Analyst: Publishers Should Treat Developers Like Superstars
Analysts often say weird things, but I happen to agree with this one analyst who thinks developers should be treated as superstars. Pacific Crest Securities analyst Evan Wilson suggested that game publishers could achieve greater financial success if they reward key development figures accordingly.
“There are very few people in this world who know how to create hits. Not create a hit, but create multiple hits,” he told MTV. “Those creative minds should be recognized and remunerated in the video game industry for their contribution as much as other forms of media.”
He agrees that it would be more expensive, but that the prospect of having better selling games is “worth it”. Wilson then went on to suggest that despite such potential, publishers see development figures quite disposable and interchangeable in terms of franchises, noting that Take-Two would most likely develop a BioShock sequel without creative director Ken Levine.
“Development would go right along without [Levine] and that would be a shame,” he said. “If George Lucas died today the probability of another Star Wars installment would go to 0%. If Stallone died today, the probability of another Rambo installment would go to 0%.”
What do you guys think? Should the good developers really be treated like superstars, or should publishers follow the socialist formula and treat everyone the same?
April 28th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Well “back in the day” they kind of were, you only have to look at the devoted following Jeff Minter has after 25 years of game creation, only without the piles of cash, even the name of Matthew Smith is treated with hallowed respect in certain quarters. Now it’d be rather unfair to single out one person as the main creative force behind a games success. While the main kudos of a successful movie may rest on a directors shoulders, without the people working in the background such achievements would never come to fruition. So what do you do – put the Lead singer on the CD cover and risk the whole band getting pissed off that all the attention is on him? That dais someone like Toby Gard should be rolling in huge piles of cash for the rest of his days…