I’ve come through marketing in university studies and have some experience in online marketing world (this blog being perhaps the most visible thing done so far), and in the gaming side I’ve written some marketing plans like this one, yet there’s just one thing that’s problematic with these fancy looking business plans.

They are fancy looking business plans.

I sort of like to take a totally different approach in this. First I define the target market, which is me.

Then I do stuff that I like (online multiplayer, traitor game), thinking of what kind of stuff I’ve bought (I’ve spend money on downloadable games, but not a cent on browser games – so it sort of makes sense to try out with downloadable ones).

It also helps in gameplay decisions. I keep asking myself: what do I like?

Might sound arrogant and selfish, and it might feel like I don’t want feedback from others but I see this actually to be quite the opposite… well, at least from the arrogant part. Is it selfish? Hell yeh, but that’s the reason why I’m doing this stuff. I want to have fun. And when I’m having fun… chances are that others might find my gaming stuff fun as well.

Is it arrogant to do what I like? I think not. I’m still receptive to ideas (after all I like getting feedback), but I simply want to stay in control. It’s like in the Dead Wake development. One guy suggested rocket launchers and lasers in the game. I said “No. Never going to happen.” I didn’t like those rocket launchers and they certainly would not have fit in the gameplay. Good ideas that fit the game, these are more than welcome.

When I’m thinking myself as the customer, many questions become easier to answer.