Game grapes: Chinese-style games

The world's first Web site ArtistShare was born in the United States, and the most prestigious website Kickstater was founded in 2009 in New York.

Kickstarter is not a game-raising site, since the site was founded four years, on the line of 8,405 projects, the game has only 603, accounting for 7%. However, it is worth noting that of the top 20 of the total fundraising, the games occupy nine seats, nearly half the percentage, and the total amount of money collected by these games has reached around 33%.

Kickstarter, 4 years after its launch, reached a milestone in the amount of $1 billion trillion in total funding in March this year. In all projects, the contribution of the game is the largest and most important part. A total of more than 215 million dollars have been invested in game-related projects. Of these, 189 million of the funding was successful. However, this does not mean that the game has a high success rate, in fact, it only has a 35.15% success rate, ranked fourth in the penultimate, only higher than the science and Technology (34.79%), publishing Class (32.29%) and Fashion (29.3%).

The Kickstarter project, which opens up a new era in gaming, is a game project "crushing Time (broken age)" from Double Fine. The game has broken a number of records: in just 8 hours to get 100% of the fund-raising-40 million dollars. Not only that, there is a wide variety of games on the Kickstarter, both the PC and host games that hardcore gamers love, and the latest popular mobile-end games.

Just on the public, the game name is called Big Double Happiness Adventure, is the first Kickstarter on the success of the game of public-funded projects.

In addition to Kickstarter, there are Indiegogo and gambitious and other public-funded sites. The former is characterized by no review of the items posted on the Web site, and the funds promised by the supporters will be allocated directly to the project's founders, a rule that results in a much lower-than-Kickstarter completion rate of just 9.3%. The latter was focused on the game, and Paul Hanraets, from the Netherlands, was inspired by the success stories of Kicksrater's double happiness, which was set up in 2012.

Indiegogo the completion rate is low, but also generated within 24 hours to raise 800,000 U.S. dollars, more than 4 times times the goal of Skullgirls DLC new role development project. But back to the domestic game, there is no case can let us in a downturn to see a person to create the power of the logo.

The awkward situation of domestic "starters"

Relative to the wind, and most of the "import", the domestic game is still "not acclimatized." In the "Chinese Kickstarter" called the Dream Online, of the 60,031 projects, only 4 were about the game's projects, of which 1 failed, 2 were successful, one was still in progress, while the makeup was 3 pc stand-alone and 1 board games, and no mobile games.

Recently, Taobao also launched its own platform for the public, but even with a broad mass base, Taobao, "Amoy star Wish" on the only three games related projects, two have been successful, one in progress. It is worth mentioning that there are many popular painter Xia's work, "Zi-language," the adaptation of the Project Hand tour. Even in such a gimmick and rewarding project, they only raised more than 76,000 dollars. But careful people may find that the minimum amount of support for the project is 1 yuan, while other projects raise the minimum value of at least 10 yuan. This is more like a "spending spree" than a substantial financial support.

Taobao on the platform of the only three games on the public-funded projects, "Zi-language" has received more than 70,000 fund-raising.

Similarly, in the country's first focus on the game animation field of the public website Rub dot online, has been on the line of 11 projects, there are "Qin Moon" "Cock silk men" and other charismatic IP, in addition to a project success, other projects are still in the funding stage, which "cock silk man" Official hand tour, on line after January, More than 10,000 of the money is being collected.

For this situation at home, Huang Shenli, the CEO of the network, admits that the Chinese game is still very far away from abroad. He talked about some of the big reasons.

First of all, the basic material conditions of foreign countries are superior to China, people's life has left the state of care and food, began to create more spiritual aspects of the pursuit.

Second, the foreign consumption concept and China is not the same, more inclined to personalized. In hardware, for example, they are willing to support new, personalized, but uncertain hardware products, even at great risk. Huang Shenli also referred to foreign "charitable thinking", which he believes is one of the factors that have made a solid foundation for foreign financing, and China needs to accumulate.

Dream Net partner Chen Weibang added that the game plate on the Kickstarter is the largest amount of money in the plate, but relative to the domestic market, foreign games to host the project to stand-alone and mainframe games, games accounted for part of the hands of a few. This is related to consumer habits, a lot of foreign games need to pay to buy genuine, the game is often not paid items, but players are willing to spend money to buy, while the domestic stand-alone game has no living space, users are more accustomed to free download props to pay online games. On the whole, relative to foreign countries, the domestic game-raising environment in the initial stage.

Forced to "transform" and play "Chinese characteristics"

In addition to the large supporters of the domestic and foreign still have irreparable gap, in the participation of the products of this piece, domestic also faced with the "project shortage" of the troubled.

Unlike the game-focused gaming world, the dream web has more diverse projects. Chen Weibang said that the domestic game needs to "local", should be from the hands of the start. In his view, the domestic market for the hand tour than online games and stand-alone game environment is better, more opportunities. However, the key is to see the quality of the game. If you can create a good game will naturally be someone to support, for good games, players usually have a strong willingness to pay.

But the current state of the domestic gaming industry is that many people are unwilling to embark on the path of public development, and they are more willing to look for traditional ways of investing or angel investment. With good products or ideas, the team first time is to visit different investors, not "cornered", is not to consider the public. So why is that?

"I think this is related to the current domestic game environment, at present, many game manufacturers to earn a vote on the mentality is heavier, so almost no one to packaging their own producers." "Huang Shenli analysis, because there is no personal brand effect, leading everyone out of the lack of a corresponding reputation, players do not know you, nature will not have to pay, and the team themselves do not have confidence."

"Another important thing is about the disclosure of information, we worry about their products after exposure, information leaked by the cottage, the majority of CP is not willing to publish their own game in advance of the online time, I think I secretly finished after the on-line a product will be able to do." But now is an era of media explosion, if you do not tell everyone the content of the game, you will be other people's game coverage. Consumers can't see you, how can you fire? A lot of professional small team lack of market awareness, that is to do, do a good job, the product is the first, but in case no one to do it? "Yellow victory spread out hand, some bitterly," We are now a lot of contact with a lot of development team they all think why to the public? I do a good product is not OK, my focus is on making products. But what if your product is in the wrong direction? What if you're not reacting to the market? Why don't you try the market? ”

China's game-consoles have begun to move away from the public's intentions-to help themselves achieve good ideas through the power and support of others-and to play a role as a "propaganda outlet" and "experimental plot".

For example, in the light of the current situation, they position themselves as the experimental plots and barrack of the game. Come to the platform to participate in the public, more is to know some feedback: the general direction of the market, play and art is not the market to pay, based on this, the team can start to do some simple data adjustment. At the same time, for many products, the public-funded site is more like a promotional export, just like the film from the selection angle to the boot and then to the full exposure, the game in the process of the public, can also increase publicity and exposure, through the public raised in the early stage to cultivate a group of loyal fans, even if it is not supporting your game people, will also bring you "free" word-of-mouth effect.

And in the IP is a high price of the current, the public raised more than another identity IP value of the "stone". As Taobao public raised on the "son not language," the spending point of praise, the hot degree of the public can also reflect the value of an IP geometry, if made into a game, how many people expect? How many core fans are there?

The market is the first standard to test the obscenity

As mentioned before, even in foreign countries, the success rate of the game project is not very high, because the market is cruel, if only behind closed doors, then even if your game or idea can make your whole team climax, also not necessarily by the public optimistic. No one will pay for a thing they don't like, and if you go on the road, it means you have to start communicating with the market and the public. In Europe and the United States, there are several successful examples of how many times it will be possible to break through the goals in a few hours, as well as projects that have only a handful of supporters. According to the successful cases of Kickstarter in recent years, it is not difficult to find some characteristics of "commonness".

1. Resonate with players

Although many of the successful projects are unique inspiration, but also a lot of the classic masterpiece of the thigh. If you can find a place that resonates with you and your players, your game will be more likely to get more supporters ' attention than any other project. It is best to be a generation of classic old repeat engraved, if it is the kind of even the original developers have given up, the effect is better. For example, the most Kickstarter "Elite:dangerous" is the latest in the classical series of the American Universe game, Elite series was one of the most successful games in the 80 's.

2. Select the "Place of birth"

In the United States, successful projects tend to have a high degree of compatibility with local traditions, such as in Silicon Valley, where the success rate of technology and gaming programs is higher, and in Hollywood's Los Angeles, film and arts projects have a higher success rate than elsewhere. This is why, most games in the selection of regions, will choose California and other places to increase the winning.

3. Seize the opportunity

Each project has a certain amount of time, so how to choose the most suitable period is also a science. Time is too short, may be due to lack of awareness and accumulation of failure, time is too long, and there will be long time the topic of the disappearance of the risk of being forgotten. According to the successful project, most of the projects currently in the 30-45 days, depending on the size of the project and the size of funding, can be selected.

4. The "star" effect

Americans will still be superstitious, so if they have one or two stars in their team, they will add a lot of weight to the project. At the same time, star members of the brand effect in the social network more easily spread, people are more willing to show their own eyes to know heroes, become a master to the art field of stepping stone. "Spread, Wildfire," the Word-of-mouth effect is often easy to make these teams become star projects.

5. Do your homework

In fact, this is also the most important point, whether you have a gimmick, there is a star, the most important thing is the quality of the game itself and your readiness is sufficient. On Kickstarter, the project sponsors need to publish videos, project descriptions and interactive updates. The frequency of interactive updates between the video and the initiator is a testament to whether you plan ahead and prepare well. People are more likely to believe in a good team. But also pay attention to some small traps, do not let your video too cool. Before the "Republique" of the production team here to eat the loss, because the video is too professional, but let the players misunderstood production team has been very rich, in fact, do not need their financial support.

At home, these are also of reference significance. Chen Weibang and Huang said that, according to past experience, there are also some noteworthy areas of domestic public financing:

1. At least a sixty or seventy-point product.

Compared to foreign countries, the domestic public to raise more faced with a lack of trust, investors think there will be no good products, naturally there is no support power. And some looks good products, the last found is suspected of plagiarism or infringement, but also investors are worried about the outcome, therefore, to ensure the quality of their own games, the domestic team need to consider.

2. Release vigilance and Increase trust

This is similar to the above star effect, the team has at least one must be an industry master, he has to have a certain degree of industry awareness, preferably with the industry's geek or industry big guy endorsement. It is also based on the question of trust, and if there is no such background, many people will find it unreliable. It is still difficult to change people's outlook on consumption in a short time, and Xianchu to try and pay the money first and then play again, risking the risk of not being able to play, which will increase investor's concern. And a worry, the purse will cover tightly.

3. Start with parents and relatives

First of all, the people around themselves mobilized to get their approval. If the friends and relatives around are not optimistic about the game, it will be difficult to gain the trust of others. The biggest angel investors, the most common angel investors, are parents and relatives and friends. To get out of the small world of their own creation, so that more people can appreciate their work, because the developer is not well-known, without funds, will have to rely on the market to get the support of the players.

4. Careful choice of return in kind now many teams are considering the kind of return, because an embarrassing situation is, because most of the game is not optimistic, resulting in the player dare not accept the virtual return, in-kind return will appear "more real." But in fact, if the team has limited staff, the production of peripheral or in-kind returns will increase team pressure. To some extent, it will also increase the possibility of the product "Skylight".

For example, a product has 1000 people support, need to issue 1000 in-kind return, and the fundraiser is only a small team of 4, 5 people, then may be within a week, the team will do nothing, can only group to the surrounding Hair Express.

There are many forms of return, and the kind is not the best form of reward. A lot of foreign teams are the image of the supporters implanted into the game, and "Ice and Fire song," the author of George, so that the support of the people can enjoy in the book a Death method. Finding out where your team is good and the highlights of the game can help design capture the rewards of the player.

In conclusion, the domestic game is in the initial stage, at this stage, like most import, their primary goal is to survive and to give birth to the market, which means they have to "localize" the mutation to adapt to the harsh environment: the lack of good products; developers are afraid to disclose their ideas , the game players do not have the habit of paying in advance, in foreign countries as the main force of the single game in the domestic there is no living space, while the hand-travel products are numerical pipelining, out of creativity-creative is the game is one of the fundamental.

In order to jump out of this vicious circle, some pioneers began to try another way, although it seems that this is a bit of a departure from the idea of the public, such as the product of a contradiction--now the company or team that is trying to set up a game does not need to raise money itself--but the product of this paradox, the future may be a key to unlocking the contradictions.

Whether players or developers, everyone is eagerly looking forward to a real, mature game platform, in the game industry full of commercial flavor of the present, to create a relatively clean land. Players will be able to find good content on them, and developers who are pursuing ideas will be supported to provide that content.

But everything has to start, we need some trial and error and accumulation, in these attempts, as long as can produce a strong positive force case as a benchmark, it is enough. If you just wait and see and hesitate, you will never have hope.