2010 In Review: Sarah Thomson, IUGO
There are going to be thousands of freemium games in 2011
Like many mobile developers, during 2010, Canadian company IUGO has shifted its paid iOS focus, releasing versions of its existing games for Windows Phone 7, as well as developing one of the year's critically acclaimed freemium titles.
Sarah Thomson is the company's veep of business development.
PocketGamer: What was the most significant event of 2010?Sarah Thomson: I believe the acquisition of ngmoco and the amazing deal behind it really set a new precedent in mobile. It marked the shift in focus for many of the big publishers onto mobile social. Now that the Facebook frenzy has died down a little, mobile social is the new frontier to conquer.
This is awesome for companies like IUGO, who have the perfect team to execute these kinds of social experiences. Mobile is finally getting the attention and respect it deserves and it's our time to shine!
What was the most significant event for your company?Partnering with Capcom to develop and publish Lil' Pirates, our freemium social game, was a real game changer for IUGO. We are in a completely different position now than we were just a year ago.
It allowed us to showcase our expertise and skillset in launching a robust, well-running social game (which is no easy feat). Now, IUGO is engaged in numerous discussions with potential heavy hitters and entertaining exciting opportunities.
What was your favourite mobile game of the year?My biased response is Lil' Pirates of course.
My second choice would be Cut The Rope It's just too cute! Seriously though, great job on perfecting a simple yet super addictive game mechanic.
What do you predict will be the most important trends in 2011?I think social games in mobile are going to explode. By the summer, you're going to see thousands of freemium titles. Everyone is in a mad dash to beat one another and dominate that space. It could be anyone really.
I also think we're going to see a number of studios being snatched up by the big boys who just can't get enough social content out on their own. Again, great news for a lot of us, including IUGO.
If you could enforce one New Year's resolution, what would it be?I would love everyone to boycott the 99c pricetag. We're all better than that and our games are too. Time to elevate the price to reflect the quality.
Thanks to Sarah for her time.You can keep up with IUGO's activities via its website.
