated lest the world be doomed.
SheHulkNigri
February 6, 2014 at 15:30
Bah! I refuse to take anyone seriously that refers to Gypsy Danger as a robot…
ToshZA
February 6, 2014 at 16:39
So what would your name for a giant robot be then? Hmmm?
SheHulkNigri
February 6, 2014 at 20:17
LOL no. Go read The D’s article on the best robot movies to see what I am on about. Look for my comment there?
RinceThis2014
February 6, 2014 at 15:34
Not to be repeated? What is OVG’s excuse?
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 6, 2014 at 15:35
A warning to us all?
Umar Hyakutaro [S]
February 6, 2014 at 15:13
Money can’t buy happiness. It can however buy you 1000 gems. Close enough
Hammersteyn
February 6, 2014 at 15:17
LOL
Hammersteyn
February 6, 2014 at 15:14
Monetize. The G8 uses that word a lot too.
Daniel Keevy
February 6, 2014 at 15:21
Monetising a game is fine, but then there has to be a dramatic reduction in the cost of games. You can’t ask $600 for a game and include micro transactions. Well, you can, but your business will die.
SheHulkNigri
February 6, 2014 at 15:41
Dear Gamer
Thank you for purchasing our $600,00 game. We hope you like the delivery person we sent…”
(Refresh)
Daniel Keevy
February 6, 2014 at 15:54
Lol. That would become a very awkward thank you gift for married gamers.
SheHulkNigri
February 6, 2014 at 16:16
“But… but.. honey. I opened the door and there she was. Next thing I know she yells “Playtime!!!” and grabs my joystick…”
Daniel Keevy
February 6, 2014 at 16:30
I don’t think you should call the divorce court judge honey…
Weanerdog
February 6, 2014 at 16:45
Yes if I catch my wife with another girl like this I will be very disappointed.
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 6, 2014 at 15:56
Those don’t look like microtransactions to me.
SheHulkNigri
February 6, 2014 at 16:06
I was never a big fan of microtransations on a girl…
Daniel Keevy
February 6, 2014 at 16:31
Rofl!
Mighty Meh
February 7, 2014 at 10:20
Strippers invented micro-transactions!
Morne Nell
February 6, 2014 at 15:33
They can start by building into games the options to reduce things such as foal language, gore sexuality etc. Some games are extremely nice and educational already but there is no option to make it playable for the young.
Daniel Keevy
February 6, 2014 at 15:55
Definitely. Games can also use facilitation to promote critical thinking. Like the start of the last Tomb Raider.
SheHulkNigri
February 6, 2014 at 16:06
Damn those foals and their always clucking!
Admiral Chief in Vegas
February 6, 2014 at 15:39
Monetize the gaming paradigm shift across the sales force effectiveness to ensure the target rating point while fulfilling the revenue stream to the market related indicators of the gross margin relative to the market penetration directly proportional to brand awareness in the numeric distribution of the abandonment rate, thus ensuring customer satisfaction throughout predictive validity.
Lets do a working lunch to brainstorm this, you savvy?
http://takshzilabeta.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/chirac.jpg
General JJ the ashamed
February 6, 2014 at 15:41
Thanks. Was afraid I misunderstood this article. Now it all makes sense.
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 6, 2014 at 15:55
It’s not directly proportional. Er.. I mean… what? *cough*
Weanerdog
February 6, 2014 at 16:44
He said EA don’t be arseholes, people will like you and therefore buy your games as long as they don’t suck (the games not the people).
TiMsTeR1033
February 6, 2014 at 16:00
@ Zoe are you related to Trip Hawkins?
Brian Murphy
February 6, 2014 at 18:14
I played Number/Word Munchers in elementary school back in…um, ’85-’87, loved it. Was basically educational+pacman, for all intents and purposes. There’s plenty of room for the industry to work with, in regards to educational gaming. And it’s all well and good that they talk about it, but yeah… Number Munchers is now almost 30 years old. So…why has it taken them this long to figure it out?
As far as monetization, over my dead body. You can try to further monetize games, and I will continue to go to your closest competitor out of spite. Go fuck yourself EA.
Wyzak
February 7, 2014 at 08:42
Games are already monetized in that we pay for them. Don’t expect us to pay for the same thing twice, or repeatedly to get the full experience. If you want to give me the game for free fine, but the chance is very slim that I will buy anything in game, so think twice.
David
February 7, 2014 at 10:19
Whats wrong with EA…
64bit
February 7, 2014 at 10:28
heheh this has to be a troll there is no possible way that EA can be that dense as to publicly say that, unless they are talking directly to there shareholders.
Consumer pays money for game. <= full stop
How effing greedy are they.
NEVER ever again will i pay for an EA game. will torrent, play and delete