Negotiation and the Video Game Industry

Image courtesy of StrategicPartnerships

Deal-making is a key aspect of every business. In the video game industry, the situations and issues that require negotiation may be different than in other forms of entertainment, but the techniques used remain the same. Below are summaries of three videos that discuss various negotiation techniques as well as how the techniques they discuss apply to the world of video games.

Margaret Neale - Negotiation: Getting What You Want [Link]

Mrs. Neale, who is a professor of management at Stanford's Graduate School of Business, discusses the four steps she believes will help anyone succeed in any negotiation scenario. The steps are as follows:

1. Assess - Gain a thorough understanding of the situation. Do the benefits outweigh the costs?
2. Prepare - Research every side of the issue before starting. Understand your own interests as well as the interests of your opponent.
3. Ask - Engage with your opposition (politely, of course) and ask meaningful questions.
4. Package - Bundle up all of the issues of the negotiation as well as your desires in order to make it more appealing to your opponent.

Of those four steps, the second is perhaps the most important. One of the most important rules to follow in negotiating is to be able to separate the people from the problem. In preparing for your negotiation, you not only have to understand what the issue at hand is, but also know where your opponent is coming from and what they want out of the deal. That is key if you want to keep the discussion on the issue and not on demands.

When a developer makes a game, it is very common that they seek out a publishing partner in order to get their product to make it to market. Negotiations between developer and publisher usually revolve around money, as most negotiations do. In situations like that, the publisher needs to understand where the developer is coming from. A video game developer usually does not have enough internal funding to release the game by themselves, which is why they seek a publishing partner in the first place. The games they make are their lifeblood, and if they fail to find a way into gamer's hands, the studio will likely shut down. Publishers (like EA, UbiSoft, Activision, and Warner Bros., among others) are large corporations with lots of money and can usually withstand a few financial failures, so they have less at stake in this kind of negotiations. Luckily, today there are multiple ways to get a video game released (for better or worse) and negotiations like that do not even have to take place.

Stan Christensen - The Art of Negotiation [Link]

As an investment banker, Mr. Christensen has done his fair share of negotiating. He states that negotiation is all about effective relationship management, meaning that all good negotiators are able to maintain some sort of relationship with the person they are discussing terms with. Communication is key to develop meaningful relationships, and he stresses the fact that no negotiation can ever reach a successful end without both sides knowing who they are, what they want, and how the other thinks, acts, and feels. He also mentions the role objective criteria plays in negotiation. He stressed the importance of basing decisions on industry standards or well-known information rather than what you want or what the other party wants. To me, he is not saying to ignore your opponent's desires or demands completely, but to use outside sources to help guide your final decision to a mutually beneficial end. You cannot misinterpret demands as fact.

The wonderful thing about the video game industry is that there is a wealth of information on just about every aspect of it. Say a game studio is entering talks with a major gaming company (like Microsoft) about potentially being bought by them and made a first-party, in-house developer. A small developer being bought by a major company is something that happens all the time, and the outcomes vary greatly. Some times the developer is broken up and absorbed into other studios, and some times the developer remains intact. Depending on what the developer wants out of the negotiation, they have a lot of information to help ground the discussion in truth and help their cause.

The video game industry is all about relationships, primarily those between developers and gamers and between developers and publishers. For a developer to sell their game, either to a publisher or a gamer, they have to be able to explain why their product is important and worth playing. Gaming, in a sense, is all about trust. Gamers are a finicky crowd, and without trust and communication, no developer can stay alive for very long.

Negotiating Strategies and Tactics [Link]

The speaker in this video, Brian Tracy, talks about the various skills a person must have in order to be able to become a good negotiator. Without actually using the term, he discusses the importance of BATNAs in a negotiation (he refers to them simply as "options"). He states that a good negotiator develops many options for themselves, as that gives them more power. Preparation plays an important part in developing a BATNA since you have to think of every possible angle you can take in regards to the issue you are discussing and the solution you want. It is important to have more than one alternative to fall back on in case a negotiation falls apart.

In the video game industry, there are many options to choose from when it comes to releasing a game and playing one. As a developer, if negotiation with a potential publisher fails, the developer could use Kickstarter or IndieGoGo to raise funds. Another option would be to use the Steam Greenlight program, a platform where gamers vote for the games they want to see receive a full retail or digital release. Today, there are more ways than ever for a game to see release. So if negotiations with publishers fall apart, the fate of game developers is not entirely sealed.

Best of 2014 - Number 1

Sunset Overdrive

Insomniac Games
Xbox One

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If you read my review, you would know that I absolutely loved Insomniac Games' post-apocalyptic shoot-em-up Sunset Overdrive. It's a game that doesn't apologize for what it is, nor does it pretend like it's anything less than a big, dumb action game where stuff blows up a lot. And that's exactly what you'll spend 90% or so of your time doing in Sunset Overdrive: going from Point A to Point B blowing stuff up. With cool guns, no less! But it's how you get from Point A to Point B that makes Sunset Overdrive so special. Remember as a kid when you'd jump around the living room furniture pretending that the floor was lava? Well, that's what Sunset Overdrive evokes those memories as you grind, zip-line, and wall run your way across the expansive Sunset City, blasting every last mutant, human scavenger, and robot in sight. Oh, and it also has a killer soundtrack. But what I love most about Sunset Overdrive is the fact that it's just plain fun. And it never, ever stops being fun, even after the credits roll.

There was never any doubt in my mind that Sunset Overdrive would land on the top of my "Best Of" list for 2014. It's the kind of experience that represents everything I love about video games. Sure, its in your face humor could definitely be a turn-off for some people, but it's unapologetic attitude and punk rock aesthetic were right up my ally. In a gaming year that felt empty and broken, Sunset Overdrive kicked down the door and reminded everyone why we play video games: to have fun. There was never a single second during the nearly 15 hours I spent saving Sunset City from disaster that I wasn't having fun. I wore a big, dumb smile the entire time. And for that, I can proudly and confidently name Sunset Overdrive the best game I played in 2014.

Best of 2014 - Number 2

Transistor

Supergiant Games

PS4, PC

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Transistor is a game that has yet to leave me. That speaks to just how tight and remarkable an experience it provides, and a testament to the talents of developer Supergiant Games. It's the best gaming narrative of 2014, as it weaves a beautifully realized and emotional story throughout its moderately short six hour running time. But fear not, Transistor makes great use of those six hours, as it is the most complete games of the year. Transistor takes place in a strange and beautiful land called Cloudbank, which may or may not be the inside of a computer. The city is under siege by an evil robot force controlled by the Camerada, a group who's intention is to completely remake the world they live in. The main protagonist, a singer named Red, has had her voice stolen, and her (and the player's) only guide is the sword she wields (the titular Transistor) which contains the soul of a mysterious stranger. The narrative unravels so perfectly, as the Transistor acts as both the game's narrator and connection to the world around you. For a game rooted in science fiction, Transistor has a beautiful human element. You feel for Red and the plight of Cloudbank.

The combat in Transistor strikes a nice balance of strategy and action. You collect different abilities (called Sparks) throughout your journey and can only assign four of them to the Transistor at a time. When facing enemies, you can tackle them head-on in real-time or slow things down and attack them in turn-based fashion. When your life bar runs out, you lose one of those four abilities, and when you lose all four, it's game over. In addition to the Sparks, there are also numerous additions (called Functions) that you can add to your attacks that change them up or make them more powerful. There's so much strategy and choice when it comes to combat and it was something that I was really able to sink my teeth into. Perhaps the best thing about Transistor is that it doesn't hold your hand. The game is yours to discover and understand, and I applaud Supergiant Games for that. Transistor, despite its length, is a really meaty experience. The minute you finish it, you can turn right around and run through it again, complete with all of the powers and abilities you gained the first time around. I simply cannot say enough about this game, as it truly is beautifully crafted and thoroughly enjoyable. Transistor is a fantastic game, and all gamers owe it to themselves to play it.

Best of 2014 - Number 3

Dragon Age Inquisition

BioWare
Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, PC

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I went into Dragon Age Inquisition totally blind. I played a few hours of the first game but never got very far, as life and other games got in the way (I never played the second game at all, and based on what I've heard from fans, that's a good thing). I'm not much of a RPG fan, either, but I do enjoy some hard fantasy now and again. But man, did Inquisition absolutely floor me. It's a MASSIVE game where you can spend endless hours doing side missions and never touch the main story. Like most BioWare games, the player customization options are top-notch, offering you near endless choices ranging from character appearance to weapons and items to skills. The way combat flows is up to you, as you can choose between a real-time, action oriented combat system and a top-down, more strategic combat system. It's visceral and challenging, but also extremely rewarding.

The story is your basic fantasy fare; a giant portal opens in the sky, flooding the world with all sorts of demons and evil creatures. While the main plot line isn't anything to write home about, what makes Inquisition so special are the characters and the stories you craft with them. This is a BioWare game, after all, so that means every choice you make, however big or small, will affect the outcome of the story and the relationships you form with others. Perhaps most of all, kudos to BioWare for crafting a massive gaming world filled with endless quests and places to explore that actually runs without a hitch. We've had too many games this year that just plain didn't work, so it's nice to see that a game with such ambition can stand confidently under its own weight. With its brilliantly realized world, engaging combat, and near-endless content, Dragon Age Inquisition is a game that I will be playing for a very, very long time.

Best of 2014 - Number 4

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor

Monolith

Xbox One, PS4, PC

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As a lover of all things Tolkien, Shadow of Mordor grabbed my attention the minute it was announced. As I mentioned in a previous post, Shadow of Mordor kind of came out of nowhere when it was released to become one of the best games of the year, as well as the first, true next-gen gaming experience. Steeped in the lore of Tolkien's Middle-earth, Shadow of Mordor spins a classic revenge yarn that takes place between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and fits in perfectly. The gameplay is a blend of the open-world exploration and mission structure of the Assassin's Creed series and the combo-heavy, smooth flowing combat of the Batman Arkham games. While it doesn't reinvent the wheel in anyway, Shadow of Mordor's gameplay does its job and provides a fun and challenging experience.

But what makes Shadow of Mordor really special is its Nemesis System, which allows the player to craft their own story within the game. Every so often you will run into an orc who holds high rank among the horde, and if you challenge him to a fight and lose, his power will rise and he will continue to hunt you until you kill him. Later in the game you gain the power to control orcs and convert them to your cause, where you can capture a lowly orc and help guide him up the orc ranks and become chieftain. There's an incredible strategy to the Nemesis System, but the real draw is how it makes each game experience different, giving you your very own villain to battle. Filled with tons to explore and do, Shadow of Mordor is a meaty experience, as well as an incredible well-crafted one. It's a very special game and one of the year's very best.

Best of 2014 - Number 5

Child of Light

UbiSoft Montreal

Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, PS Vita, Wii U, PC

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Child of Light is like a children's storybook come to vivid life. It's striking visual stye is the first thing you notice about it, and how everything pops off the screen. It's quite possibly the most beautiful game of 2014. But UbiSoft's JRPG-lite isn't just all good looks; there's a very deep and enjoyable game here that matches it's visual splendor. Featuring one of the best soundtracks of the year, Child of Light is just brimming with pure joy and love. Cast as Aurora, a small girl cast into a strange, new world alone, you must team up with a colorful cast of characters and battle strange and frightening enemies to find your way back home. At 15 hours, it never outstays its welcome, but still manages to provide a completely engrossing RPG experience.

Child of Light just oozes charms, as its light but enjoyable story is told entirely in rhyme. The turn-based combat balances simplicity and challenge really well, so that RPG newbies (like myself) and veterans alike can find something to admire. There are just enough collectibles and side-quests to keep you away from the main story, and I never felt as if the game was pushing me towards the finish line. Child of Light is a very relaxing game, in all honesty. It's beautiful to look at, lovely to listen to, and a blast to play and explore. Much like Valiant Hearts (which also used the UbiArt Framework), Child of Light is a game where you can see and feel all of the love and passion poured into it. It's one of the most beautiful and stunning gaming experiences I've ever had.

Best of 2014 - Number 6

Alien: Isolation

Creative Assembly

Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, PC

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A heart-stopping exercise in sheer dread, Alien: Isolation does what no other video game has been able to do with the Alien franchise. This is the Alien game fans have been dreaming of for so long. Not being a fan of horror games, Isolation wasn't on my radar that much, even though I love the Alien franchise. I decided to give it a shot, and after nearly 15 hours of almost unbearable tension, I can safely say that Alien: Isolation delivers on its promise. The Alien is a constant menace, searching everywhere for you with every intention of tearing your face off. It learns from each encounter, forcing you to change up your tactics if you want to survive. If the Alien wasn't bad enough, you also have to deal with rogue androids, frightened (and armed) humans, and the space station itself. The entire game is one giant game of hide and seek, but it's the most horrifying version of it that you've ever experienced.

My biggest gripe with Isolation is that it runs way too long. The tension the game creates during its opening hours becomes less and less terrifying as the game goes on, and the encounters with the Alien or Working Joes become more cumbersome than scary. The story doesn't add anything new as it hits all of the typical Alien franchise beats. Regardless, Isolation is the best Alien game ever made because it understands what makes the franchise so endearing. It's visually stunning, capturing the essence of the original film's retro-future aesthetic. Isolation stayed with mean long after the credits rolled. It's a fantastic and thrilling experience that should not be missed.

Best of 2014 - Number 7

Valiant Hearts: The Great War

UbiSoft Montpellier

Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, PC, iOS

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Mesmerizing in its art style and heart-wrenching in its storytelling, Valiant Hearts is a beautiful tale of World War I told by those who lived it. At first glance, you may mistake Valiant Hearts for a light-hearted, fun romp through war-torn Europe, and the game's art style sure backs up those assumptions. However, the gorgeous hand drawn visuals actually emphasize the horror and darkness of war that much more. Valiant Hearts is an adventure game filled with inventive puzzles and tons of collectibles (many of which serve as history lessons, giving the player a deeper look into WWI). To say that it's a fun game would be a stretch, but even with the heaviness of its subject matter, Valiant Hearts is a very moving and enjoyable experience.

Valiant Hearts is a very special game, one that doesn't come around very often. In a gaming landscape filed to the brim with shooters, it's nice to see a video game about war where you don't even fire a single bullet. Valiant Hearts is all about characters and the events that shaped them. It shows how war tears families and loved ones apart, and reminds us of the power of bravery and camaraderie. I've given UbiSoft a ton of criticism this year (looking straight at you, Assassin's Creed Unity) but I applaud them and their Montpellier studio for taking a chance on Valiant Hearts. It's a beautiful experience that shouldn't be missed.

Best of 2014 - Number 8

The Wolf Among Us

Telltale Games
Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, PC, iOS

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Telltale Games has become the master of the classic, story-driven adventure game, and I feel that they have reached a new peak with The Wolf Among Us, a stunning adaptation of Bill Willingham's Fables comic. Having never read the comics (I plan to change that soon) and not really a fan of point-and-click adventure games, The Wolf Among Us was never really on my radar. I did enjoy the first season of Telltale's The Walking Dead game (though I use the term "enjoy" lightly), and heard that The Wolf Among Us was a tighter, better experience, both in the story and gameplay departments. And you know what? The Wolf Among Us is a better game and a better story, at least in my eyes.

The dark, noir murder mystery that The Wolf Among Us is built around is perfectly paced and keeps you on the edge during it's intense six hour running time. Things kind of drag a bit during the fourth episode (that seems to be a trend among Telltale games) but there's not a single moment wasted here. The choices you make along the way shape the story, so no two play-throughs are the same. The art style is incredible, deftly mixing the dark violence with bright, vibrant colors. Even if you aren't a fan of comics or adventure games, you owe it to yourself to give The Wolf Among Us a try. It'll grab you and not let you go. It's a gripping and intense tale that pulls you in from the very first frame and refuses to leave you long after the credits roll.

Best of 2014 - Number 9

Titanfall

Respawn Entertainment
Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC

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No other shooter this year gave me the same amount of sheer thrill and joy as Titanfall did. I came into it late as I didn't own a Xbox One until a few months ago (October, actually), but I made sure that Titanfall was the first game I experienced on it. For this year, there probably wasn't a more rewarding and awesome experience as hearing the words "Standby for Titanfall", witnessing your hulking metal Titan scorch through the sky and crash into the earth. I can't help but stand still and watch my Titan arrive each time I call it in, even if that sometimes (alright, all the time) gets me killed. I rarely get into online shooters much, but Titanfall proved to be one of the most addictive and fun gaming experiences of the year.

As awesome and intuitive as the Titans are, I really dug the traversal mechanics in the game. Being able to double jump and run along walls added an entirely new element to the game and changes the way I (and many other gamers) think about shooters. Tight controls and smooth shooting only make an already awesome game better. It may be a bit lacking in the content department (though the recently added Frontier Defense mode gave the game some much needed variety), but Titanfall is still a very tight, cohesive package. And it's ridiculously fun. And it has robots. 'Nuff said.

Best of 2014 - Number 10

Destiny

Bungie
Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3

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Here we are nearly two months after Destiny first launched, and I'm still playing it. Even when I have other responsibilities or other, newer games to play, I find myself back in The Tower collecting bounties and grinding for new gear. Destiny has been extremely divisive ever since it released, but even with its glaring flaws, I still have had a fantastic time with it. Bungie knows how to build a tight shooter, and Destiny represents their culmination of the many years they spent on the Halo franchise. Running around planets, blasting everything in sight is fantastically entertaining and never gets old, even when the missions and bounties do.

My biggest gripe with the game lies with the fact that the story is poorly told. It's not that there isn't any story at all, it's just not presented at all in the game and is buried deep away in what the game calls "Grimoire Cards"; they act like a codex, filled with tons of information regarding the past, present, and future of Destiny's world. However, despite that gripe (among others), I still find myself heeding Destiny's call. It's a great game that is experiencing some growing pains, but I hope that the upcoming expansions will inject some new life into the game and make it worth playing for a long time. It makes my "Best Of" for two reasons: it's incredibly fun and has a ton of potential. Now go make good on the potential, Bungie!

Roguelike Boss Best of 2014 Begins This Wednesday!

It's the final month of 2014 and you know what that means! Time to give out arbitrary awards that have no value whatsoever to my favorite video games released this year!

After playing more video games this year than I probably should, I've narrowed down my list of my favorites to just TEN. I'll begin revealing my list (starting with Number Ten) this Wednesday, December 3rd, and continuing until I reach the hallowed Number One spot on Friday, December 12th.

Who will be Number One? Who will be left out? That's for me to know, and you to find out!