Cracking The Code Of Making A Mass Media Product
How is Gamestacy evolving itself in India in the age of media tech?
We are in a world where the most successful mass communicators not only create products filled with messages, they also create platforms and communities for the world to interact. As such, Gamestacy has cracked the code of making its games both a mass media product as well as a personalised experience. We build our games to create digital communities where content can be created and shared. Gamestacy uses machine learning to optimise individual experiences as our games are online spaces where much of the creative effort falls to the user. Given the sensitivities of the gaming world, this can be perceived both as an opportunity and a responsibility.
What are some of the factors that continue to propel the growth of the gaming sector in India considering the use of media?
Some of the online games such as ludo and carrom have their roots in Indian culture. Today, with technology going as far as it could, these games have resurfaced once again, thus pulling the crowd to become a part of gaming communities. The modification of traditional games into a digital platform has enabled these traditional games to transform into predominantly skill-based games through the introduction of new formats or gamification elements.
Game developers have also started taking into account the gaming needs of all, including Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets. With the advancement of the digital world, gaming companies took lead as they turned their research and analysis to products that suit the mood of the crowd. Games are going bi-lingual and breaking barriers of metro cities, which is ultimately propelling the growth of the gaming sector in India.
Among the media-led gaming startups that have attracted investments, do you see any underlying characteristics? Is there a particular type of media startup that attracts more attention?
This gaming industry’s growth has coincided with the rise in influencers encouraging Indians to come forward and play more games. This is the perfect scenario for investors who are looking to put in their resources in a big market that has rapid growth, and increasing mobile and internet penetration on the back of low data tariffs. As such, online and free-to-play games are attracting a lot of attention from investors. With the ever-increasing number of mobile gamers, this sector will be a sweet spot for investors for a long time to come. From a business sense, investors are careful to identify only those gaming companies that are focused on innovation and build mobile-first games based on consumer insight.
How important is content to your overall strategy? What are some of your content strategies for the year ahead that you believe will directly impact your standing in the sector?
Content is the backbone of any successful game. Any form of content, be it written, audio, or video, is crucial to the popularity of a video game. After all, it can make or break a game. We try to keep our in-game content updated and relevant to the gamers. Taking into consideration a dress-up or cooking game, there is the constant need to upgrade the features in terms of dresses, make-up tools, culinary, interior décor, etc. While strategising the content, we keep in mind three things – for whom we are creating it, how relevant it is to the gamers and how much we can diversify our content.
So, for the upcoming days, Gamestacy is focusing on strategising content that delivers engagement and reach between gamers. We are also planning to expand into the realm of game news and reviews, instructional videos, and people goofing off while playing games.
Due to this presence of content, do you ever consider wearing a dual hat, being also a media company? Why?
Every gaming company has to go beyond the world of consoles and smartphones to attract people. Gone are those days when game developers found themselves creating products to carve out a dedicated audience. Today, Gamestacy is wearing a dual hat of being a content and a media company.
Our developers find themselves creating not just games but also something new. We are expanding into the horizon of content companies that are equipped to create and publish omnichannel content that drives engagement and attracts a continual stream of new players. Beyond creating games and content about their games, we also optimise all of it for publishing across channels worldwide for maximum impact.
How are you seeing consumer behaviour change on the whole that is fuelling the growth of content-led companies in gaming?
We are bombarded by distractions often, and hence, grabbing users’ attention is getting harder. People are surprised and delighted by new and unique experiences. As such, the narration of video games had to alter to suit gamers’ needs.
Moreover, the gaming community is becoming more diverse with each passing day; it is no longer an arena dominated by men. With this change came a behavioural shift amongst gamers that demanded a change in the way the industry performed.
However, with the digital boom, especially after the pandemic, this is a golden time for us to analyse and reinforce behavioural shifts to position our games better.
