BETA | STUDIOS // WARGAMING
Wargaming’s Frédéric Menou (above) has been with the military strategy games maker since it opened its European office in July 2011
The European HQ is responsible for publishing Wargaming’s titles across the continent. Staff work on projects that have left the concept stage of development, providing publishing feedback and figuring out marketing strategies for the various markets. And with over 60 million registered WoT players, community management is also a big part of what goes on here. Together with his original staff, the family culture that Menou has built up has so far attracted 21 nationalities to the studio. “It is very important to keep that family feeling,” he says. “And I have to admit it’s cheating a bit when you’re trying to build that, because there are a lot of people coming from other countries. They don’t have they’re family or friends next to them, so they need to rebuild something here. “The best part of it is, no matter where you’re coming from, you’re Wargaming first, and then you’re part of your community, which helps build that family feeling. But it’s hard work.”
Ironically, French nationals are actually in the minority at the studio. But Menou says it would actually be “a mistake to have more French staff than Germans or Polish, where
our strongest communities are”. He also feels that having its European HQ in Paris, as opposed to London or Brussels, gives the MMO maker a solid advantage. “Now with Ubisoft, Blizzard and Wargaming, there’s kind of a publishing hub in Paris. I actually find it very healthy. When you’re in a country and you know there’s no other options open to you besides moving to another country, then it becomes difficult for employees and for companies.”
To be honest, I’m more worried about the World Cup this summer than any of our other competitors.
Frédéric Menou, Wargaming
Situating its mainland HQ in Blizzard’s back garden was another unconventional move by a company whose rise doesn’t fit the prescribed MMO developer mould. At a time when multiplayer gaming was becoming more about twitch reactions or grinding, the slower-paced tension of World of Tanks seemed destined to be confined to a niche market. Four years later and that prediction has been detonated.
BATTLING FOR SPORT
Wargaming has begun expanding its military MMO series to new platforms, such as Xbox 360 and tablet computers, and for the last two years it has been working two new additions to the World of family, World of Warplanes and World of Warships. The developer started its own eSports tournament last year with more than 40,000
30 | JUNE 2014
teams playing competitively, and, based on its reception, has elected to throw $10m at promoting its eSports efforts in 2014. “I think for all of us it’s clear that eSports is very important,” Menou says when we asked if eSports has become a primary pillar for Wargaming’s business. For us it wasn’t in the beginning, to be honest. It just became a need when the players started to ask us. “Then we started doing the Wargaming League, with the regional finals and then the grand final. We saw that it did work. And I have to be honest, we were kind of surprised at the success of it because we hadn’t thought that WoT was made for eSports. “But looking at the success of it, this is showing a different way of playing. These players are really amazing; the skill and strategy level is very high. We saw an entertaining match during the grand final. We also saw a lot of things we can improve. That generated great excitement both for players and for us. I think it was very energising internally for us, and for players.”
ROLLING OUT ON MOBILE eSports has turned out to be a big boon. But in the last 12 months, Wargaming has also undertaken the herculean feat of forging new ground for itself on mobile and console. Experimentation is the one constant. Menou is open about the fact that Warplanes, the company’s aerial combat MMO, released in November 2013, hasn’t exactly taken off, having attracted some four million users since launch – a modest amount compared to its land-based sibling, but enough to show that there is an audience for such a game experience. Menou says the team is already trying to figure out how it can make Warplanes more enticing. But in the meantime, there’s plenty on its plate.
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