Tommy Palm of King.com, the creators of Candy Crush Saga (#1 DAU on Facebook), discussed at Casual Connect Europe 2013 the secrets of King.com’s development practices, sharing tips such as that if you need a tutorial to explain your game, then perhaps it’s not really casual and accessible to the mass market.
From Playing in Arcades to Creating the World’s Number One Game
Tommy Palm’s fascination with games began at an early age. “I saw Space Invaders at an arcade,” he says, “and I was completely hooked.” By 1986, he had moved on to the next stage, spending his free time programming games for the Commodore 64, and, with several friends, he continued programming as a hobby for many years.
In 1999, he took the leap into the games industry, founding Jadestone AB. In 2009, Palm expanded Jadestone’s mobile department into a new company, Fabrication Games. King.com, the world’s leading mobile company, acquired Fabrication Games in 2012.
During his career, Palm has created more than 30 games. In twelve years of developing mobile games, his team has received many nominations and been awarded ten prizes. But Palm asserts, “I have won many awards, but nothing beats the feeling of seeing Candy Crush Saga making number one game in the world in terms of Daily Active Players.”
The Challenge of the Games Industry
Palm tells us, “This business is all about reshaping and challenging the ways we work. No one can afford to stay in their comfort zone for long.” He reminds us that players are always looking for something new, so game creators must continue to be innovative and original. Additionally, he feels it is important to attract new players. “We bring a lot of new players into the ecosystem. Many of our players have never played games before and are just now discovering the beauty of this entertainment form.”
Coming Directions
As Palm looks toward the future of the games industry, he sees that games are the most efficient way for new global brands to gain entry. He maintains, “A very small team can create truly influential brands with very little effort in a short period of time.” He feels the future will bring increased emphasis on cross platform, saying, “Candy Crush Saga is a good example of a successful cross platform launch.” Successful indeed!
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