Following The Green Light - Future of Game Distribution (Different Games)
This presentation was given at Different Games, an NYU-Georgia Tech conference on diversity in games. /// Following The Green Light --- The introduction of Valve’s online distribution platform, Steam, has dramatically changed the face of video game access on a global level: from developers trying to get “Greenlit”, to gamers in emerging economies making the most out of $5 game sales, the current state of the game industry is characterized by an ever increasing digitalization of distribution means. This trend is present in other realms, like Kickstarter’s rise to the aid of indie creators, the episodic release of games, and the creation of “bundles”, or packages of games for low costs, in the name charity. The economical impact of this digitalization is clear, but what are its implications for inclusion of dissident voices in the gaming community? Beyond the obvious advantages that online access delivers to small creators from all around the world, the relationship between a player and a game’s creators has become more direct, while at the same time being depersonalized by commoditization. Online distribution platforms, born from an instrumental need to sell more in an easier way, are reflecting the inter sectorial limitations and gaps that diverse game creators are currently experiencing in the offline world. The project synthesizes distribution models in game creation history, analyzing their affordances for the inclusion of diversity in both the conception of games and their reception amongst players. It then visualizes possible paths for future distribution systems, emphasizing those that present the most potential for incrementing the participation of minorities and diverse designers in the games industry. “Following the Green Light” is a prospective design project being developed by Andrea Morales, grad student at the Transdisciplinary Design MFA in Parsons The New School of Design.
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Following The Green Light - Future of Game Distribution (Different Games)
- 1. FOLLOWING THE GREEN LIGHT A strategic design project on the future of inclusive game distribution. Andrea Morales Coto andreamorales@newschool.edu @mentapurpura
- 2. What it’s all about To explore ways of game distribution that are adaptable to change, diverse, and run by community consensus, all through the lens of strategic design.
- 3. But why? STRATEGIC DESIGN GAME DESIGN+Using design methodologies as a way to tackle complex problems that can’t be solved by a single discipline. My passion and reason to be here today.
- 4. THE OUTCOMES OF A STRATEGIC DESIGN PROCESS DEPEND ON THE WAY THE CHALLENGE IS FRAMED. The solutions can be games, services, products, experiences…
- 5. I believe that games have the potential to seamlessly unveil the backdrop of technology to underserved communities.
- 6. If our future depends on the artificial, how are we using games to create more inclusive futures?
- 9. manufacture: materials needed such as electricity, etc. distribution: mediated by publishers or not, involved point of sale (can be offline or online) manufacture: human labor involved in game dev marketing and sales circulation amongst players throwing away/ digital shelfing
- 10. manufacture: materials needed such as electricity, etc. distribution: mediated by publishers or not, involved point of sale (can be offline or online) manufacture: human labor involved in game dev marketing and sales circulation amongst players throwing away/ digital shelfing ii
- 11. manufacture: materials needed such as electricity, etc. distribution: mediated by publishers or not, involved point of sale (can be offline or online) manufacture: human labor involved in game dev marketing and sales circulation amongst players throwing away/ digital shelfing ii What about inclusion in the rest of the value chain?
- 12. Why game distribution? COMMODITIZATION VIRTUALIZATION+Digital purchases, value, price point, “sacred” ritual of playing games with others? Access gaps, games being defined as VIDEOgames. CENTRALIZATION+Big fish vs. Little fish in distribution, censorship, monopolized circulation.
- 13. WHAT IF WE COULD DISTRIBUTE GAMES IN A WAY THAT IS RESILIENT, DIVERSE, AND RUN BY COMMUNITY CONSENSUS?
- 15. Research: Historical Conceptual Map
- 16. QUARTERS CARBON EMISSIONS VERTICAL INTEGRATION HARDWARE RACE DLCs DONATIONS EPISODIC GAMES EARLY ACCESS GOTYAND EDITIONS PACKAGING TRANSPARENT PAYMENT(HB) SOUNDTRACKS BUNDLES CHECKS MAILING MONEY BUG CONTROL FAIR PRICING CO CREATION SOCIAL NETWORKS OPEN ALPHA REFUNDS INFORMAL DISTRIBUTION ADULTS ELITES NOOBJECT/ TOYS BOARD GAMES CHILDREN RELIGIONGAMBLINGVIRTUE MAME ARCADE PIRACYSOVIET GAMES CLONE CONSOLES INFORMAL ECONOMY GIFT ECONOMY SIN PROHIBITION ERA WOMEN UNDERSERVED COMMS. PROGRESS/ PROPERTY ELITEBUT SHARED SPACES COIN OPS BARS GAS STATIONS ARCADES CONVENIENCE STORES MUSEUMS PERSONAL COMPUTERS OFFLINE BBS ONLINE COMMS. MESH NETWORKS? SENIOR CITIZENS ASIAN AMERICANS LATINOS DISABILITIESAFRICAN AMERICANS ROADS ANDBOATS LITOGRAPHY DRM/ IP TRAINS! PHONELINE SERVERS INTERNET EXCLUDED AUDIENCES GAMEOBJECT INFRASTRUCTURE MODEOFPAYMENT PRESENTATION COCREATIONMODES COCREATIONCHALLENGES SPACEOFDISTRIBUTION INDIE DEVS PINBALLS HARD CODEDGAMES CARTRIDGES FLOPPYDISKS DOWNLOADS CROWD FUNDING
- 19. BUG CONTROL FAIR PRICING REFUNDS ADULTS ELITES NOOBJECT/ TOYS BOARD GAMES CHILDREN RELIGIONGAMBLING PROHIBITION ERA WOMEN UNDERSERVED PROGRESS/ PROPERTY ELITEBUT SHARED SPACES COIN OPS GAS STATIONS ARCADES CONVENIENCE STORES MUSEUMS PERSONAL COMPUTERS OFFLINE BBS ONLINE COMMS. MESH NETWORKS? DISABILITIES GAMEOBJECT COCREA COCREATIO SPACEOFDISTRIBUTION INDIE DEVS PINBALLS HARD CODEDGAMES CARTRIDGES FLOPPYDISKS DOWNLOADS
- 20. QUARTERS CARBON EMISSIONS VERTICAL INTEGRATION HARDWARE RACE DLCs DONATIONS EPISODIC GAMES EARLY ACCESS GOTYAND EDITIONS TRANSPARENT PAYMENT(HB) SOUNDTRACKS BUNDLES CHECKS MAILING MONEY BUG CONTROL FAIR PRICING CO CREATION SOCIAL NETWORKS OPEN ALPHA REFUNDS ULTS ELITES NOOBJECT/ TOYS BOARD GAMES DREN ROADS ANDBOATS LITOGRAPHY DRM/ IP TRAINS! PHONELINE SERVERS INTERNET GAMEOBJECT INFRASTRUCTURE MODEOFPAYMENT COCREAT COCREATION SPACEOFDISTRIBUTION INDIE DEVS PINBALLS HARD CODEDGAMES CARTRIDGES FLOPPYDISKS DOWNLOADS CROWD FUNDING
- 21. QUARTERS VERTICAL INTEGRATION HARDWARE RACE DLCs DONATIONS EPISODIC GAMES EARLY ACCESS GOTYAND EDITIONS PACKAGING TRANSPARENT PAYMENT(HB) SOUNDTRACKS BUNDLES CHECKS MAILING MONEY BUG CONTROL FAIR PRICING CO CREATION SOCIAL NETWORKS OPEN ALPHA REFUNDS TRAINS! PHONELINE SERVERS INTERNET AMEOBJECT RUCTURE MODEOFPAYMENT PRESENTATION COCREATIONMODES COCREATIONCHALLENGES OFDISTRIBUTION INDIE DEVS PINBALLS HARD CODEDGAMES CARTRIDGES FLOPPYDISKS DOWNLOADS CROWD FUNDING
- 22. QUARTERS CARBON EMISSIONS VERTICAL INTEGRATION HARDWARE RACE DLCs DONATIONS EPISODIC GAMES EARLY ACCESS GOTYAND EDITIONS PACKAGING TRANSPARENT PAYMENT(HB) SOUNDTRACKS BUNDLES CHECKS MAILING MONEY BUG CONTROL FAIR PRICING CO CREATION SOCIAL NETWORKS OPEN ALPHA REFUNDS INFORMAL DISTRIBUTION ADULTS ELITES NOOBJECT/ TOYS BOARD GAMES CHILDREN RELIGIONGAMBLINGVIRTUE MAME ARCADE PIRACYSOVIET GAMES CLONE CONSOLES INFORMAL ECONOMY GIFT ECONOMY SIN PROHIBITION ERA WOMEN UNDERSERVED COMMS. PROGRESS/ PROPERTY ELITEBUT SHARED SPACES COIN OPS BARS GAS STATIONS ARCADES CONVENIENCE STORES MUSEUMS PERSONAL COMPUTERS OFFLINE BBS ONLINE COMMS. MESH NETWORKS? SENIOR CITIZENS ASIAN AMERICANS LATINOS DISABILITIESAFRICAN AMERICANS ROADS ANDBOATS LITOGRAPHY DRM/ IP TRAINS! PHONELINE SERVERS INTERNET EXCLUDED AUDIENCES GAMEOBJECT INFRASTRUCTURE MODEOFPAYMENT PRESENTATION COCREATIONMODES COCREATIONCHALLENGES SPACEOFDISTRIBUTION INDIE DEVS PINBALLS HARD CODEDGAMES CARTRIDGES FLOPPYDISKS DOWNLOADS CROWD FUNDING
- 30. Next Steps: Cocreation and Prototyping COCREATION: 10 more interviews. RESEARCH: 3 more workshops (looking for participants!) PROTOTYPING: 3 rounds.
- 31. FOLLOWING THE GREEN LIGHT Andrea Morales Coto andreamorales@newschool.edu @mentapurpura Send me an e-mail to participate!