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Haden "Shug_Ninx" Blackman (Lucas Arts Producer) has started a thread on hardcore vs. mainstream games with a little poll at the end of the post. To reply or comment go here.
On Friday, a few of us at LucasArts had a long conversation about what it takes to develop a mainstream game - a title that breaks out beyond the confines of the hardcore gamer audience.
For the purposes of this post, let me define what we're talking about in a marketing sense. Pretend that the entire possible market for SW Galaxies is an archery target on the wall. The center of that target - the bullseye - represents the hardcore audience. In our case, these might be devoted MMO fans and/or Star Wars fans (it probably includes most of you).
As you work your way outside the bullseye, each ring represents a group that is increasingly less-likely to purchase the product. The ring right next to the bullseye might be "converts" - people who hear about the game (presumably from someone in the hardcore group) and decide to play. They might be casual MMOers, casual Star Wars fans, etc. By the time you reach the outer ring, you're talking about folks who will probably never buy the game no matter how good it is.
So, what's the point of this post?
Well, in order to get anyone outside of the hardcore audience, you first need to please that bullseye group. If the hardcore players don't buy the game and, in our case, start developing the community, then it's unlikely that SW Galaxies will be successful. If the hardcore gamers and Star Wars fans are pleased, then they'll be more likely to bring in their friends and relatives, who represent those other rings - the more mainstream and casual gamers. Word of mouth is a powerful thing...
This community represents the hardcore. There are obviously dedicated MMO players and devoted Star Wars fans on these boards. Basically, if we have any chance of making a game that reaches out beyond the core market, we have to make all of you as happy as possible :) .
So, I'd like you all to take a moment and respond to this post with the following information:
1) Are you here because you play MMOs or because you're a Star Wars nut, or both?
2) In one sentence or less, tell me why you want to play this game.
3) What *one* feature that we've announced/discussed/described/hinted at is most going to compel you to play? (What are you most excited about?).
4) What *one* feature that hasn't necessarily been announced would you like to see in the game? (This isn't an opportunity to lobby for a cut feature. Instead, it's your chance to identify a feature that you think the game needs in order to succeed).
We can use this information to make sure that we're "hitting the hardcore." I'm hoping that most of the things you'll have in your "feature wish list" are things that we have in our design already, but you never know... :)
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Star Wars: Galaxies - Infobit
