Preview: Game Connection

Q Why do you use Game Connection as a meeting platform?

For us, having sat on the developer side of the fence at Game Connection, we know how seriously the event is taken - the amount of effort and focus the meetings have and the fact that GDC follows a few short months later, meaning that follow-up conversations can have real drive and purpose.

It also helps that it's perhaps the best-organised and most efficient way of conducting a tonne of really useful meetings in such a short time. We've not attended a better event, pure and simply.

Martyn Brown, business development director and co-founder, Team 17

We use Game Connection because it's a dedicated business development event. You meet with developers in a really efficient way - quick-fire thirty minute meetings without any distractions.

The online meeting system that automatically generates schedules is a massive time-saver and allows you to learn a lot about a company before the actual meeting, helping to avoid wasted meetings. I've been coming to the event since 2004 so I know that it delivers.

Caspar Gray, acquisitions manager, Square Enix Europe

I like using Game Connection as a meeting platform. It's a great way to meet a large number of developers that I may not normally have the opportunity to meet with as they may not have a contact within Microsoft Game Studios.

This is especially relevant to indie developers - Xbox Live Arcade and Live on Windows Phone are constantly looking to partner with smaller indie developers in addition to our more established partners, so this is a good venue for that to happen.

Cherie Lutz, senior business development manager, Microsoft Game Studios

Q What are you looking for from potential clients this year, specifically?

We don't attend Game Connection to find something in particular. We're there to scout out great titles to publish or discover an amazing talented team for future work for hire, for example.

But Game Connection is also an opportunity for us to stay in touch with all our partners and to keep our eyes on the trends in independent development.

Sébastien Tasserie, business development manager (Europe/Asia-Pacific), Ubisoft

We are looking for projects for all platforms, from mobile smart phones to downloadable console to console and handheld retail products. We have a strong focus on an acquisitions initiative where Konami is looking to distribute or co-publish fully or partially funded games in addition to the traditional acquisition of developer IP.

Careen Yapp, VP of acquisitions and franchise development, Konami

As a platform holder we always looking for games that are a bit different; we want to see ideas and concepts that stand out from the crowd and can, as such, bring a new dimension to the platform. We have a large internal development network so we don't really have the work for hire requirements a multi-platform publisher may have.

For me personally it's all about focus. Whatever the size and scope of the game I want to see a pitch that clearly nails what the game is all about, what makes it stand out and what will make people want to play it.

Pete Smith, XDev Studio Europe, SCEE

Q Are new platforms having an impact on your operations?

Travian Games has a remarkable expertise in browser based online games. That is where we have our core competencies and the platform discussion does therefore only have little impact on our general operations.

On the other hand, the opportunity to play our games on (new) online platforms that are using standard browser technology is always interesting and we will carefully analyse them. As for all online games companies, every online platform delivers a bonus value for us and more flexibility for our users to play at any time and any place.

Florian Müller, CEO, Travian

New platforms bring new challenges, but also new opportunities. The first half of any platform's lifecycle is always a good place to bring new IP to market and I find that exciting. I think that next few months will be about the platform holders making big splashes and setting out their stalls with Move, Kinect and the 3DS.

Then in the second half of 2011 the emphasis will shift towards the third party publishers driving growth for these platforms. I also expect to see business models from the social gaming space begin to have an impact on and be adopted in more traditional games.

Caspar Gray, acquisitions manager, Square Enix Europe

The launch of new platforms is always an exciting period, especially when doing business development for Ubisoft. Move, Kinect, 3DS - we have plenty of good reasons to look forward to this new edition of Game Connection.

Sébastien Tasserie, business development manager (Europe/Asia-Pacific), Ubisoft

The downloadable platforms are offering a type of arcade renaissance for both Konami and the industry. Companies can take the risk of launching new IP in an array of genres on a variety of platforms targeted different segments of the market.

The cost of entry is low enough that if the title is not successful, the risk is manageable. If the title is tremendously successful, the return on investment can be substantial. We are excited to see the amount of innovation and creations that results from this investment!

Careen Yapp, VP of acquisitions and franchise development, Konami

Q What are you overall expectations of the event?

We are looking forward to introduce the benefits of Travian Publishing to potential new partners and want to set up new promising business opportunities. The meetings at Game Connection are of course only the first step and leads into more details when the follow-up needs to be done to evaluate and finalise deals.

In this context our expertise in free-to-play online games will be the common ground to get the games of tomorrow worth playing even today!

Florian Müller, CEO, Travian

We always look forward to Game Connection and this year is no different. Given the expanding platforms and opportunities, we expect to meet a number of studios with excellent prospects to build something going forward.

Martyn Brown, business development director and co-founder, Team 17

MGS wants to continue to attract top talent, whether an indie start-up or established developer, and offer consumers great games. My goal is to find and fund some of those games at the event, but at a minimum meet some good developers that we can partner with now or in the future.

Cherie Lutz, senior business development manager, Microsoft Game Studios

Naturally I'm hoping to find some new titles that we end up signing and taking into full development; certainly that has been the result of previous Game Connections, and I'm optimistic that this year will be the same.

Fundamentally however I find it fascinating to see the levels of creativity and fresh thinking that is coming from the various development teams I get to speak to at the event, so on a basic level you could say that I'm looking forward to seeing as many pitches as possible.

Pete Smith, XDev Studio Europe, SCEE