"We creators take big leaps"
Trip Hawkins made this intriguing statement at Supercell's Games First Conference. It's a sentiment that deeply resonates, especially in an industry that was once built by creators, for creators. When I compare that to what I see today, I would describe it as the impossibly bland leading to tomorrow's mundane.
The Broken Promise of Gaming's Present
The modern gaming landscape, as Hawkins paints it, is a study in contradiction. In an era of unprecedented technological capability, the industry finds itself trapped in what he calls "seriously broken business models." The top 100 grossing charts tell the story with real clarity: among the Fortnites and Call of Duties, only a single title from the past year typically breaks through – a sobering reality for innovators dreaming of the next big thing.
The numbers paint a stark picture: 98% of free-to-play users never spend a dime, while platform holders claim their 30% cut, forcing developers to inflate prices by 43% just to maintain margins. "We play the biggest game there is in the world," Hawkins observes, "which is figuring out how to not spend money."
The Next Hill
But where others see obstacles, Hawkins sees opportunity. Drawing from his experience at 苹果 during its transformation from a $773,000 hobbyist company to a billion-dollar juggernaut, he offers a deceptively simple strategy: "Better to take the next hill."
The next hill, in Hawkins’ view, isn't about incremental improvements to an existing formula. It's about fundamentally rethinking how games are being delivered and experienced. He points to the browser as an emerging frontier, where HTML5 and WebGL are creating possibilities that would have been unimaginable a decade ago.
"When I started 美国艺电公司 , I actually thought we could become the leading company in the industry," he reflects. "Who thinks that way?". The answer, it seems, is those who can see beyond the current paradigm to where technology is heading.
The Steve Jobs Playbook
Hawkins' years working alongside Steve Jobs left him with a profound understanding of how to spot the next wave. He recounts Jobs' journey from the Apple II to the iPhone, highlighting a crucial lesson: true innovation comes from understanding not just where technology is, but where it's going.
The iPhone's success, Hawkins argues, wasn't just about making a better phone – it was about waiting for capacitive touch technology to enable an entirely new kind of interaction. "That's how Steve would do it," he explains, emphasising the importance of watching Moore's Law and identifying the moments when emerging technologies enable new experiences.
The Human Element
Yet, amidst all this talk of technology and innovation, Hawkins takes an unexpected turn. "We're in the middle of a global mental health crisis," he states, shifting from gaming industry analysis, to personal interest. He speaks of blind spots, the unconscious patterns that drive our decisions, and the ways our earliest experiences can shape our responses to challenges.
It's a reminder that behind every technological revolution are human beings, wrestling with their own stories, their own fears, and their own capacity for growth. "Our deepest fear," he quotes Marianne Williamson, "is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond all measure."
Looking Forward
The gaming industry stands at another crossroads - AI, browser-based gaming, and Web3 technologies promising new possibilities, each highlighting the relevance of Hawkins' message. The next revolution in gaming won't just be about better graphics or faster processors – it will be about understanding human nature, about creating experiences that connect us, and about finding new ways to make technology serve our fundamental need for play, storytelling, and connection.
For today's creators and innovators, the challenge remains the same as it was when Hawkins founded EA over four decades ago: to see beyond the current limitations, understand where technology is heading, and to have the courage to take those crazy leaps into the unknown.
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As Hawkins concludes his talk, running nearly nine minutes over his allotted time ("That's how I roll," he quips), he leaves his audience with a simple directive borrowed from Yoda: "Do or do not." In an industry built on dreams of what might be possible, it's a really fitting call to action for the next generation of game makers. The future of gaming may be uncertain, but one thing is clear: the next hill is always waiting for those brave enough – or crazy enough – to climb it.
The Stories We Choose to Tell: A Call for Bolder Gaming Narratives
LeVar Burton once said, "Human beings are natural storytellers. The purpose of storytelling is to connect us together. Storytelling is one of the primary building blocks of civilization. Everything that is important to us as a species has been contained and evolved from stories."
We've mastered the art of creating "good" content – polished mechanics, stunning visuals, and serviceable narratives that reliably generate revenue. The overall quality of gameplay has never been better. But as Trip's words echo in my mind, I wonder if we're mistaking technical excellence for genuine narrative innovation? In an era of unprecedented technological capability, are we being bold enough in the stories we choose to tell?
In the upcoming episode of the Purpose Made Podcast, my conversation with Peter Y. Levin (Co-founder and MD at Griffin Gaming Partners ) delves deep into the untapped wealth of narratives emerging from Africa and the Indian subcontinent and so much more! These regions burst with millennia of storytelling tradition, yet their voices remain largely unheard in our current medium. This isn't just a missed creative opportunity – it's a failure to recognise gaming's unique power as a cultural bridge. We shouldn’t just tell stories; we should invite players to live them.
In an era where every entertainment medium fights for minutes and seconds of attention, our industry's true currency isn't just engagement – it's those transformative moments, when storytelling transcends the screen. When players forget they're holding controllers, because they're too busy holding their breath. Yet too often, we settle for narratives that merely graze the surface of what's possible, creating content that's immediately consumable but ultimately forgettable.
As we look towards 2025, the challenge before us is clear.?
What we need now is the courage to push beyond the comfortable confines of proven formulas.
The shift from good to great isn't just about better graphics or more sophisticated gameplay mechanics. It's about daring to tell the kind of stories that challenge, unite, and transform. Stories that don't just entertain for a few hours, but linger in players' minds for years to come. Stories that, when woven together, create a rich tapestry of human experience that’s as diverse as our global audience.
This isn't just about creative fulfilment either – it's about legacy. Years from now, when future generations look back at this golden age of gaming, what will they see? A period of safe, profitable content creation? Or a revolutionary moment when our industry embraced its full potential as a medium for cultural expression and human connection?
The tools are here. The audience is waiting. Nothing happens until something moves. Let's make 2025 the year we shift from just doing good to delivering greatness. The stories that could reshape perspectives and bridge cultures are out there, waiting to be told. The only question is: who will be bold enough to tell them?
The legacy we leave begins with the stories we choose to tell today.?
The next hill isn't just about reaching new technological heights – it's about having the courage to tell the stories that will define our generation and inspire the next.
Pete.