As we consider the trends of the past 12 months and look forward to the next 12 months, we've asked the great and the good in the mobile gaming industry for their opinions.
Simon Parkin is a freelancer journalist, regular PocketGamer.biz contributor and co-founder of games website Hookshot Inc.
Pocket Gamer: What do you think was the most significant event for the mobile games industry in 2012?
Simon Parkin: The success of CSR Racing on iOS will have ongoing, disruptive repercussions: a free-to-play game dressed in a theme more generally associated with core, hobbyist titles that has made a gigantic amount of money.
But perhaps more significantly it was made by orthodox console game developers trying their hand at something new while bringing their previous expertise to enrich.
This will have a inspirational effect on others who, like them, have been made redundant in the past couple of years at major studios but through their example can see a way forward into potential new chapter of success.
What was the most significant event for your company?
Launching Hookshot Inc. was significant because it brought me several steps closer to indie game makers around the world and opened my eyes to a huge number of games that I might not have otherwise known about.
Launching a site in one's already meagre free time - and who really has free time in days like these? - has been a challenge, but the mistakes we've made have been important and the friendships between the four founders have deepened as a result.
What was your favourite mobile game of the year?
Super Hexagon for those short, sharp bursts of play while waiting in a queue or laying awake at night.
Crimson Shroud on 3DS because Yasumi Matsuno has made a new game and woah.
And Letterpress is now my favourite word game, something enriching that I play every day.
What do you predict will be the most important trends in 2013?
A move in free-to-play games away from 'energy' mechanics as a means to monetise to something more creative and pro-player.
What's your New Year's resolution and what resolution would you enforce on the industry?
Be interested.
Thanks to Simon for his time.
Interview
With a fine eye for detail, Keith Andrew is fuelled by strong coffee, Kylie Minogue and the shapely curve of a san serif font.
Top Stories
News
7 hours, 11 minutes ago
EU ruling gives Apple six months to bring iPadOS into line with DMA demands
News
8 hours, 54 minutes ago
Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen joins LEGO’s board of directors days after Squad Busters’ soft launch
News
10 hours, 12 minutes ago
A Thinking Ape lays off staff across game design, software engineering, art teams and more
Feature
9 hours, 21 minutes ago
King’s Paula Ingvar: a games industry journey from "I’m not worthy!" to Candy Crush Soda’s VP of product
Feature
Apr 29th, 2024
Hot Five: Supercell’s Squad Busters levels up, retro Nintendo on iOS, and Genshin Impact’s worst month yet
News
Apr 26th, 2024
Week in Views - Squads busted, Apple crushed, War zoned and Snoozin' with the Snorlax…
Events
Dubai GameExpo Summit 2024 | Middle East | May 1st |
The MENA Games Industry Awards 2024 | Middle East | May 2nd |
GameDev Atlantic 2024 | May 4th | |
Mobidictum Meetup Berlin May 2024 | Europe | May 7th |
Mobidictum Meetup Tallinn May 2024 | Europe | May 21st |
Israel Mobile Summit 2024 | Middle East | Jun 6th |
WN Conference Istanbul 2024 | Jun 11th | |
DevGAMM Vilnius 2024 | Europe | Jun 14th |
Popular Stories
News
Apr 23rd, 2024
Supercell’s Squad Busters soft launches today with over 100,000 Google Play downloads
News
Apr 25th, 2024