The document discusses how social games are making publishers obsolete by shifting the games industry from a product-based model to a service-based model where developers can directly engage with users through online distribution and analytics. It outlines how the roles of publishers and developers have changed, with publishers no longer handling physical distribution and marketing but developers now able to gather user data and optimize games. Social games are directly challenging the traditional publisher model through trends like viral sharing and using analytics to continuously improve the user experience.
Pocket Gamer Connects 2014_The Experience of Entering the Korean Market
Social Games: Making Publishers Obsolete
1. +
Social Games
– Making Publisher obsolete
Jens Begemann
Founder & CEO wooga
2. wooga
–
world
of
gaming
About
wooga
Jens
Begemann
Founded
January
2009
Founder
&
CEO
Funding:
Founders,
Balderton
Capital,
Holtzbrinck
Ventures
(total
of
€5m+)
Interna9onal
team
of
85
from
20
countries
in
Berlin
Key
stats
5
games
on
Facebook;
30
million
ac9ve
users
Biggest
European
social
game
developer
Only
5%
of
users
from
adver9sing
70%
of
users
are
female
(age
20-‐60)
2
3. n A)
Game
Publisher
or
Developer?
n B)
Blogger
or
Journalist?
n C)
Investor,
Banker,
Analyst?
n D)
Provider
for
the
industry:
Ad-‐Pla[orm/Network,
Tool
provider,
Supplier
(e.g.
Sound/Graphics),
Agency,
Cross-‐linking
network
etc.?
n E)
Other
3
4. #1
§ Launched
July
2009
§ Biggest
brain
training
game
on
Facebook
5. #2
§ Launched
February
2010
§ Top
20
Facebook
game
§ Pop
colourful
bubbles
and
explore
the
secrets
of
a
mysterious
island.
6. #3
§ Launched
May
2010
§ Top
20
Facebook
game
§ Grow
crazy
plants
and
build
your
own
unique
Monster
Garden.
7. #4
§ Launched:
December
2010
§ Cure
cute
pets
of
funny
diseases
while
building
your
own
pet
hospital.
8. #5
§ Launched:
March
15
§ Click
as
many
gems
as
possible
in
60s
§ Already
a
top
20
Facebook
game
§ Fastest
growing
Facebook
app
today
17. The
Role
of…
Publishers
&
Developers
1. Medium
1. Gameplay,
Ideas
&
Story
2. Distribu9on
2. Tes9ng
3. Reach
3. Visuals,
Graphics,
Sounds
4. Market
research
4. Programming
5. Financing
in
vs.
Old
world
New
world
17
18. 1)
Medium
Old
world:
New
world:
Making
physical
media
Online
access
18
19. 2)
Distribu9on
Old
world:
New
world:
Retail,
gatekeepers
Direct
to
Consumer
19
20. 3)
Reach
Old
world:
New
world:
Branding,
Ads,
PR
Viral
+
X-‐linking
20
21. 4)
Market
research
Old
world:
New
world:
Focus
groups
+
mystery
Analy9cs
21
22. 5)
Financing
Old
world:
New
world:
Advances
/
Financing
Steady
cash-‐flow
23. Publishers’
tasks
change
drama9cally
Old
world
New
world
1. Medium:
Physical
media
à
Online
access
2. Distribu9on:
Retail
etc.
à
Direct
to
consumer
3. Reach:
Branding
&PR
à Viral
&
X-‐Linking
4. Market
research:
Mystery
à
Analy9cs
5. Financing:
Advances
à
Steady
cash-‐flow
Publishers
Developers
23
24. Social
Games
–
Making
Publisher
obsolete
I. The
role
of
the
publisher
II. EvoluFon
of
computer
games
III. Key
trends
in
social
gaming
24
29. A/B
test:
Growth
9me
of
lemonade
bushes
5
min
=>
3
min
7
day
ret
3
day
ret
1
day
ret
Reached
lvl
4
3 min
Reached
lvl
3
5 min
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
30. Analy9cs:
A/B
test
of
different
characters!
Welcome Bill!
Welcome Bill!
Welcome Bill!
I’ll help you get I’ll help you get
I’ll help you get
started on your started on your
started on your
garden.
garden.
garden.
30