The Norwegian MMO studio Funcom has announced a change of course, aiming to bring new titles to market faster and more efficiently.
Last week, Funcom released its quarterly figures, which do not look promising, as has been evident for months. As a result of the issues with LEGO Minifigures Online, the company has fallen into financial difficulties.
The “live games” The Secret World, Anarchy Online, and Age of Conan are still profitable, but over time are bringing in less money due to the aging process.
Funcom is shifting to a new strategy. They want to release one smaller title per development studio each year. In this type of game, they aim to experiment with new ideas, platforms, and genres, utilize their own brands, and invest relatively little money.
And there should always be a large title being worked on by every studio, where they benefit from their own experience and engine, also taking fresh feedback and market insights from the smaller games into account to minimize risk.
Furthermore, the live games and the “DreamWork” engine are to be further developed.
Currently, they are working on prototypes and concepts for new games. Development is set to begin in both studios in the fourth quarter of 2015 and in the first half of 2016.
The first example of an “experimental game” they mention is “The Park”. However, they do not expect too much financially from it, as they tell investors.
