Wii U sales are plummenting, Halo fans are swearing and just about everyone is crying for something new.
Microsoft doesn't appear to know what that something "new" is, nor does Sony or Apple. All of them are staring at what they perceive to be the enemy - smartphones and iPhones. While none of them are keeping their eye on what's important - the experience of gaming.
Though this isn't a bad thing if you're an eager entrepreneur, it's not bad at all. In fact, it highlights an opening in a once very tight niche industry that has been difficult to break into. Thankfully, that leaves room for opportunity for entrepreneurs in the city of gamers - Seattle.
The industry is worth more than $14.8 billion dollars according to 'Digital Trends," and that is with video games taking a hit over the last year. Still, that is a major bundle of money available to anyone enthusiastic enough to taking gaming to the next level.
As Mike Capps of Epic Games eluded to in Industry Gamers Online, right now is a very scary time in the industry of traditional console gaming. There's plenty of room for growth, though most of the major players in game design have forgotten what their market wants from them - stimulation and significance.
They are too focused on their bottom line to be concerned with creating games that are truly fascinating and empowering. And with an obvious distaste for the new "subscription" model that has lead the way to ever increasing expenses for game players, the revenue is slowly starting to plummet.
With big names video designers and consumers not wanting to risk investing their time into games that might suck, there is plenty of room for "gamerpreneurs" to take the video game market by storm.
People purchase video games not for the graphics or cool weapons they'll get to wield, but for the story and the worlds they can play in. They want games that stimulate their imaginations and intelligence. They want games that make them feel more significant than they could ever feel in reality.
Here's the catch though: Gamers are no longer satisfied with infinite lives, social gaming and amazing inhuman powers. At least, they are not satisfied with those elements alone. They want a bigger, badder and more emersive experiences that truly takes them beyond their wildest dreams and then some. They are ready for gaming to go to the next level. This means taking on challenges that traditional game makers will not.
It means traveling into the world of Artificial Reality and games with longer plots, more freedom to explore and change the game through the choices we make. More importantly, the world is crying out for games that do real social good, but don't lose all the thrill of first person quests with high powered rifles and jewel encrusted swords.
For Seattle Entrepreneurs looking for a niche to unleash their talents in, the video game industry is definitely recommended. Sink your teeth into any number of sub-niches below:
- More Affordable Video Game Design Education (eCourses)
- Plot Writing Classes for Video Game Designers
- Video Game Psychographic Research
- Artificial Reality Game Consoles
- Artificial Reality Games
- Games for Social Good
Make sure you take advantage of these economic openings while the brand name companies have their eyes in the out-field.
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