What can you do to survive as a game company? The bold policy change and the essential manufacturing that Doricom, a male of social games, [Interview]

The largest indie game event Bit summit X-Roads held from August 6 to 7 the other day. There, Doric om, who has been in the social game business as a strength, exhibited an original IP, which has been purchased in a PC or consumer, exhibited an ADV TOKYO STORIES-WORKING TITLE- (hereinafter, TOKYO STORIES). It could be said that it was a surprising event that felt the company's direction.

• Intense crisis born because the social game market has matured
• The development of the indie game market has become an option to create a new IP
• Things required to fight with a global market
• Change the image to a company that makes your own game

When I talked from Mr. IKEA, who develops TOKYO STORIES at the company, and Mr. Kai, who works on the new fighting title Project Beat, talked about the company's policy has changed and the meaning of working on a new IP. It seems that the change in the company's policy has led to a new challenge.

Why did you exhibit at Bit summit now and launch a bold direction to develop a work targeting core gamers? In order to approach such truth, the editorial department asked more detailed story from Ohio Okra, a vice president executive officer who also visited the venue.

Okra is a person who has changed the name of the game business division to Game Company and has a major change as a company chief. What I heard from his story was to create a game from a strong sense of crisis against the backdrop of social games market issues.

Intense crisis born because the social game market has matured

-Thank you for your cooperation today.

Okra: Thank you. In fact, interviews with media that usually mainly handle social games are not accepted. This time, I decided to receive it because it is a media that core gamers like GAME*Spark are reading.

! That's afraid...! First, please tell us how Doric om changed the game business as a game company.

Okra: Originally, I was from a game programmer, and it was a technical field from there. I joined Doric om 10 years ago, but at that time it was adopted in technical managers, and I started to look at the entire business gradually over 10 years.

About two and a half years ago, not only a team that creates conventional social games, but also a group specializing in games, so I decided to change the name of the department to the game company and reboot it. Became. From that point on, the manufacturing in the company and the titles to be handled have been changed from the strategy.

Until now, I think Doric om has the impression of making social games using other companies' IPs.

ー I don't think it's bad, but it may have looked like that from the user.

Okra: So, even if the fans were increased by the IP itself, it was difficult for fans to the company called Doric om to grow up. ** There was a dilemma that because it's a Doric om game that doesn't increase much.

In the future, when I wanted to work on game development from the perspective of 10 or 20 years, I think, I will not be able to continue unless I can have a fan of the company properly. So, now I am reviewing the balance between the existing business model that borrows IP and releases operation-type games, and the business model that creates IP and creates games.

In fact, the internal development line has been renewed according to the change in the system. The title exhibited at Bit summit was born after starting a new challenge, starting from the timing of changing the strategy I mentioned earlier. When changing the policy, we decided that it is not necessary to stick to mobile development because it is intended to make interesting games and have as many users play as much as possible. I think TOKYO STORIES has led to a flexible judgment that keeps the PC and console in mind.

10 years ago when Mr. Okra joined Doric om, the industry was rather strict with console games, and the social games of native apps were just before the prosperity. Of course, I don't think there were many people who expected that the number of gamers playing games on a PC will increase so far in Japan, and that Bit summit also starts up, and that indie games will be played so widely in Japan. 。

Okra: That's right. In terms of industry, 10 years ago, Puzzle & Dragons (Gunshot Online Entertainment was released in January 2012), Monster Strike (Mix 2013 It's about time before the release in September). The platforms of Glee and Dee N's San were also in the heels, and I think it was a time when human resources and money were moving from console to social games.

The situation of Doric om has been a browser social games since the 2000s, but at that time it is time to focus on native app development (the company's first native app title Spirit Force . Was the iOS version released in April 2012). The market is excited and the technical capabilities of each company have increased, and the quality of the released titles and development are on the same level as the console, and when they notice, we are recognizing that there is no longer the barrier between the console and mobile.

Speaking of the last two to three years, I realize that it is a market that can not be competed by re-baking the work that has been released in the world.

ー Sure, even if you look at the Hardin and Heavy Museum Pretty Derby that you are actually hit, attract many users because the content of the game itself is being created at a high level. It can be said that there is, and I feel the rigor of the level required for mobile games is rising year by year.

Okra: As you said. That's why I don't think what I'm making right now is because it can be sold or not.

Naturally, Doric om is a listed company, has its sales targets and plans exactly, and develops and operates games to achieve it. It's very important in continuing the business, but now it's up to you, Is it okay to do it later, whether the game you are making anyway?

If the game you are making does not make it interesting, you can give up on the way to give up on the way, and forcibly put out what you think is not interesting, both creators and users. It's not good. At least to the development teams, they are strongly telling them to polish things that seem to be this is absolutely interesting.

Until the game company started, was it rather developed and operated like a social game company that users imagine?

Okra: Rather than sticking to the fun of the game, the atmosphere was stronger, and the KPI (important performance evaluation index) was detailed and emphasized in data analysis. Of course, that was also important, but if you focus on data analysis, you can see the limits. In the first place, as I mentioned in the first place, the social game market is completely mature, so users have no reason to install new games.

There are games that any users are familiar with, and that is clear from the long-term operating title in the sales ranking. The user's time is limited, so even if you release a game you saw somewhere, I don't think there is enough power to install or continue.

Under such circumstances, will the user play this game newly when launching a new title? I will thoroughly think about that in the early stages, and ask the producer and the director anyway. If you don't have a hook that has been kneaded like that, it will be buried as one of the most released games like ordinary games.

Of course, if you can create a game based on an IP full of novelty and charm that no one has seen in the world, it may be a reason to pick it up (install), but it is clear. There are not many novices left, and it is not easy to create attractive IPs. So, in order to fight with this Red Ocean, I thought that I had to change the way so far.

ー That's why it came out like this announcement. Is this timing because of the thought of I can't make it in time now, or I thought I had to do it for a long time in the first place?

Okra: Is it correct that both came at once? Originally, we wanted to be the side of the new IP, and we felt the changes in the social game market mentioned above, and We can't survive as a group to make games. I thought it was .

ー From the story so far, I feel a considerable sense of crisis.

Okra: ** I'm directly told to the organization, I can't survive as it is. After all, the sense of crisis that it has to change from the mindset there is very strong.

Of course, the game is the main business now, but the roots of Doric om are not game companies. To be honest, there were quite a few members saying, I don't have to be a game separately. So I changed my organization's idea, saying, If you like games and don't want to make it, you don't have to do it. Let's make a good game with the members you really want to do.

ー If you change the policy so much, did you say that the game is good?

Okra: It is true that there was a replacement. Fortunately, it is a company that develops multiple businesses besides games, so for such members, we have prepared a position where we can do what we want to do in other departments, and we like games on the game company. The density of the members I wanted to make was deepened.

-When you hear the story so far, you will feel the enthusiasm for the game development itself.

Okra: After all, the user's eyes have been much more fertile than 10 years ago, so if the creator does not like the game, it would be worth the user that a passionate group is not making it. Anyway, you have to change it from there. There weren't a few people who like games, but what I wanted to do and what I was doing may have shifted a little.

** First, is it a game that we can send out to the world with pride? And it is most important to see if it will move the hearts of the users you want to deliver.

The development of the indie game market has become an option to create a new IP

ー The result of changing the method will be a new IP exhibition like Bit summit's TOKYO STORIES this time.

Okra: That's right. The title exhibited this time is one of the works that is developing in parallel at the same time, but I simply like indie games in the first place (laughs).

ー I see (laughs)

Okra: Remote work, the time to touch PCs at home increased, and the time to touch PC games inevitably increased, so now I have more time to play indie games and console games than social games.

Of course, I liked it and played it, but in that, I again recognized the heat of the creator of the indie game and the high level. The AAA title still has an overwhelming power and quality, but has a solid impression, while social games are not looking at the face, but indie games directly create the expressions and what they want to convey. I think it is.

By the way, did you have an impressive title in an indie game you played recently?

Okra: Recently, you played Eastward a lot. I grew up in JRPG and sometimes my favorite genre, but it was just interesting. The graphics were also surprising that I drew all the details until details! The tribute to Japanese games and anime was full of love.

Such commitments and love are playing, and it's really transmitted, and God is not in the details, but he longs for the details. In this era, if you don't make a game like this, you won't move with the user's heart.

Also, what I was worried about when I saw it at Bit summit was undying , which is scheduled to be released. It seemed to be interesting from the settings in the game of a zombie mother protecting her son.

-I personally, it is very interesting because there is not much to hear such opinions about indie games from manufacturers who are developing social games.

Okra: I'm not very particular about social games. If anything, I think we should stick to the game. The current situation is that it may be a mobile as a means of sticking, it may be a PC or a console.

To put it simply, it's a device difference as a means of delivering the work, and it's just a platform. TOKYO STORIES has never been decided to do it with Steam from the beginning.

While IKEA's team is making many new games seeds, TOKYO STORIES just stopped in the eyes and said, It's better to compete in the indie market! Is that six months ago? He said he once turned off for the indie, talked about ignoring mobile, and finally showed off what he had been developing.

It's a judgment that I thought.

Okra: The reason why I did so was that when I saw it from a player, I thought that the visual would be a hook. The direction of this visual was to be accepted by indie game users today, so I decided to take the plunge at Steam.

On the other hand, for PROJECT BEAT (tentative title), the case game is the main platform for console and PC, and there is no definitive edition on smartphones. To be honest, the response of the user really wants it has not been completely cut off, but the engineer who tags (the producer in charge) is a fan of the case game, Determined. Even if you like it, there are times when you want to do it on mobile, and he had a strong passion for trying to meet such needs, so it was said that he would do it on a mobile premise.

Various other projects are progressing, but we judge whether to develop console, PC, mobile, or simultaneously depending on the theme of the work you want to deliver or the target users you expect. In the first place, I feel that the boundaries of the platform are not considerable.

ー In terms of changes in the game industry since 10 years ago, the social game market has grown and matured as expected, and the console market, which lacked excitement, has been exciting again. 。 Games were usually released on PCs that were not opponents 10 years ago, and the development of the indie game market seems to have changed significantly. Does such a 10-year change have lost the boundaries of the platform?

Okra: There are some quality that doesn't seem like an indie game anymore, and I feel like what is indie? As you pointed out, I think the user base is changing.

On the contrary, we are grateful that indie games and PC markets have become familiar. In the past, if you released a game in Japan, it was a console or mobile, but the barrier to the console was much higher than you imagined. In the first place, I could not develop or release without a relation to Nintendo and Sony.

However, the console platformers are now quite open, and as Steam (PC) has become a familiar platform, business opportunities are expanding considerably as a third party. As a consequence, this kind of challenge was also made in Bit summit.

Things required to fight with a global market

ー Please let me know a little more business story. What is the ratio of domestic and overseas sales in the Game Business of Doric om?

Okra: There are still few overseas, and basically domestic sales account for most.

-Do you want to increase overseas as the goal of Mr. Okra?

Okra: Yes. After all, the market of social games is crawling sideways in Japan alone, and it seems that the special demand for Corona is calm in 2022. With that in mind, if you don't look at game users all over the world, you may keep putting yourself in the shrink market. I would like to create titles that can be accepted by gamers around the world and increase the sales ratio.

ー If you tell your body, I think that it is impossible to make a popular IP in Japan into a game.

Okra: At present, you will be pulled by the power of IP. Now, when you set up something that can be fighting globally to some extent, or borrow other companies' IPs, we try to consider whether it is a global IP. I'm thinking not to close only in Japan.

ー It is not that the original IP has not been d1. There were attempts to develop at the same time as the animation broadcast....... But to be honest, there was no explosive hit with such an attempt.

Okra: It wasn't (laughs)

So, how do you think the original IP will work in the future?

Okra: To be honest, I think that the issues of projects, such as broadcasting and release at the same time as the animation broadcast that have been worked on, tended to prior to production.

In the first place, when it comes to mixing anime and games, the number of stakeholders, such as those who want to make anime or those who want to make games, have to increase at a stretch, and adjust the timing of development and production. It will not flutter. What happens in time in that way is that users tend to postp1. Furthermore, there is a problem that the work becomes round as a result of trying to make anime with games in mind, and as a result of trying to do something well with each other.

Besides, if you do let's put a game-like element in the anime on the surface, I feel that users will see Oh, the usual (media mix) pattern. 。 Of course, there are cases where it works, but I think the hurdle is quite high.

If you are going to do such an initiative now, in the Doric om's Publishing Division, I can ignore the game once, so make an incredible interesting original! I want to do it.

Wouldn't that be the best if you could create the original like spy x Family ? I am concerned that if you do not get so excited, you will end up with both care and be halfway.

ー Is the new IP exhibited at Bit summit this time as a game?

Okra: After all, I am aiming for a title that can be accepted by games lovers from the game, and I would like to grow it as an IP. For example, it has not yet been announced, and there are some things that are assumed to challenge animations and challenges, but the first goal is to nurture IPs with our own hands. I don't want to make something for media mix, but for fans, I want to make anime and publish books on my own.

We will form a partnership as needed, but it is not good if we compromise in each other's thoughts, so we have to take responsibility as the owner to do it. I think it's better.

ー Do you feel the harshness that you can't understand with small hands for users now?

Okra: I think it's becoming more and more essential, and I think the users who come to Bit summit in the first place are very fertile. I realized that I shouldn't forget that I'm playing the game than the creator

Because this is a professional, it is absolutely useless to think that users can play well, and in some ways, we think that users are more professionals. With that in mind, you can't compete without making things from the same perspective.

Of course, we are also a professional, so I want to say it beyond the imagination of the user, but first, I think that the user is a professional and I can not get out unless I seriously make a game.

ー Even readers of GAME*Spark may be pointed out in the comments section, and there are places where you can understand.

Okra: I'm a core gamer, so I know, I definitely made this appropriately, and I don't want to do that embarrassing at my company.

By the way, I think that the presence of Chinese developers and publishers has increased considerably as a 10-year change. How do you see Chinese game creators and developers?

Okra: It's just overwhelming power with the population al1. I feel that the overall power, including funding, is high.

On the other hand, I feel that there are still not many creators that create something that can only be made in China. Either way, creators such as Korea and Taiwan are the impression that they are standing as individuals.

In addition, we are paying attention to the overwhelming speed and belief that rolls up even in the late start, and it is tough as a competition, and conversely, it is reliable when tagging. Rather than rivals, I'm thinking about how to join together and fight globally.

Change the image to a company that makes your own game

ー In the past year or two, Mr. Okra's sense of crisis has become stronger in the social game industry, and companies that have become larger in social games are focusing on VR, and the development department of the console has been greatly increased. I think that the policies of each company are changing, such as releasing new games with independent prices and shows, and deploying them on Steam without any time from the release of the mobile version. What kind of path do you think Okra should follow?

Okra: After all, I think that there is no future if you think it is just a social game company, so I think the key to surviving the company that makes you think that it is a company that makes your own game. I spend a lot of time to promote strategy and create an organization to realize that philosophy.

In addition to us, I think there are several companies that are seen as social game companies that are good at making other companies' IPs, but we differentiate from that, and the highlights of Dotcom unique. We want users to think about a group that makes a game.

ー I have to change the image from the root.

Okra: After all, the impression is important, for example, the participating events are carefully selected based on such ideas.

-This exhibition also reflects that intention.

Okra: That's right in terms of changing the impression of the company. , but honestly, what I'm talking about now is a story about a small hand. In essence, it's all about whether the user can provide the title that you think so.

In the end, the company will not change unless the title to be made is accepted, so I think that it is the correct expression that we pay attention to branding to reinforce it.

ー I'm looking at the story so far, and it's impressive that I want to make the game itself in the current way of breaking down. So I think Okra himself has a game he wants to make, and I think it will be more serious.

Okra: I was raised in somehow RPG, so I want to make RPG. …… When the system is in place, I want to leave the company head to someone and do it as a producer (laughs).

I want to see that! There is an image that fans can easily follow such intentions personally.

Okra: I am making a proposal separately from what I can show now, there are titles that are producers on my own, and I am promoting a project that will surprise me, so I hope I can show it soon.

I think I have to have one title that embodies the direction of the new Doric om game business as I mentioned today. I want to use the face, which is the top of the game business, and the face as a producer.

I see. How much are you involved in each title as the top business?

Okra: I don't talk much about other titles. In particular, the details, such as the contents of the project, are left to the details, and there is almost no such thing here. That's why I do the producer's title as I like (laughs). What we are looking for from the producer is why Doric om does it, why the user picks up it, or really wants to do it.

ー Like IKEA's TOKYO STORIES, the discretion of the director is utilized.

Okra: As I mentioned today, I think that it is an era where users will no longer reach unless the person who is thinking about the title is this is good! If you look at it from above and say what you thought and reflect, it would not lead to good results.

You try to make sure that people who are thinking about users judge for a long time. So the producers and directors only say, Can you really get confident with this? That's fine if you say, I can go with this.

ー As a portfolio of the business, I think mobile sales are now a major specific gravity, but is it okay to understand that PC and console sales will increase in the future?

Okra: Ideally, the balance between each sales is balanced. Instead of setting goals for each platform and trying to reduce mobile sales consciously, or raising the sales of PC and console to this number, business reduces the dependence on the current gacha-based monetization. I want . Now 90 % of mobile sales are produced by geisha.

The reason why I think so is that I'm tired of the fun and distant parts of the games. How many of the events were doing to do sales and how the cost and sales ratio was, and the mental fatigue of social games, which is busy analyzing numerical values, is great, and the game is essentially interesting. It will be difficult to turn around to the point where you will go. Rather, I strongly think that we need to spend more time for development members, what to do for the update to make users enjoy in the medium to long term.

As I mentioned earlier, the user's eyes are getting more and more fertilized, and I'm seriously examining the games, so I have to spend more time to entertain and surprise them. I think the difficulty is getting higher and higher.

ー Regarding the concept of IP, the other day, Doric om got the IP of Wizardry. We are taking care of various things in Wizardly Garden's Five Trials, which are now released at GAME*Spark, but what kind of aim did it work in the first place?

Okra: Originally, I didn't want to get the IP itself. When I ask the director who is developing Wizardry Va next time, I want to do a new work of Wizardry next time I want to do a new work, so I tried to listen to the story. I thought it would be better to make a more rushing effort to get the right than borrowing.

Nevertheless, there is no strategy to acquire various IPs in the future, but I would like to create a new game in the best way, taking into account the enthusiasm and business aspects of the field.

ー ー。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。

Okra: It's a matter of course, but even if you get an IP or borrow somehow, you can't make a game if you don't have a member who really wants to do it with enthusiasm. If you continue to develop games in your current style, thank you very much, How about developing games with this IP? However, if the directors and producers do not go up, I will try not to receive a story that seems to be good in business. If you don't have a leader who takes the initiative in raising your hand, I want to do it!

I don't think we can create a game that moves the fans' hearts unless we pour the amount of heat as the calories that make our own IP, and the developers are simply the IP. It is absolutely impossible unless you are a fan. It is clear that people who do not understand the user's feelings can not be a good result, so we value the intention from the site.

ー You also value the intention to make a developer game.

Okra: Some I am still working to acquire IPs, because there are people who want to make games with that IP. For example, I want to do it (laughs). It is moving with respect for the creator's will.

ー I think that you have often developed games using other companies' IPs, but have you changed the right of Wizardry and have changed anything in developing?

Okra: Like the blockchain game announced the other day, it is great for our ownership, including the developments related to it. For example, if you are your own IP, there is no supervision from the right source. However, because it is made by a favorite person, it is Wizardry. After all, the development speed is fast, and there are few communications that occurs other than development, so I think the benefits of acquiring the rights are great.

ー In this SUMMIT exhibition, the scale was glimpsed, but it is said that Yukuyuku will create a new IP by himself.

Okra: That's best. Not only will we expand the world view of the IP we have borrowed as before, but on the other hand, we are strongly conscious of the direction we will create ourselves. Koyukuk wants to be a company that can be used for a long time while lending the IP we have created and expanding it to the world with many people.

Mr. Okra's story made me feel the simple intention of I'm going to make the game itself now and the background of the complex industry.

It was a story about thinking the current location of the social game industry that has been performing well, and there are some parts that the current indie game market functions as a place where companies like Doric om can try new IPs with risks. I understand. It can be said that the change in the Game Business in Doric om is a great reflection of the changes in the industry. Attention will also be focused on whether the title that makes core gamers groan will be released in the future.