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In the first of this year’s Develop Awards partner spotlights, we speak to InnoGames’ head of PR Dennis Heinert about the growing opportunities for smaller studios in mobile and beyond.
Browser and mobile games firm InnoGames is supporting this year’s Develop Awards as event partner. The ceremony will be held on Wednesday, July 9th. More info below.
Partner Spotlight:InnoGames
Year founded: 2007
Website: www.innogames.com
For any readers who might not know you, tell us a little more about InnoGames.
InnoGames is a publisher of free-to-play online games for both browser and mobile with 125 million registered users worldwide. We have quite a small portfolio with four titles online and two more to come this summer, but this is because we want to focus on a few high-quality projects instead of spamming the world with mediocre games. Our best known titles are Tribal Wars, Grepolis and Forge of Empires.
What differentiates you from similar outfits? What’s unique about you?
All of our games have an extremely high long-term motivation. Tribal Wars has been online for 11 years now and it’s economically more successful than ever before. Other games see similar trends. That is only possible with a very fair premium model that does not offer unfair advantages to payers. Also a good relationship with the community is essential.
What excites and/or encourages you about the games industry and games development today?
The dynamics really fascinate me and are a very high motivation on a daily base. Five years ago, browser-based games were a huge new trend. Then it was facebook, now it is mobile – and who knows what comes next? Those changes incorporate a lot of challenges for everyone but they also offer a lot of opportunities. Who would have thought that a company like Supercell would be able to rule a huge market like mobile?
Looking at the Develop Awards finalists, what does it say to you about the industry and development today?
The list is just as widespread as the industry is. I think this is the major trend. The classical borders between small and big as well as enterprises and indies are melting. Opportunities for underdogs are high but you have to be extremely quick and competitive.
Do you have a message for the finalists?
Great job everyone, and thanks for the entertainment. Enjoy the evening and try to stop playing our games for those three hours!
Anything else you’d like to add about your company and the Develop Awards?
I’ve been at the Develop Awards for the first time in 2011 and I really think that it is one of the most relevant and exciting awards there is in the whole gaming industry.
About The Develop Awards
The 2014 Develop Awards will take place on Wednesday, July 9th at the Hilton Metropole Hotel in Brighton, and recognises the best innovators and development talent in the UK and Europe.
If you want to attend, you can book single seats and standard or gold tables by contacting Kathryn.Humphrey@intentmedia.co.uk or calling 01992 535646.
There are multiple new awards this year, with a total of 24 prizes up for grabs, while PlayStation 4 lead architect Mark Cerny is 2014’s Development Legend.
There is a host of big names backing this year’s Develop Awards, including Crytek and Deep Silver as Platinum Partners, a slew of Gold Partners in UKIE, Amiqus, Keywords International, Codemasters, Perforce, Cubic Motion and Unity, Event Partners Wales Interactive, InnoGames and Tandem Events and Table Gift Partner OPM.
For more information on the sponsorship and partnership opportunities still available, contact Alex.Boucher@intentmedia.co.uk or call 01992 535647.
You can find out more about the Develop Awards at the official Develop Awards website.
