Console Wars: Issues for the First Two Years of Next-gen

Speakers: Don Daglow

Track: Production

Format: Lecture

Experience Level: All

Description: The complex factors involved in the war between three innovative new next-gen consoles raise many tough issues. What platforms to support? What kinds of games to develop, and which to avoid? How do I prevent disaster if I take a wrong turn?

Stormfront Studios founder Don Daglow has been through six of these console introduction cycles, going back to his tenure as director of game design at Intellivision 25 years ago. He currently leads a studio working on two original titles for next-gen platforms with major publishers.

In this session Don validates and debunks some of the myths of hardware transitions, and identifies what game trends history tells us emerge with new console introductions. The session likewise covers key factors that are different this cycle when compared to prior generations, and how those differences change the landscape for developers and publishers.

Finally, this talk focuses on key ways in which new console introductions change the kinds of games consumers want, and how designers can alter their approaches during these periods to respond to those changes and raise the chances of success.

Idea Takeaway: Attendees will have a new perspective on how to interpret the patterns of past console wars as they watch the current next-gen unfold.

Intended Audience: 1. Producers, designers, team leaders, and project managers.
2. Executives who wish to have a greater perspective and understanding of the development process.
3. Project members who want to be a proactive force for learning from the lessons of game history.
No prerequisites.