Read this book for a biting analysis of the games'industry's most burning issues as it gets knocked from pillar to post by digital transition and the pressure of free content. Inside, you will find out: - Why there has never been a better time to be game developer - Which ten companies are doomed to failure - How video game tax credits are short-term gain for long-term pain - Why EMI's decision to enforce copyright over a parody of Empire, State of Mind was stupid All these questions and more are discussed with brutal frankness by Nicholas Lovell, author of the acclaimed GAMESbrief blog. This is Volume 1 of GAMESbrief Unplugged: an edited, curated collection of the best of GAMESbrief, covering copyright, politics, taxation, and opinions on everything from microtransactions to why games don't cause rickets.

Making money from games in the twenty-first century Nicholas Lovell helps companies make money from games, understand emerging platforms (Apple's iOS, Google Android, browser-based, online) and navigate new business models. In this second volume of Nicholas's provocative and incisive analysis, you will learn: - How ngMoco, Jagex and Bigpoint built businesses worth hundreds of millions on the power of free - How in-app purchases can transform your business's revenues and profits - How a company with $100 million of venture backing went bust, and how to avoid their mistakes - What new online business models mean for hardware manufacturers, retail and traditional publishers If you want to ride the wave of online games, weather the transition to free and become a successful, profitable games business, you need to read this book.

'The curve' means accepting that millions of people now expect your product for free - because a small number of high spenders are enough to build a profitable business. In games, free is the norm, but some fans now spend thousands of dollars while playing a single title. That means the focus is no longer how many units you can sell. It is how you can satisfy those users who are happy to pay for things they value. 'The curve' shows you how to forge relationships with your biggest fans and sustain long-term success.

Game design is changing. The emergence of service games on PC, mobile and console has created new expectations amongst consumers and requires new techniques from game makers. In The Pyramid of Game Design, Nicholas Lovell identifies and explains the frameworks and techniques you need to deliver fun, profitable games. Using examples of games ranging from modern free-to-play titles to the earliest arcade games, via PC strategy and traditional boxed titles, Lovell shows how game development has evolved, and provides game makers with the tools to evolve with it. Harness the Base, Retention and Superfan Layers to create a powerful Core Loop. Design the player Session to keep players playing while being respectful of their time. Accept that there are few fixed rules: just trade-offs with consequences. Adopt Agile and Lean techniques to "learn what you need you learn" quickly Use analytics, paired with design skills and player feedback, to improve the fun, engagement and profitability of your games. Adapt your marketing techniques to the reality of the service game era Consider the ethics of game design in a rapidly changing world. Lovell shows how service games require all the skills of product game development, and more. He provides a toolset for game makers of all varieties to create fun, profitable games. Filled with practical advice, memorable anecdotes and a wealth of game knowledge, the Pyramid of Game Design is a must-read for all game developers. Key Features Harness the Base, Retention and Superfan Layers to create a powerful Core Loop. Design the player Session to keep players playing while being respectful of their time. Accept that there are few fixed rules: just trade-offs with consequences. Adopt Agile and Lean techniques to "learn what you need you learn" quickly. Use analytics, paired with design skills and player feedback, to improve the fun, engagement and profitability of your games. Adapt your marketing techniques to the reality of the service game era. Consider the ethics of game design in a rapidly changing world.

“Anyone can write a blog post, but not everyone can get it liked thirty-five thousand times, and not everyone can get seventy-five thousand subscribers. But the reason we’ve done these things isn’t because we’re special. It’s because we tried and failed, the same way you learn to ride a bike. We tried again and again, and now we have an idea how to get from point A to point B faster because of it.” Three short years ago, when Chris Brogan and Julien Smith wrote their bestseller, Trust Agents, being interesting and human on the Web was enough to build a significant audience. But now, everybody has a platform. The problem is that most of them are just making noise. In The Impact Equation, Brogan and Smith show that to make people truly care about what you have to say, you need more than just a good idea, trust among your audience, or a certain number of fol­lowers. You need a potent mix of all of the above and more. Use the Impact Equation to figure out what you’re doing right and wrong. Apply it to a blog, a tweet, a video, or a mainstream-media advertising cam­paign. Use it to explain why a feature in a national newspaper that reaches millions might have less impact than a blog post that reaches a thousand passionate subscribers. Consider the phenomenally successful British singer Adele. For most musicians, onstage banter basically consists of yelling “Hello, Cleveland!” But Adele connects with her audience, pausing between songs to discuss a falling-out with her friends, or the drama of a break up. Each of these moments comes off as if she were talking directly with you, and you can easily relate. Adele has Impact. As the traditional channels for marketing, selling, and influencing disappear and more people inter­act mainly online, the very nature of attention is changing. The Impact Equation will give you the tools and metrics that guarantee your message will be heard.

54 of the most important and high-impact ideas in modern game design, presented in easy to understand summary cards and explained in full detail on the facing page. This is a practical book aimed at helping you to understand and implement F2P systems that will make your game profitable, successful and, most of all, fun. Perfect for those embarking on their first F2P project and experienced developers seeking to refine their techniques alike, The F2P Toolbox draws on years of experience of F2P games and businesses to give you no-nonsense advice and guidelines that will improve your business and delight your players.

Bilbo’s Last Song is considered by many to be Tolkien’s epilogue to his classic work The Lord of the Rings. As Bilbo Baggins takes his final voyage to the Undying Lands, he must say goodbye to Middle-earth. Poignant and lyrical, the song is both a longing to set forth on his ultimate journey and a tender farewell to friends left behind. Pauline Baynes’s jewel-like illustrations lushly depict both this final voyage and scenes from The Hobbit, as Bilbo remembers his first journey while he prepares for his last.