INTERVIEW: Ubiquitous ambition

On the casual side, how can you see the boxed product market evolving over the next year?
I imagine that for the time being we are only touching the very beginning for its potential. We've only really had the first year of this new market; next year, the second, will be even more exciting. We will touch with wider demographics – we’re working on things that can achieve that which I can’t talk about right now. I can say that the girls who used to play the likes of Horsez and other Petz games – eight-year olds – are growing up and demanding more from their gameplay experience. We have to respond to that.

Maybe they're seeing their brother playing on traditional games and getting more demanding through that?
Very possibly, yes. But it goes further than that. It comes down to experience; we’re trying to make our new Games For Everyone games very high quality. Players are expecting more from the graphics and want too have a more immersive time with their DS or whatever.

Do you think you’re going to have to invest more in terms of money and time into casual games?
I think so, on both counts. We want to raise to raise the quality. That doesn’t only come from the production values, but also from the time we spend on the concept, the interaction. That's maybe not quite as true for graphics – we have to be wise with how we spend the money.

Games For Everyone is obviously geared to touch non-traditional markets. Are there still demographics left for you to ‘discover’? If so, how can you reach out to them?
For the time being, in my team we decided to focus more on the kids because it would be easier to get them to come back to the products than perhaps an older audience. We had to be more precise about what we were offering, and we’ve decided to aim it at that market. They are the ones who will grow up with the product. We know the 15-25 year-old male, we know those people very well, but the ‘tweens’ – the girls who are a few years younger – that’s something we have to be reactive to.

Which consoles do you think can help you reach these audiences. What about an online portal?
I don’t know much about the side of the cellphone side of business. We’re definitely working on iPhone and iPod Touch, but we it’s very early days on those. Maybe we won’t just stick to casual games on those, there is room for other kinds of games – bringing in our other brands. Right now, we’re at the very beginning and working out what we can do.

What about a Ubisoft online PC portal?
This is something we are looking into, because online is of great interest and is one of the new major platforms. For now, we stick on Wii and DS because the social potential is already there, whilst on PC we have a way to go. I think we have a different approach than EA and Pogo when it comes to casual – the word means different things to us. Wait and see.

What sets Ubisoft apart when it comes to understanding the casual audience compared to other publisher who may have been more successful in other areas?
When it comes to Nintendo platforms, we were there at the very beginning. Ubisoft have always prided themselves on creativity and quality, and we carry those principles through to casual as well. We go where there are no boundaries and no rules.