Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick views on the value of the mobile gaming sector - both economic and creative - have been widely reported.
But while most have focused on the idea of $40 tablet game - not a subject he explicitly raised - the more significant point is his views about the interaction between the economic value of mobile games and their consumer value, or length of gameplay.
Wrong end of the stick
One developer to keen to rebut Zelnick's argument is Appy Entertainment, which formed out of US console developer High Moon Studios.
"'Price points aren't lower on iPhone because of five minute games," explains brand director Paul O'Connor.
"Our latest game, Trucks & Skulls Nitro, clocks in at six hours-plus for 99c, and our metrics indicate players return to several times a week, with average sessions longer than five minutes."
Instead, O'Connor argues the price point of mobile games is driven by completely different considerations.
"Prices on iOS games are compressed to free or $1 because this platform is at the center of the most competitive entertainment software market in history. Surviving here requires a new kind of thinking that, frankly, most of the console industry has been unwilling (or unable) to achieve."
Expand your mind
He also points out that Zelnick's view there's a direct relationship to the screen size of a device and the depth of the experience is facile.
"It's like saying that movies can only be entertaining when viewed on an IMAX screen," says O'Connor.
"A larger screen can make an image more engaging but if your game isn't designed to take full advantage of this new, connected (and unique) touch-driven platform, then all a larger screen is going to do is amplify its shortcomings."
News
Contributing Editor
A Pocket Gamer co-founder, Jon is Contributing Editor at PG.biz which means he acts like a slightly confused uncle who's forgotten where he's left his glasses. As well as letters and cameras, he likes imaginary numbers and legumes.
Top Stories
News
2 hours, 7 minutes ago
Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen joins LEGO’s board of directors days after Squad Busters’ soft launch
News
3 hours, 25 minutes ago
A Thinking Ape lays off staff across game design, software engineering, art teams and more
Feature
2 hours, 34 minutes ago
King’s Paula Ingvar: a games industry journey from "I’m not worthy!" to Candy Crush Soda’s VP of product
Feature
6 hours, 44 minutes ago
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