Dive into the exciting world of user-generated content in gaming! Discover how major companies are investing millions to drive creativity. Listen to personal journeys of industry veterans and their shifts from players to creators. Explore the challenges of accessibility in game development and the philosophical debates around ownership. Learn about innovative strategies for engaging players and building a vibrant creator community within game platforms. Get the inside scoop on an upcoming gaming platform and its commitment to fostering connections!
Epic Games' substantial investment of $320 million underscores the massive financial commitment needed to foster a thriving user-generated content ecosystem.
The diverse backgrounds of industry leaders like Mike Atamas and Sergiy Galyonkin illustrate how passion and unique experiences drive innovation in game development.
Attracting players amidst competition requires seamless integration of gameplay and creation, fostering community engagement through user-generated content.
Deep dives
The Cost of User-Generated Content Ecosystems
Funding a thriving user-generated content (UGC) ecosystem is a significant financial commitment, with companies like Epic Games investing around $320 million to incentivize creators on their platform. This level of investment is comparable to funding an entirely new AAA game franchise annually. Despite the daunting costs, new studios like Build a Rocket Boy and Omni Creator Products are attracting substantial investment, with Build a Rocket Boy closing a $110 million Series D round. These financial backing efforts reflect the belief in the potential market and success of UGC games.
Backgrounds of Key Players
The backgrounds of key figures in the gaming industry highlight the diverse paths leading to the creation of new game studios. Mike Adamus, co-founder of Omni Creator Products, transitioned from a legal career to gaming after developing a passion for games early in life, while Sergey Galiankin's experience with programming in a Soviet-era computer center fueled his desire to create video games. Their journeys reflect a common theme of being inspired by the gaming landscape and seizing opportunities within it. Both share a commitment to revolutionizing game creation by harnessing their own experiences and insights from their time at Epic Games.
The Role of Modding and Collaboration in Game Development
The discussion emphasizes the significance of modding in game development and the opportunity for user-generated content to thrive. Both Adamus and Galiankin express their belief in a creative approach that allows players to modify existing games rather than building everything from scratch. This philosophy mirrors natural creative processes where individuals remix existing ideas to enhance and innovate. By providing tools that simplify accessing and modifying existing content, new studios aim to democratize game development, making it more inviting for hobbyists and casual creators alike.
Player Engagement and Community Building
Attracting players in a competitive market requires a focus on gameplay and community engagement. The strategy involves blending play and creation, ensuring players have immediate access to creation tools while enjoying a game that captivates them. New titles aim to incorporate a diverse range of experiences that keep players engaged, similar to successful elements found in both Fortnite and Roblox. Building community around shared experiences and user-generated content is essential to create a sustainable ecosystem that retains players and encourages continuous interaction.
Innovative Monetization Strategies for Creators
Innovative monetization structures are critical for the success of user-generated content ecosystems, with the goal of incentivizing creators while ensuring sustainability. The proposed models focus on a balanced approach where both creators and the platform receive fair compensation, potentially allowing creators to cash out earnings easily. There is a commitment to empowering creators to determine how to monetize their contributions based on the gameplay experiences they design. By utilizing existing content features, the creators can share profits with others who contributed to their creations, fostering collaboration within the ecosystem.
Today, we explore what it takes to build the next big video game franchise powered by user-generated games. It's a daunting task as Epic Games paid roughly $320 million to creators in the past year in order to incentivize creators to build new experiences on its platform. That's enough money to develop and market a new AAA franchise every year.
However, that hasn't discouraged start-up studios like Build a Rocket Boy and OCP from diving headfirst into the space. Build a Rocket Boy recently closed a $110 million Series D round and OCP a $16.25 million Series A.
Our host, David Taylor, sat down with Sergiy Galyonkin, Senior Vice President of Publishing at Build a Rocket Boy, and Mike Atamas, Co-founder and CEO of Omni Creator Products, to discuss their companies’ approaches and what each of them learned from their previous experiences working on Fortnite.
We’d also like to thank Heroic Labs for making this episode possible! Thousands of studios have trusted Heroic Labs to help them focus on their games and not worry about gametech or scaling for success. To learn more and reach out, make sure to visit https://heroiclabs.com/?utm_source=Naavik&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Podcast .
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