Tue, Jul 10, 2012 | 05:58 BST
Starbreeze boss “never going to do free-to-play”
CEO Mikael Nermark wants Syndicate developer Starbreeze to try several different business models, but not free-to-play.
Speaking to EDGE, Nermark said the company had other plans in mind.
“We’re never going to do free-to-play, because then you have to cater to everyone out there – that’s costly and it’s hard,” he said.
“We’re probably going to go down the road of cheap to play. Would we go all out? No, I don’t think I’m going to bet on just one business model.”
Nermark noted that Starbreeze won’t abandon either work-for-hire or triple-A development while it experiments with other projects.
“We’re going to keep that and do the smaller, downloadable self-funded stuff like P13 and Payday 2 and we’re going to dabble in other areas too. Multiple different business models, multiple different games. To rely on one business model is very risky,” he said.
The executive is pretty confident about the upcoming P13, although he wouldn’t say what it is.
“People are going to be very surprised that Starbreeze is doing this game. I think we’re bringing something unique and new to the table in terms of gaming. That’s how cocky I’m going to be,” he said.
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Posted in: Free-to-Play, Trade
Tags: Mikael Nermark, P-13, starbreeze
5 comments
#1
Ercarret
10/07/12, 5:50 am
Isn’t there a “never” too much in, “CEO Mikael Nermark never wants Syndicate developer Starbreeze to try several different business models, but not free-to-play”?
*edit*
In any case, seems odd to rule it out completely. While I do see his reasoning (the “we can’t cater to everyone” argument IS pretty valid), the statement nonetheless seems a bit more absolute than it has to be.
#2
Brenna Hillier
10/07/12, 5:58 am
Ah, cheers. Fixed.
#3
BrutalZen
10/07/12, 7:26 am
Cannot be more pleased to hear that Starbreeze, one of my most favorite developers, are ruling out the free-to-play model. Finally some common sense. Hopefully more will see the light (yes, you Crytek)…
#4
voxelman
10/07/12, 9:45 am
Payday 2? In’t payday made by Overkill Software?
#5
Old MacDonald
10/07/12, 9:48 am
Good news, absolutely. F2P is a business model that works for many, both gamers and devs. But if everyone went down that route we’d have a very sad looking industry, because it limits what devs can do in ways that the more traditional models do not.
Also:
“That’s how cocky I’m going to be”
The funny thing is that what he said wasn’t more cocky than your average press release.