Yesterday at Devcom, Team17's Head of Game Exploration Jasper Barnes talked about how indie publishers decide which games to invest in, and how understanding what players want from a game can help developers make their title stand out.
For Barnes, the most important factor when considering a game is whether players will care enough to play it.
“I think that's something that people tend to overcomplicate. It should really be something as simple as leaning into an emotion, a previous title that you're excited about, or other cultural phenomena – it doesn't have to be just one thing.”
Barnes used as an example a personal wish of a game he would like to see.
“I've been telling people for years that I want someone to make an old-school survival horror movie, similar to the scene in Jurassic Park where the kids are in the kitchen trying to escape the dinosaur. Tell me you're going to do that and I'll try to give you all the money I can.”
Basically, the core concept of a game doesn't have to be a particular trope or game genre.
“It could just be: here's the moment, here's the nostalgia, here's the reference, here's the reason people will be excited about this game.”
A strong, original concept can lead to replayability, a factor that Barnes was particularly passionate about.
“Competition is very present right now and capturing players' attention over a long period of time is harder than ever,” he explained. “A big mistake we see when launching a game is people telling us that when a player understands the full context of a 20-hour narrative and sees all the nuances and relationships between characters, they're going to love the game – it doesn't matter if they get bored after seven minutes, they'll never get bored.”
“You have to show that you understand what players are looking for and what they enjoy”
“You have to show that you understand what players are looking for and what they enjoy, because that's what they'll carry into the early game cycle.”
Barnes acknowledged that while replayability isn't the easiest thing to determine, it is one of the main considerations publishers take into account when deciding to invest in a game.
“At Team17 we receive around 4,000 proposals per year and we have to estimate how much investment we will make at any given time,” he said, adding that being able to play a demo makes this process easier.
“It's a huge help in understanding which of these games really have it all together, which ones understand the mechanics, what they're doing, and are starting to deliver on that promise.”
He continued: “That subconscious desire to go back to those games is so important. It's something that happens infrequently, but when it does, you're on the right track. And that's how you build a champion as a publisher, that's how you can find someone to help you push your game, close that deal, and execute it well.”
Finally, Barnes said knowing how well developers handle feedback is vital to a strong partnership.
“What you'll find, rightly or wrongly, is that a publisher will always try to give you some kind of feedback on your game,” he said.
“Even if they love it, they'll always (offer constructive criticism) that comes from a place of mutual enthusiasm and excitement. But what we're looking for is developers who share that enthusiasm and say, 'That's a cool idea, we could do that.'”
“It's a huge step forward, both in terms of enthusiasm for the game and collaboration, rather than just cancelling it on day one because what you'll find is that the publisher is trying to find a way to make this game something special. They're looking to use their experience as much as you're using yours to create something that you can both be proud of.”