Go Farther: DateSims?

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Datesims have a rather creepy reputation in the US.  The ones we see from Japan often contain questionable content.  By questionable of course I mean soul-searing horror that would make Cthulu call for his mommy and curl up in a blanket.  Yes I know there are Datesims that don't have objectionable content, you just don't hear about them that much.

Except I'm thinking Datesims may have more of a future.  I'm not talking that people will begin playing them instead of Modern Warfare 2.  But I'm thinking that the time may be right for more of them in  . . . well places that aren't Japan.  Oh, and datesims that aren't of a prurient nature.

Before you get scared, let me explain my logic.

  • Datesims are casual games.  Casual gaming has obviously been on the increase.
  • Their relatively simple nature would let them take advantage of the increased use of Downloadable content – reducing the cost, reducing the investment.
  • Let's be honest, the standard Datesim is not overly complex as a piece of technology.
  • Romance is always a big genre, and companies doing romance novels (Hey, Harlequin, want ANOTHER initiative?) could jump on the bandwagon.
  • Their multimedia nature may tie-in well to people's interests.

So the reason I think Datesims have a future could be summed up as, I think they're viable because you can deliver them fast and cheap, they'd have good appeal, and you have audiences that would be interested in them.  If anything, I see the marketing being a bit troublesome – you'd probably have to call them "interactive romance novels" or something.

I don't see them as being big business (though I see the "interactive novel" idea having more of a future), but I think they may be a viable product for some companies, and a valuable addition to publishers of romance novels and products.  After all, if you got a modern anime-style artist to do a Datesim/romance with hunky vampires, and it cost $10 with the purchase of a novel, and maybe had unlockable desktops and themes – yeah, I think it'd sell.

– Steven Savage

Weekly Challenge – What’s the Next Crisis?

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I'm not an unnecessarily cynical person.  I just think of myself as cautious and forward thinking.

Think of me as a necessarily cynical person instead.

In my career I've been impacted by many recessions, economic changes, business changes, etc.  I've been there in the dot-bomb, I got cut in mergers, I was there when industries melted down.  I tried to keep on top of those issues with a moderate amount of success.

We're still in a recession or the tail end of a recession as I write this.  I expect we've got a recovery that's going to take 2-3 years on average, but the long term recovery will mean pain.  Dubai is having its own economic meltdown.

So, despite the fact we're in the middle of a financial crisis, here's your challenge for the week.

1) Ask yourself what will the next economic crisis be once this one passes and has been forgotten by the short sighted.
2) Ask what this means for your career – and your ideal career.

You don't have to be totally cynical, but it never helps to keep an eye out and notice what may go wrong in the economy of your nation and the world or what trends are coming to an end (if you wish to sound less cynical).

So go on, what do you think?  Me, I'm betting the next decade will bring a few general corporate mergers and collapses caused by the economic fallout and the changing economy, and  probably a mini-financial crisis in the next 5 years when a few more financial institutions can't keep faking it.

– Steven Savage

How The Victory of Geekdom Has It’s Downside

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As I noted last week, geek is good, fan is fab, and the nerds have won.  Doctor Who is back,  the Trek franchise is invigorated, anime is hip, video games are everywhere.

Now, however, I'd like to look at the dark side of the Great Geek Victory.

How do companies, writers, publishers, programmers, etc. deal with the broad, new audience for things geeky, nerdy, technical, and cool?

My concern is that the hipness of nerddom is going to actually reduce experimentation.  The broader audiences have certain expectations, wishes, and interests.  These audiences also bring in a lot of cash.

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