Krome working on smaller games in the casual and DLC space
Krome Studios CEO Robert Walsh has said the Australian firm is currently working on smaller games which fit more into the causal and DLC space, instead of focusing entirely on boxed products.
Speaking with IGN, Walsh said despite being "predominately a console developer", the market for boxed product has "diminished greatly in the last 12 months" so the firm has decided to focus more on digital offerings.
"We had a great response from Game Room, and I think that, right now, that seems to be more where the growth is, than the normal, premium boxed product," he said. "I mean, you saw the press [earlier this month], Namco just laid off 90 people, Ignition just shut their Florida studio. It's pretty much happening worldwide, right now.
"I think you've just got to look at the growth in the casual and social space, to realize that's probably the next generation. I've seen some market research where – I forget the exact numbers – but there's going to be something like three-fold growth over the next five years, and they'll probably control 25-30 percent of the game entertainment sector, compared to where they are now.
"I think it's undeniable that [casual gaming] is where the growth opportunities are now. [FarmVille developer] Zynga's got like a thousand people; Playdom's doing well. We're not seeing a lot of traditional developers having the same sort of growth as what those companies are."
Walsh would not budge on what the firm is currently working on, but thanks to getting projects greenlighted, the firm was able to hire staff back after layoffs earlier in the year.