XBLA, PSN, and Indie developers, that ship has sailed. Your work was voraciously consumed and heroically touted by a handful of fanatics who truly, deeply appreciated your artistic and emotional contribution. It looked promising with some early successes trending up. But then it flattened. it never got big. It stayed niche. And then it dipped. Part of the issue is that the console that does everything never even admitted on television that it had an App Store. Oops. But also, even if everyone who connected their consoles downloaded your games, the business model in operation would rarely get you a Tesla. Well, maybe one of you. But in general, people’s attention went to the other big console that nobody calls a console. But don’t hate, just think different. Behold your silver bullet, your red pill, your blue ocean – the magical iPad. Or Android tablet device.
Category Archives: VentureBeat
Innovation ex Machina
Here in SoMa, we startups cheerfully pat ourselves on the back as being the epicenter of innovation in social games. We deride old, slow-moving, giant beasts of companies, and mischievously categorize them with a “Ye Olde Worlde” tag. However, this is very much tongue in cheek, or it should be. Innovation is alive and well inside the machine, and in fact sustains and enables innovation on the outside to thrive and strive toward a goal. What is this heresy, you may ask? Continue reading
Overreacting to PathGate
Path is a polished, addictive social network for just your close friends, on which we heaped loving praise in late January. On February 7, a hacker discovered that the iOS app is sending address book information to Path to suggest other Path friends, resulting in Internet outrage. The next day, Dave Morin, the CEO of Path apologized for it, deleted the data, and rolled out an update to the app making contact sharing opt-in. Meanwhile, the ranting continues on the open web and various industry e-mail discussion lists, calling the moves arrogant and incompetent. Clearly, we at SoMoFos love a good rant, but in this case, we’re calling bullshit and tagging this an overreaction.
On Game Reviews
This isn’t the inaugural post I had planned on, but inspiration knows no masters.
Our story begins with a review of Zelda: Skyward Sword written by Sebastian Haley of VentureBeat. Mr. Haley awarded Skyward Sword a score of 65/100, providing ample fodder for some serious flames, trolls and righteous tirades. I admit to reading the comments and feeling a terrible sense of glee. Continue reading