Alexander Krug provided an overview of how HTML5 is working right now. “If you look to the numbers, you can understand that flash gaming is not the future anymore,” he says. “Everybody who is doing flash games should switch to HTML5 probably, or also to a turn mobile site.”
“In the 21st Century, entertainment should be accessible without downloads, installations, or special equipment. Play anywhere, anytime, no matter what device you use!” So claims Alexander Krug, Founder and CEO of SOFTGAMES, a company whose vision is to reshape the way people discover, play, and share mobile games across multiple platforms.
Realizing the Potential
Krug considered himself a typical AppStore user, gaming on his iPhone, until 2010, when he read an article giving the average earnings and outlooks of AppStore developers. He realized the AppStores would develop into a hit-driven business, with the advantage going to apps with high production values, seven-digit marketing spending, or simple branded approaches. So the majority of developers would be left desperately rushing from project to project, just trying to break even but never able to scale their business or make serious money.
SOFTGAMES decided to create an alternative to their worldwide native AppStore/Operator/Off-deck distributions. The result was the successful launch of their HTML5 games publishing and distribution platform, which features highly targeted, dynamic advertising. Krug believes this new platform tremendously improves opportunity for the majority of developers. He receives the greatest satisfaction in his work through seeing what the company has achieved with this platform.
He also feels there is nothing more rewarding than seeing everyone in the company doing outstanding work to reach their ambitious goals; saying hard work, persistence, making the right decisions and learning from mistakes are the basis for their present success.
Always Think of the New
Everyday, Krug finds new challenges to be solved and new ideas to be discussed. He emphasizes, “The industry evolves and changes so fast that it becomes more and more important to try and to work out new things. It is crucial in this young and developing business to be open-minded and to tackle new trends at the right time even if it means being a first mover.”
For the future in the games industry, Krug sees three massive trends coming. First, he believes within the next year, HTLM5 will be the major platform for most developers of cross-platform games, with the market now ready for the high quality cross-platform games SOFTGAMES is able to serve.
He expects the second trend will be the focus of developers shifting from the iOS to Android, since we are already seeing the impressive growth of the Android platform. And finally, he emphasizes the on-going shift from paid to hybrid freemium and ad-featured content as the dominant method of earning money with mobile games.
SOFTGAMES has prepared to meet these trends through the strong active partner and user base they have built with their early focus on HTML5. Krug maintains, “Go HTML5 or die!”
And he loves free-to-play! As he says, “It allows millions of users to play and enjoy for free. The word ‘free’ is the main part of our business.”
Taking a Break
When Krug is not involved with work, he enjoys running to stay fit and clear his mind. When time allows, he chooses to broaden his horizons through reading and traveling to exotic places, learning about their cultures.
And, of course, he enjoys gaming. These days, as the quality of HTML5 rises, most often he is playing the games at Softgames.com. His favorites are Candy Rain and Words with Owl; he recommends trying them out if you are willing to risk playing multiple times.
At Casual Connect Asia, Krug announced the world’s first publisher program dedicated to HTML5 games. This SOFTGAMES HTML5 games publisher program provides website owners, webmasters, and app developers with easy access to hundreds of free, cross-platform HTML5 games. This program allows them to choose games from SOFTGAMES’ online catalog or with automated tools using their XML and JSON feeds at no cost.
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