Insomniac Games is jumping into the social gaming market with a multi-player, Facebook game set to debut this summer. For its 18 year history, the Burbank-based firm has made titles exclusively for the Sony PlayStation game console. Insomniac partnered with video game powerhouse Electronic Arts on the project, making a big splash for “Outernauts” at the E3 video game trade show at the Los Angeles Convention Center this month. The game encompasses galactic travel, space beasts, pirates and an evil corporation bent on dominating the universe. “We are getting console game level of attention for a social game,” said Ryan Schneider, brand development director for Insomniac. “That is the benefit of the Insomniac and EA brands.” The mobile and social media games segment is a bright spot in the otherwise sluggish video game industry, attracting players outside the typical gamer demographic of males in their 20s and 30s. Online gaming revenue is projected to reach $21.4 billion in 2013, according to research and analysis firm Gartner Inc. The pairing of Facebook and Zynga Inc., creators of “FarmVille” and “CityVille”, for instance, has been financially rewarding for both companies. In 2011, Zynga accounted for about 12 percent of Facebook’s revenue, or about $445.3 million, according to a filing by Facebook in connection with its recent initial public offering. Schneider said Insomniac has observed the evolution of the social gaming market and has given careful thought to what the company could bring to an online audience. “We want to be challenged and stay progressive,” he said. “It is a must to become part of this movement and not bury our heads in the sand.” To create the characters and settings of “Outernauts,” Insomniac assembled a 15-person team led by Brian Hastings, who has been with the company since its inception and was the creative mind behind the “Ratchet and Clank” game franchise. It also hired a few workers with expertise in flash web programming and social game design and production, and teamed up with EA to extend its reach for the game. Console titles typically sell for $50 or more, while social games generate revenue through micro-transactions, as players must purchase characters or objects to play the game. While game companies generate less revenue through micro-transactions, they also often seek other revenue streams, such as merchandising, to increase earning potential under the social gaming business model. The social gaming market receives a major validation when a company such as Insomniac enters the space, said Brad Carraway, vice president of brand strategy at Mile 9, a Calabasas marketing firm. “As (social gaming) migrates more and more from your browser to your tablet and smartphone it is the platform that has brought people together,” Carraway said. What differentiates “Outernauts” from other social media site games is the marriage of pure fun play with a deep and rich story line typically found in console games, said Rowan Belden-Clifford, a designer on “Outernauts,” who also has worked on console titles. One of the most exciting features, she said, is the ability for players to go head-to-head with a player’s Facebook friends, as well as any player logged into the site. “That is huge in providing a lasting, fun experience for anyone playing the game at the same time.” Insomniac also is pursuing new opportunities to expand into the consumer products area. In connection with the game, the company has developed five plush toys based on five of the beasts that players collect. Insomniac is working on a distribution plan for introducing the toys at retail outlets and hopes to have it worked out this summer, Schneider said. Each plush toy comes with a code that players use to unlock that beast for use in playing “Outernauts.” Rovio, the Finnish video game company, has done well with its Angry Birds merchandising, and Activision has made retail products in connection with some of its games, Carraway said. “It is going to work well for games with an identifiable world and relatable characters,” he said. Schneider said if the toys take off, Insomniac will make more versions of the in-game beasts.
Insomniac Launches First Social Game, New Products
