MS unconvinced by third-party Flight We don’t want F2P title to be a ‘confusing mess’ for non-gamers, says Microsoft
by Dominic Sacco
ALLOWING third parties to build content for MS Flight would create a ‘confusing mess’ for new customers, Microsoft said.
Flight sim specialists told
MCVlast month that Microsoft needs to let them create content for its new PC free-to-play game MS Flight. Firms such as Just Flight and First Class Simulations have built expansions for Microsoft’s previous Flight Simulatortitles. But Microsoft is handling the DLC in-house this time. However, it will think about allowing third-parties on board if it struggles to meet a massive demand. “We’re trying something very different,” MS Flight’s exec producer Joshua Howard told MCV. “Instead of
opening this up to
Power A tops accessory sales in 2011 by Dominic Sacco
PERIPHERALS firm Power A sold the most third-party video game accessories in the UK last year.
The company – whose parent is Seattle-based BDA – saw sales rise 71 per cent year-on-year.
MS Flight can be a hit with casual players and non- gamers, says Joshua Howard
everything, anywhere, by anybody, which frankly creates sort of a confusing mess for a new customer, we get to manage it more, tell a story, help it grow and get on its feet.
“I believe this ecosystem will come to be larger than the existing product’s ecosystem. And that will be a point where I can’t meet the appetite of a customer base, and I will invest to bring more people in.” “I’m also not interested in
limiting MS Flightto merely a triple-A title. I think MS
Instead of
opening this up to anybody, we get to manage it more, tell a story and help it grow. Joshua Howard, Microsoft
“
Flight can appeal to people who wouldn’t ever consider themselves gamers.” MS Flightarrives on
February 29th. It could also land on other platforms in the future. “MS Flightis launching on
Games for Windows Live, but we’ll be on the lookout for ways we can bring the world of Flightto whole new audiences, platforms, and devices,” added Howard.
It is now the No.1 third- party video games accessory developer in terms of units sold, according to GfK Chart-Track. Headset specialist Turtle Beach was the No.1 accessories firm for 2011 in terms of value. “We set high goals for ourselves to make the highest quality accessories on the market and our hard work has paid off,” said Power A’s VP of product development and marketing John Moore. Power A: +1 452 492 6111