Massively Multiplayer Games Outlook and Challenges

Abstract

Overview

These past two years have marked a radical departure in the dissemination and content of massively multiplayer games:

• Unprecedented success of World of Warcraft (WoW), from Vivendi Universal Games subsidiary, Blizzard Entertainment. Boasting close to 7 million subscribers (each paying roughly 12 USD a month), WoW has become the most widely-played online game in the world - outperforming South Korean rivals - and one of the highest earners. Does this overwhelming popularity herald MMG's transition to the mass market?
• Ongoing innovation, with cases in point that include Dofus from French studio, Ankama, enjoying rave reviews from gamers and industry members alike.
• Growing popularity of web-based massively multiplayer games, both hosted and not, including Habbo Hotel, Kochon Land, Ogame and Battle Arena - aimed at players without (or no longer) the time to devote themselves fully to complex gaming universes, but who still crave interactive entertainment.
• Development of a virtual economy inside the games: Second Life (Linden Lab), Entropia Universe (MindArk), World of Warcraft and most of the major titles all offer features enabling trade within the game itself.

These new trends taking shape in the very specific world of MMG have also become the source of broader explorations in a variety of other areas, where the notion of persistent universe is becoming a central part of development and innovation (mobile services, desktop software, online applications...).

Key questions

• Is a global mass market possible? Under what conditions, and on which devices?
• What will be the business models of the future?
• What role do gamer communities play?
• Online game distribution modes: going all digital?
• What breakdown between production, operation, publishing and distribution?
• Is the public ready for persistent universes?

Who should read this report?

Game producers, publishers and distributors

• Assessing the development of MMG
• Resituating existing services' growth prospects and competition zone
• Understanding the value chain and business models' organisation

Internet companies

• Understanding video game specialists' positioning and strategy
• Assessing the implications of MMG's increasing popularity

Operators (telcos, media...)

• Understanding video game companies' overall strategy
• Anticipating repercussions of consumers' increasing usage Analysing partnership possibilities with video game companies

Manufacturers (consumer devices)

• Understanding the way use of new platforms and devices is evolving
• Keeping track of major developments in the MMG market

Investors and analysts

• Analysing the overall state of competition, and for MMG in particular
• Evaluating the market's scope and future prospect