What businesses can learn from the best game of 2017
Articles • March 29, 2017
As a long time gaming enthusiast, it is refreshing and inspiring when a game surpasses all expectations that you originally had. Nowadays, consumers are accustomed to expecting games that are sequels or based on well-known licenses (think Call of Duty or Harry Potter). That’s where Horizon is like a breath of fresh air as it is an original IP in a sea of non-original content.
From an engaging story, amazing graphic fidelity to precise sound design, it hits all the right notes as a major contender for game of the year as evidenced by universal critical acclaims it has been receiving.
Behind all this is a group of talented game designers who given their background, took an unprecedented risk. By observing and understanding their history, we can draw practical lessons to apply in businesses everywhere.
The developer called Guerrilla Games was founded in early 2000 and is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Through a series of reshuffling, Guerrilla Games was eventually acquired by Sony Computer Entertainment. Over the years, Guerrilla Games has become synonymous with a certain type of game genre known as a first person shooter with their popular franchise named Killzone.
The trend has been for game developers to stick to what they know, create sequels and not innovate. The main factor behind this trend is that gaming competition has greatly intensified in recent years. With that increased competition, video games budgets have also increased (take GTA 5, which had a budget of $265 million).
To minimise risk, game developers are directed to err on the side of caution. But there are downsides to that, namely that consumer preferences are always changing. What may be in trend now could be outdated in the near future and there has been plenty of gaming studios that have faded into obscurity as a result.
Guerrilla Games decided to do take a risk and buck the trend. They developed a list of creative ideas for their next game and chose the most unproven and challenging concept, which ultimately became Horizon: Zero Dawn.
The key lessons that we can learn from this story are:
- Change is a necessity
Often time’s businesses do not attempt to innovate and instead repeatedly churn out the same product or service. However, those who do not innovate will potentially be disrupted and displaced by competition. Guerrilla Studios could have just relied on their established Killzone franchise. Instead, by developing a new Intellectual property, they disrupted themselves first, and in doing so is now in an optimal position for the future.
- Risk brings reward
Businesses should have a healthy mindset towards approaching risks. When properly calculated and executed, it can create vast emergent opportunities including improved brand recognition and increased sources of revenues from direct and indirect sources. By encouraging and rewarding employees to take risks, we can create a company that is able to challenge the status quo and innovate.
- Capability not experience is the determining factor
To be successful in any endeavour the most crucial ingredients are your employee’s capabilities. Experience is geared towards the past while capabilities are geared towards the future. Guerrilla Studios had no previous experience developing a game like Horizon, however that did not stop them from succeeding. The keys to their success were an ambitious team that were talented and determined. This should be a reminder to businesses to prioritise on developing and nurturing capabilities in their workforce.
About the Author(s):
Faris Anwar is the Head of the Gaming Industry at Evant & Co., a management consulting firm with offices in Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta. Our purpose is to help our people and our clients to realise their aspirations while improving lives through business. We advise leaders on strategy, human capital, digital, and outsourcing.
