RECEPTION TO 'FLORENCE': Independent game developer Mountains released "Florence" on mobile in 2018, an interactive story game that depicts the beginning and end of a romantic relationship. The game released to largely positive reviews from critics, something that the game's creative director Ken Wong said was "very fortunate." "It's been incredible," Wong said. "I couldn't have hoped for a better reception." He noted that he especially liked the reception from fans, saying that people really appreciated that the company made a game about emotions and relationships.
MUNDANE TASKS IN GAMES: "Florence" tasks the player with performing a handful of largely mundane actions in order to create an immersive experience, such as brushing teeth, solving basic math problems, and putting items in boxes. When asked whether these kinds of game mechanics will become a bigger part of video games in the future, particularly since Take-Two's (TTWO) "Red Dead Redemption 2" includes many similar mechanics, Ken Wong said that he thinks some of these more basic tasks create empathy and "bind us to the characters." "I mean, you're literally in their shoes, going through the same motions that the character is doing," Wong said. "I think we'll see more use of it as an empathetic tool." He noted, however, that he believes video games "are so broad and so different," adding that people will always make games about "shooting and fighting."
BUNGIE NEWS: Following the news from last week that "Destiny" developer Bungie will assume full publishing rights and responsibilities for the "Destiny" franchise from Activision Blizzard (ATVI), The Fly asked the "Florence" creative director what his reaction was to the story. "I don't really have a strong opinion of that," Wong commented. "That kind of development is so much bigger." He said that company culture is more of a focus for him, but noted that if Bungie can "maintain control of their Destiny" as part of the separation, then that's a "good thing." On the subject of whether or not Mountains would consider partnering with a larger publisher for any project, Wong said he wasn't "building this company to exit." "My plan was always to build a company here in Australia," he said.
MOBILE GAMES: On the topic of the current mobile game scene, which is typically defined by indie titles, smaller versions of console games, and so-called "pay-to-win" games, Wong said that "people play mobile games for different reasons." "I think what you're observing is different player behaviors," Wong said. "Sometimes they want console-type experiences, and they want that while on the go, and sometimes they want to see something new and beautiful and brilliant that maybe couldn't exist on another platform." When asked whether he thinks greater innovations are on the horizon for mobile gaming, he said he does, noting that Nintendo's (NTDOY) "Pokemon GO" is "one of the most interesting examples," as it's "different to almost everything that's come before." Wong said that mobile is leveraging new technologies and new ideas, and that it's a "very competitive marketplace."
SWITCH GAMES: Wong told The Fly that the Nintendo Switch is something that Mountains is "heavily considering" for new projects going forward.
INDIE GAME SCENE: When asked how he separates his games from the pack given the glut of independent titles on the market, the Mountains creative director said he tries to make his games stand out by making them "from my heart and from my experiences." "I think if you do that, you're always going to come up with a unique perspective," Wong said, noting that including an interesting art style that separates the company "from the pack" will create an advantage.
In addition, Wong said that, prior to making indie games, he worked for bigger studios, noting that his experience in those settings taught him the importance of marketing games, and how to properly position titles for success. "People who go straight into indie games, I think sometimes they are so fascinated with what they're able to make and they don't appreciate how the tough the market is out there," Wong commented, "and how important it is to get the message out there and reach your audience."
"Game On" is The Fly's weekly recap of the stories powering up or beating down video game stocks.
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