Despite a slump in console purchases during the festive period, the games industry was rewarded with bumper software sales last year, worth £1.26bn in the UK alone, and is now gearing up for new challenges in 2004.
The drive for greater "mainstreaming" of games occurred in the latter part of 2003 and looks set to continue with force, particularly in mobile and handheld gaming. This will be aided in no small part by Sony's new handheld, the PlayStation Portable (PSP), which should have a worldwide release this November. In an interview with playstation.com, Chris Deering, the president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, extolled the virtues of what has been dubbed the "walkman of the 21st century", claiming that its video-quality game technology, MP3 player, memory stick and numerous other features will make it "a very handy thing to have and something which will be very fashionable to be seen with".
The UK will also see two new trade and consumer gaming shows this year. The first is Games Stars Live and comes in the wake of ITV's Game Stars TV show last year, the first ever televised computer games awards ceremony. The Live event, which is being sponsored by Capital FM and the videogame retailer Game, will take place in September at the ExCel exhibition centre in Docklands and will showcase the Christmas 2004 gaming line-up alongside other lifestyle attractions and entertainment.
Although hardcore gamers may balk at the idea of their hobby being "popped"-up in such a way, it is indicative of the growing trend to draw attention to games as a mainstream entertainment form. Scott Dodkins, chairman of the Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association (Elspa), says: "The time was right to introduce a high profile consumer event in the UK, with enough clout to attract visitors from all over the country."
Alongside Game Stars Live, Elspa will be running its own show, the European Games Network, which is set to have more of an emphasis on the trade and development side of the games industry and will focus on presentations, conferences and workshops. The EGN/Game Stars show will be going head-to-head against the long running European Computer Trade Show, traditionally held at Earl's Court and which, for the past two years, featured Sony's consumer-oriented PlayStation Experience. But since marketing money is limited, 2004 is shaping up to be a battleground between the old and new shows.
Of course, there would not even be an industry without the games and 2004 will definitely be the year of the big sequel with Doom 3, Half-Life 2, Thief 3, Deus Ex Invisible War, Halo 2 and Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow all scheduled to appear. These titles are an interesting indication in themselves of the drive towards a more mainstream perspective. Four of these titles come from successful PC franchises and their sequels have been multi-platform, while two of the aforementioned do not have a number in their title (Deus Ex and Splinter Cell) , which suggests that they are intended not to alienate people who have not played the previous games.
On a more somber note, with 23 European studios shutting down last year (including Lost Toys, Mucky Foot and Computer Artworks in the UK), it has been a rather rocky time, particularly for smaller developers. The emphasis on giving games a higher profile, new platforms and trade shows could certainly provide some buoyancy this year and perhaps reverse the trend. It would be nice if 2004 gave home-grown talent the opportunities and enthusiasm it needs to flourish.
Official UK Leisure Software Charts (c) ELSPA compiled by Chart-Track
1) Need for Speed Underground (PS2, Xbox, GC) Electronic Arts - £39.99
2) The Simpsons: Hit & Run (PS2, Xbox, GC) VU Games - £37.99
3) Medal of Honor: Rising Sun (PS2, Xbox, GC) Electronic Arts - £37.99
4) Fifa 2004 (PS2, Xbox, PC, PL) Electronic Arts - £34.99
5) LOTR: Return of the King (PS2, Xbox, GC, GBA) Electronic Arts - £34.99
6) The Sims: Bustin' Out (Ps2, Xbox, GC, GBA) Electronic Arts - £37.99
7)Grand Theft Auto III: Double Pack (XB, PS2) Take 2 - £39.99
8) True Crime: Streets of LA (PS2, Xbox, GC) Activision - £37.99
9) Norton Internet Security 2004 (PC) Symantec - £29.99
10) Tony Hawk's Underground
