Creating Great Games that are Played for Years & Remembered Forever

Summary

Mobile games dominate the market due to their widespread accessibility. Supercell, founded in 2010, aims to create memorable games for mass appeal, emphasizing team autonomy and diverse backgrounds for innovation. The company believes in involving game teams in crucial decisions, recognizing players' importance in the development process. With the European tech scene flourishing, Supercell is inspired by the potential to rival Silicon Valley, focusing on social gaming to enhance player interaction and create lasting experiences.

Takeaways

• 🎮 Mobile games dominate the market due to the widespread use of smartphones as gaming devices.
• 🚀 Creativity and innovation are central to game development, aiming to create fun and memorable experiences.
• 🌟 Supercell was founded in 2010 with a vision to make games that would be played and remembered for years.
• 💡 The company's culture emphasizes empowering teams with the best people to create games, fostering a sense of ownership and independence.
• 🌍 Diversity in team composition is valued for its contribution to the creative process and the goal of making games for everyone.
• 🗣️ Encouraging open communication within teams is vital for the development of innovative ideas.
• 🛠️ Teams are involved in critical decisions, such as launching or discontinuing a game, based on their belief and commitment to the project.
• 🎭 Initially, game development focuses on developers' insights, but as the game evolves, player feedback becomes increasingly important.
• 📈 The European tech scene has significantly grown, with companies like Spotify and Supercell emerging as global successes.
• 🤝 Collaboration within the industry is highlighted as a key factor for success, with a supportive community spirit among Finnish gaming companies.
• 🔮 The mobile gaming industry is still in its early stages with vast opportunities for growth and improvement.
• 🤝 Social aspects of gaming are seen as an area of great potential, with the mobile platform's networking capabilities offering new forms of gameplay.

Q & A

What is the significance of mobile games in the current gaming market?

Mobile games represent more than half of the entire games market due to the widespread accessibility of mobile phones as gaming devices, which are carried by almost everyone.

What is the core principle behind creating games according to the script?

The core principle is creativity and innovation, focusing on creating something from scratch that is inherently fun for people to play.

When was Supercell founded and what was its initial vision?

Supercell was founded in 2010 with the vision to create games that would be played by as many people as possible for years and be remembered forever.

What is the key to achieving Supercell's ambitious dream as mentioned in the script?

The key is to have the best people forming the best teams to create the games, and to be the best place for those teams to work.

Why is the culture at Supercell considered important for the company's success?

The culture at Supercell is important because it empowers teams with the independence to make decisions for their games, fostering an environment that encourages creativity and innovation.

How does Supercell ensure diversity in its creative process?

Supercell ensures diversity by having people from around the world with different backgrounds, which is crucial for bringing a wide range of ideas to the creative process.

What role do game teams play in the decision-making process regarding the launch or termination of a game?

Game teams are heavily involved in the decision to go live or kill a game, as their belief in the game is crucial for its success and they are the ones working on it.

How does the importance of players evolve throughout the game development cycle?

At the start of the game creation process, developers focus on what they think players might want. As the game gets released, the focus shifts to the players' feedback and preferences, making them central to the development as a service.

What has been the impact of the European Tech Community's growth on the tech industry?

The European Tech Community has developed massively, leading to more successes from Europe, such as Spotify, and positioning Europe and Finland as potential rivals to Silicon Valley in producing valuable tech companies.

How does collaboration within the Finnish gaming industry contribute to its success?

The Finnish gaming industry works well together, with companies cheering for each other's success and supporting one another, especially in unexpected situations.

What opportunities does the mobile gaming industry still hold, and what areas excite the speaker personally?

The mobile gaming industry is still young with much opportunity left, especially in creating more social games that leverage the network capabilities of mobile phones to enable new forms of gameplay.

What is Supercell's inspiration and long-term goal in creating games?

Supercell is inspired by companies like Nintendo and aims to create games that would be remembered forever, focusing on creating amazing games with their talented group of people.