Industry Veteran Don Daglow Shares Insights on the Future of Gaming

Don Daglow, a seasoned games industry expert, recently shared his thoughts on the current state of the industry and its future prospects. Having worked in the industry since the 1970s, Daglow has a unique perspective on the evolution of gaming. He notes that major publishers are now more entangled in the complexities of being a public company, which can stifle innovation and force them to rely on mergers and acquisitions to stay competitive. Daglow also comments on the shift in focus towards creating intellectual properties that generate outbound licensing revenue, rather than simply being a target for inbound licensing. He believes that this approach will become more prevalent in the next decade, as publishers look to movie studios for inspiration on how to manage their business models. The conversation also touches on the topic of console gaming, with Daglow suggesting that devices that support longer play sessions will continue to be in demand, as they enable a deeper emotional connection with games. He also notes that the functions of consoles may evolve to incorporate other forms of entertainment, such as streaming services. In addition, Daglow discusses the impact of mobile gaming on the industry, suggesting that the distinction between mobile and console gaming will become less relevant, and that developers will need to consider factors such as screen size, control type, and planned session length when designing their games. The video game industry is now around 50 years old, and Daglow believes that it has reached a level of maturity. However, with maturity comes new challenges, and Daglow notes that the industry can no longer rely on being "young and cute" to succeed. Instead, it must focus on building strong relationships with its audience and creating high-quality experiences that keep players engaged. Daglow also shares his thoughts on the live service model, which he believes can be sustainable if developers focus on building strong relationships with their players, rather than simply trying to extract revenue from them. He notes that games with the biggest communities are those that prioritize building a connection with their players, rather than just relying on metrics and monetization strategies. Finally, Daglow discusses the impact of AI on the games industry, which he believes will be significant, but difficult to predict. He suggests that the key question will be what aspects of art and creativity can be replicated by machines, and how developers can use AI to enhance the gaming experience, rather than replacing human creativity.