The social games space has absolutely exploded in the last year or so, and it continues to grow. More and more companies, including traditional publishers, are trying to get a piece of the action. One could argue that major purchases like Disney's recent acquisition of Playdom validate the market for social games; the space is finally maturing. With that in mind, IndustryGamers in a recent interview with Bethesda's Todd Howard asked the developer if he had any personal interest in social games or would like to pursue it professionally.
Howard's response was refreshingly candid; he knows what types of games he likes and likes to develop, and he's sticking to those. "I’ve got to be honest: I don’t get it," he said regarding the whole social games boom. "I look at it and try to understand but for now I’ve just decided to ignore it (laughter). I think, one day, maybe I’ll figure it out, but until then, I don’t see the allure of those kinds of games."
He added, however, "There might be a way to connect people. I think that’s always a good goal: to connect people through your game. So I’ve kind of looked into that, how we might be able to do some of those things. But as far as a game on there, I don’t know."
Ultimately, though, when it comes to Facebook games, he remarked, "The light bulb hasn’t gone off for me. I just don’t get it. I get these little messages: 'I’ve got a new horse, or fish?' I don’t know."
We know just how you feel, Todd.
3 Comments
July 30, 2010
I concur in spades with Todd. Connecting people is not whats perplexing, but WTF cares if your buddy found a fish.
July 30, 2010
I don't get it either. Seems like its incredibly repetitive yet addicting much like an MMO.
July 31, 2010
I don't get it like Albinos don't get pigment. So add me to the list.