There's been a lot of talk this past week or so about the Xbox One and the Playstation 4. Since big console launches aren't that common, the growing excitement among the gaming community is understandable. But, there has also been talk of self-publishing for indie game developers on both the Xbox and the PS4. And that's something new, and gives us some food for thought. In particular, could it give mobile game developers a boost that ultimately we may reap the benefits of?
A sign of the times
Self-publishing on consoles is a new luxury for the premiere games consoles, and something we've not seen in previous years. Yet it can also be argued that it's simply a case of console gaming moving with the times we find ourselves in. Mobile gaming has spawned some truly incredible titles; remember when Angry Birds first launched, before Rovio was the juggernaut it is today? There are more casual gamers than ever before thanks to mobile, proving the gaming market stretches far beyond the console blockbuster titles.
The App Store is in no small part a huge contributor to this. Before the App Store launched, getting apps and games onto our smartphones was more than the 'click and collect' method we take for granted today. It literally opened the flood gates for anyone to develop a great game and get it out there for the world to see.
So, how does mobile benefit?
Hopefully in a sense that more is more. We've seen games go mobile first, such as Angry Birds, and then progress up to featuring on computers and on the big name consoles. But what if this new way of doing things opens up a reversal of the process? We could see some great independent games developed for the Xbox One and PS4, that then find their way onto your iPhone or iPad, or any other mobile device.
It's all about opportunity. If you provide a way, they will come. And a lot of them will come from a mobile development background. And that just isn't just going to be forgotten overnight. Indie developers have had to 'make do' with developing their games for mobile platforms for so long, perhaps the new land of opportunity will open doors we'll all benefit from.
A little far fetched?
Maybe, maybe not. We can all dream, but the fact is that development opportunities for indie game developers has never looked better. Good developers deserve opportunities to get their work out there, and to make money from it. Making money will keep them working, and the cycle will continue. Revenue from mobile gaming won't just disappear, but it's the opportunities these guys will be getting from outside mobile we should be excited for.
There's sure to a bunch of technical stuff that gets in the way somewhat, but the future of indie game development has never looked brighter.
Your thoughts
So, I think the new self-publishing for the next generation consoles could work favorably for mobile gaming in the long run, but what do you think? Am I just being pie-eyed here and living in a dream world? Or do you think that opportunities are all our favorite developers need to make their work go gangbusters?
