Slightly edited and enhanced Slideshare version of my talk: André Bernhardt is going to give you a short history of the german browsergames developer/ publisher vanguard distributing the free to play business model: Showing the key players and their most succesfull titles as well as the risks and problems they have to face to stay on top of the competition within the near future. He will especially focus on new mobile devices as a disruptive technology challenging the classical distribution approach, the growing competition as brick and mortar publishers challenge them on their own turf as well as the menace of crowdfunding vs. classical publishing business.

1. „The times they
are a-changin…“
[Slideshare-Version – edited due to possible copyright and licensing issues]

2. “Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you
Is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'.”
“D. recalled writing the song as a deliberate attempt to create an anthem of change for the
moment.”
[Additional notes: Lyrics of first verse as background for the arc of suspense.]

3. 1/8/2004
1/1/1997
Okt Jul Apr Jan Okt Jul Apr Jan
1997 Jan
1998 2000 2002 2004 2005 2007 2009 2011 2012
Retail business: Online/ Mobile
PC / console Games
[My personal background and CV within the games industry]

4. Source/ Copyright:
www.gruenderszene.de www.techcrunch.com www.gamesmarkt.de www.traviangames.com
„Come gather round people wherever you roam…“ (in alphabetical order)
If you are not familiar with the german games industry – here are some more german browergames
developer and publisher: Upjers, Bytro Labs, Gamigo, Goodgames, BlueByte, etc.

5. 2002 m.wire Gmbh was founded ( predecessor of Bigpoint)
2003 Gameforge GmbH was founded
2005 Traviangames GmbH was founded due to the commercial success of
Travian
Bigpoint (formerly m.wire/ e-sport GmbH) received first funding by United
Internet AG
2007 Innogames GmbH was founded
2008 Bigpoint received major investment by Peacock private equity
2010 Bigpoint bought Radon Labs
Gameforge bought Frogster Interactive Pictures AG
Innogames received two-digit Million funding by Fidelity Growth Partners
Europe
2011 Bigpoint started San Francisco Office and bought US studio Planet Moon
TA Associates und Summit Partners bought Bigpoint shares for 350 Million $
Source/ Copyright:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Goldenes-Zeitalter-1530-2.jpg
„Come gather round people wherever you roam…“ (in historical order)
[Additional notes for slideshare: 2005 to 2011 marked the Golden Age of German online gaming]

6. Source/ Copyright:
www.google.com/finance
„And admit that the waters around you have grown.“
[Additional notes for slideshare: Things changed in 2012 in the US….]

7. „And admit that the waters around you have grown.“
[Additional notes for slideshare: … as well as in Germany.]

8. […]
Source/ Copyright:
www.mud.co.uk/richard/Offenbach.pdf
“And accept it that soon /You'll be drenched to the bone”
[Additional notes for slideshare: Richard Bartle predicted that in 2010 already]

9. “And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone”
[Additional notes for Slideshare: Ninteno survived several business changes….]

10. “And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone”
[Additional notes for Slideshare: Only a few US publishers survived the video games crash of 1983]

11. “And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone”
[Additional notes for Slideshare: A lot of developers struggled due to piracy on DS.]

12. Source/ Copyright:
www.Kotaku.com
“And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone”
[Additional notes for Slideshare: PC gaming is in an constant crisis acording to the media]

13. Source/ Copyright:
www.google.com/finance
„And admit that the waters around you have grown.“
[Additional notes for Slideshare: Please compare this graph to the following slide.]

14. Source/ Copyright:
http://www.gartner.com/technology/research/methodologies/hype-cycle.jsp
:
„And admit that the waters around you have grown.“
[Online gaming reached a turning point in Germany – in Greek language called: „crisis“]

15. Source/ Copyright:
https://apps.facebook.com/farm-villain/
:
„If your time to you is worth savin “
[Why are we in the Trough of disillusionment right now? People are sick of trading their friend relations as
a good for progress]

16. Source/ Copyright:
http://www.insidesocialgames.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Playnomics_Q3-report_Final-copy.pdf:
„If your time to you is worth savin “
[Why are we in the Trough of disillusionment right now? People are sick of simple Skinner Box Gameplay]

17. Source/ Copyright:
www.gamesbrief.com
:
„If your time to you is worth savin “
[Why are we in the Trough of disillusionment right now? Costs Per Acqusition reach all-time high]

18. Source/ Copyright:
www.popmog.com
„If your time to you is worth savin “
[Why are we in the Trough of disillusionment right now? Growing competition]

19. Source/ Copyright:
http://www.pcgameshardware.de
„If your time to you is worth savin “
[Why are we in the Trough of disillusionment right now? Rising dev costs while AAA games enter the
market]]

20. Source/ Copyright:
http://www.penny-arcade.com
„If your time to you is worth savin “
[Why are we in the Trough of disillusionment right now?
People got skeptic about the f2p business model with integrated paywalls]

21. Source/ Copyright:
Microsoft TAG http://mashable.com/2011/03/23/mobile-by-the-numbers-infogrpahic/
„If your time to you is worth savin “
[Why are we in the Trough of disillusionment right now?
Mobile phones/ tablets as a disruptive technology challenge online games and steal players]

22. Source/ Copyright:
Nielsen http://www.blog.nielsen.com
„If your time to you is worth savin “
[Why are we in the Trough of disillusionment right now?
Mobile phones/ tablets as a disruptive technology challenge online games and steal players]

23. „Then you better start swimmin„ or you ll sink like a stone.“
[Additional notes: There is no patent remedy so start to think about possible change in your company]

24. „Then you better start swimmin„ or you ll sink like a stone.“
[Additional notes: Think about your mobile strategy – mobile is a must]

25. Source/ Copyright:
www.appannie.com
„Then you better start swimmin„ or you ll sink like a stone.“
[Additional notes: Think about your mobile strategy as some already did it very successfully.]

26. „Then you better start swimmin„ or you ll sink like a stone.“
[Additional notes: Think about future technologies like HTML5, Smart TVs, Augmented reality,
Crowdfunding and Crowdsourcing]

27. „The times they are a-chaning.“
[Additional notes: Platforms will change and business models will change.
So don t build your company to last forever – prepare for change now and make it part of your company
culture.]

28. Source/ Copyright:
http://bit.ly/ia_books
Two book recommendations:
Two book recommendations: Influence & &
Influence Adapt
Adapt
Thanks for your time.
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Contact me
Contact me andre@indieadvisor.de
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