Game Stooge

Take-Two Makes U-Turn – Out With Accessories In With Casual

• Scribbled on September 11th, 2007 by Derrick Schommer
• Filed in Casual Gaming, Industry News

Everyone knows the Grand Theft Auto Series, right? You’ve probably also had some experience with a 2K Sports game or perhaps, RockStar Presents Table Tennis?

If you’ve kept up on recent news you’ll know Take-Two has had a few issues with their financial situations and has recieved much flak over numerous game title releases with the latest issues around the rating of Manhunt 2.

Now, in what must be a reaction to their financial issues, Take-Two is doing the right thing and refocusing their efforts on the area that’s done the best for them: video games. Last week, they announced their departure from accessories by selling JoyTech off to Madkatz. This week, their talking about starting up a casual games division?

Take-Two is already in a licensing agreement with Nickelodeon, which includes properties such as Dora the Explora and Go Diego Go. Not too surprising that Take-Two is getting into casual games. Other big publishers like EA and Ubisoft have gotten into casual games. Not to mention Take-Two has not been in very good financial standings. Might as well try their hand at the booming casual market.

Very sensible if you ask me, the casual games market is growing quickly and folks getting in on the ground floor will be rewarded with much success (ask Nintendo). It’s not that the core game community is dying off, the fact is of the matter is a new pool of non-gamers are arriving to look at this video game ‘thing’ and seeing what it’s all about. Wouldn’t you want a cut of that cake?

Virgin gamers (those that have never played, let’s not assume the lifestyle of a gamer here) are looking for easy ways to enter the game market with concepts and designs they can relate to playing. Games do not have to be ’simple’ to be casual, they just have to target a different demographic that doesn’t care much for first-person-shooters or deeply rooted RPG’s and RTS titles.

Take-Two can deliver casual titles in a number of months, not years. When you’re putting all your eggs into the hardcore basket you’re looking at, perhaps, two big titles every few years (GTA and Manhunt). Spread your eggs to many little casual baskets and drop a few hit titles on the Wii and you can start claiming some profitable figures and maybe even make money!

The trick will be, can Take-Two hire a team of experienced casual game developers? The mind-set for a casual game isn’t the same as it is for a hit first person shooter or car stealing experience. It would be like asking Shigeru Miyamoto to build his own Halo clone… can you imagine… “Mario Wars” or “Mario and Yoshi’s Blood Bath Chaos 2: Revenge of Toad”