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Interactive INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY


boardgames, slot machines in pubs, computer games and console games.


As for the idea of playing games on mobile phones on a world-wide network of some description – that would have been seen as pure science fiction back in the 1970s and 1980s!


To be frank, very few of us did see the way the digital world would change, and in such a short period of time – and I’m certainly not going to try and predict where it’s going to go in the next 10 years. But what I do know is that in digital, things can change very quickly indeed.


What that means is that any IP owners looking to sign a licensing deal with a games company should want to be very specific about what rights are being granted, where and for how long – and should want to keep the agreement as narrow as possible.


We call it ‘slicensing’ – the IP owner packages their property into as many discrete bundles as they can, with relatively short expiry dates or obligations, so they can better react to changes in the market.


Tis is relatively easy as most digital products are in quite discrete areas and target relatively narrow audiences who are, in the main, self- selecting.


Slots, for example, have a heavy female bias, with most players aged between 40 and 55 and they are looking for a casual experience, something they do while watching TV so everything from the graphics to the gameplay needs to be light. From a pure financial perspective, the biggest-spending online slots market is the UK.


For ‘free to play’ or social games, however, it’s the US. Temes and imagery for both physical and online slots machines will tend to appeal to this audience demographic and resonate with them. US players tend to prefer a stronger look and feel; mythical/ fantasy brands because the


IP owners should look to listen to and learn from games companies. And contracts should be structured in such a way that any deal should deliver benefits for all parties – there has to be an incentive for the games company to develop the best possible title


P136 NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE / MARKET DATA


game play experience itself is more important because there is no money to be won.


IP owners will want to understand who their potential licensing partners are and what their core strengths are. Different platforms have different demographics. For example, some gaming portals and platforms may appeal to a young male demographic, while others may appeal to an older female demographic. For example, an IP owner is likely to ask any potential partners who their audiences are; who plays their games; and what kind of games do they like?


We’ve done a lot of work helping translate the works of famous British mystery author Agatha Christie into online and mobile games, including skill-based games. We were brought in by IP owner Agatha Christie Limited to help them build relevance with a younger audience by giving them the opportunity to discover, interact and enjoy her works in new, digital media. We developed many different iterations for different demographics over the eight years we worked with them; initially, these titles took the form of


online ‘seek and find’ games, and sold tens of millions of copies but we also launched immersive adventure cross-platform games.


More recently, a skill-based online slots game based around the author’s Poirot and Marple brands was launched called MysteryWilds and most recently Murder on the Orient Express to coincide with the release of the new Sir Kenneth Branagh-directed film. Significantly, rights owners ACL were receptive to feedback from the game developers suggesting that the look and feel of the game should be lightened up to reflect the audiences that this kind of game mostly attracts.


Brand values must come to the fore: but there should always be some room for flexibility. It has to be a two-way street, to some extent. IP owners should look to listen to and learn from games companies. And contracts should be structured in such a way that any deal should deliver benefits for all parties – there has to be an incentive for the games company to develop the best possible title, because that’s going to deliver rewards for everyone.


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