The hosts discuss the GTA 6 trailer, recap their experience at Slush, predict the console gaming market in 2024, and explore the latest Forza and Chrome Valley Customs. They also discuss the threats to the gaming industry, the performance of Star Field, and express disappointment with Forza Customs.
Forza Customs and Chrome Valley Customs are car restoration games that differ in their focus, with Forza emphasizing customization and Chrome Valley focusing on puzzles and narrative.
Forza Customs has lower revenue per download compared to Chromabella Customs, attributed to issues with puzzle quality, outdated gameplay experience, and limited customization options.
Chromabella Customs excels in providing a well-designed puzzle experience, targeting puzzle players with its narrative-driven approach and achieving higher revenue per download.
Deep dives
Comparison between Forza Customs and Chrome Valley Customs
Forza Customs and Chrome Valley Customs are two car restoration games that use match three engines. Forza Customs leans heavily into car customization and has real car brands, but the puzzle quality seems to be lacking. On the other hand, Chrome Valley Customs focuses more on puzzles and uses narrative to engage players. They lean into the match three engine and monetize through the puzzles. However, their shop seems more optimized for puzzle players. Chromabella Customs has seen great success and has higher revenue per download compared to Forza Customs.
Issues with Forza Customs
Forza Customs seems to have some issues that impact its success. The revenue per download is lower compared to Chromabella Customs and doesn't show signs of improvement. The puzzles in Forza Customs lack quality and the UI and overall gameplay experience feel outdated. The customization options in the game don't fully leverage the car brands, offering limited and unexciting customization choices. There is also an ad feature that allows players to watch an ad for extra moves, which may not be well-received by players.
Strengths of Chromabella Customs
Chromabella Customs excels in providing a well-designed puzzle experience and catering to puzzle players. The narrative-driven approach adds depth and engagement to the game. The revenue per download is higher compared to Forza Customs, indicating better monetization. The game has a strong focus on puzzle quality and optimization for puzzle players, providing a more enjoyable gameplay experience overall.
Console gaming industry faces challenges with increasing costs and limited growth
The console gaming industry is facing challenges with rising development and marketing costs, while competing against games as a service and subscription models. With soaring production costs and stagnant player base growth, the return on investment becomes riskier. Additionally, the lack of new content and limited player time creates a stall in growth for console games. These factors pose a threat to the industry's business models and the overall expansion of the audience.
Chrome Valley Customs and the puzzle game monetization dilemma
Chrome Valley Customs, a puzzle game targeting a 50+ male audience, faces challenges in appealing to its target demographic. Despite executing its brand strategy well, the game falls short in reflecting the desires and interests of its intended audience with its characters and art style. The puzzle game genre now relies heavily on the quality and enjoyability of puzzles themselves. The thesis of focusing on car customization for this audience needs to be complemented with engaging gameplay and meaningful agency, such as racing events or car shows. Natural Motion's involvement in an unrelated Star Wars MOBA raises concerns about their strategic choices and their potential missed opportunity in capitalizing on their expertise in the car customization genre.
The not-so-Fabulous Five are right back at it discussing GTA 6 trailer that broke the internet. We recap Slush, the latest boondoggle with Mishka and Phil. Predict what the console gaming market will be in 2024 and get our engines revved up by the latest Forza Customs and Chrome Valley Customs.
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