GOA’s Free Online Gaming Portal Launches Today
SPOnG quizzes GOA.com’s Frederic Xicluna
What with the launch of free online gaming portal Goa.com today, SPOnG decided to catch up with marketing supreme Frederic Xicluna to find out more about how this apparently free online gaming service actually works. Read on for the full lowdown.
SPOnG: How did the idea for Goa.com come about?
Frederic Xicluna: The idea behind Goa.com comes from a new kind of games we found in Korea: free games with an item selling business. Basically, you create an account, download the games and play for free. If you want to provide your ingame avatar with a new shirt, new weapons, a new hat or whatever you like to make it look good, you need to buy them.
SPOnG: What is your business plan here? How are you going to make money from the service?
Frederic Xicluna: The concept of 'item selling' is very new in Europe but is already popular in Korea and Japan and is also coming to the US. We think Europeans will be attracted to this new concept since they don't have to pay a monthly fee. If you want to by one item one day or several every day, you're free to do as you like, that's why our motto for Goa.com is 'be free to play'.
SPOnG: What games will initially be available when Goa.com launches, and how do you feel they represent the service?
Frederic Xicluna: We’ll have two games for the launch, Pangya and Gunbound. Gunbound is a shooting game, the goal is to shoot your opponent or to destroy the environment to make him fall. You can chose your weapon by choosing your mobile, each mobile is different, some move faster, some have better protection. Pangya is an arcade golf game. The goal, as in real golf, is to reach the hole with less shots than your opponent. Those games are online and, of course, multiplayer. These are fun and easy to play games, you can use the keyboard or the mouse to play.
SPOnG: Why do you think online gaming of this model is so successful in the East?
Frederic Xicluna: I think there are several elements that explain this success. First of all, the fact that they are free, of course. Also the games are easy to play and really arcade like, and I think it’s appealing to both hardcore gamers and Casual Gamers. And of course, since you don’t have to pay a monthly fee, you feel free to play whenever you like.
SPOnG: Free online services have been popular in Asia, particularly Korea, which is interesting because traditionally PC gaming is not very popular in the East. With so many people playing Counter Strike and soon Halo 2 on their computers here, how do you think such a service will translate to the West?
Frederic Xicluna: As a matter of fact, online PC gaming is very big in Korea but not as much in Japan. The games we chose for Goa.com are quite international and not specific to Asia so we think they will work really well in Europe. Concerning the business model, Europeans are getting used to the item selling; for example, when you buy a ringtone or a wallpaper for your mobile phone, it is item selling.
SPOnG: Will Goa.com be developing in-house games or working with partners to provide games to the service?
Frederic Xicluna: We’ve always work with partners for our games, Mythic for Dark Age of Camelot and Warhammer; Ntreev and Hanbisoft for Pangya; Softnyx for Gunbound and other partners for our future games. It works for us so there are no reasons to change it for the time being.
SPOnG: What kind of items can you purchase with micro-transactions? Are they all user customisations, or will there be other modes or other features you plan to add to the system?
Frederic Xicluna: Mostly you can buy items that make you look good, but they also provide some advantages in the game: more defense or more firepower for instance. Buying all the items in the game will not make you be the best player, but it can help a little .
SPOnG: With free online gaming being touted, will the costs of running Goa.com be offset by micro-transactions? What other initiatives might you take?
Frederic Xicluna: For the time being our main business will revolve around item selling. Of course we’re thinking ahead and working on different ideas, but it’s a bit too soon to talk about that…. Ask me that same question in a few months.
SPOnG: How well do you think players will take to micro-transactions, as there is a lot of negativity about them these days?
Frederic Xicluna: I think micro-payment is quite easy to use and safe. In our case, it’s a good solution since the items are not really expensive. Anyway, if some people are not comfortable with micro-payment we also provide other means of payment like credit card for instance.
SPOnG: Some Korean online games, like Gunbound, already offer support and versions for a European audience via their website. How will Goa.com be a more suitable portal for games players?
Frederic Xicluna: I think there are some major differences. First, we will localize all the games in four languages (English, German, Spanish and French). Second of all, you’ll know that you play with Europeans, maybe the guy next door, I think it’s important for the community. All the games managers are Europeans also and they easily understand all the problems you could have in the game. All our billing will be in Euros and Pounds, that will also be an asset. And last, Gunbound and Pangya already exist in international versions but our future games will not.
SPOnG: The games on offer are very distinctive in art style and approach, and they appear to be approachable for a broad range of gamers. Are these the kinds of games that will define the service, or do you plan to have Western titles to accompany them?
Frederic Xicluna: For the time being, Goa.com is clearly Manga-oriented and we like the way the portal looks. It’s a change from all those heroic fantasy oriented websites. We’re always looking for new partners so if there are any games based on item selling available in Europe or in the USA we will be interested, of course.
SPOnG: Can you give us any hints as to what games you have lined up to further support the Goa.com service?
Frederic Xicluna: That would be telling! Well, our third game will be Extreme Soccer and the only thing I can tell you is that the fourth game will be available on Goa.com before the end of 2007. Once again, I’ll have more information to give you in a few months.
SPOnG: What’s your favourite online freeware/shareware game, on or off the Goa.com service?
Frederic Xicluna Tricky question… you should ask my girlfriend, she can play for ten hours. As a matter of fact a few months ago I was a Pangya addict. Then I learned some new tricks on Gunbound and I’m getting better everyday. So I guess it’s a 50/50 on Gunbound and Pangya.
SPOnG: How did the idea for Goa.com come about?
Frederic Xicluna: The idea behind Goa.com comes from a new kind of games we found in Korea: free games with an item selling business. Basically, you create an account, download the games and play for free. If you want to provide your ingame avatar with a new shirt, new weapons, a new hat or whatever you like to make it look good, you need to buy them.
SPOnG: What is your business plan here? How are you going to make money from the service?
Frederic Xicluna: The concept of 'item selling' is very new in Europe but is already popular in Korea and Japan and is also coming to the US. We think Europeans will be attracted to this new concept since they don't have to pay a monthly fee. If you want to by one item one day or several every day, you're free to do as you like, that's why our motto for Goa.com is 'be free to play'.
SPOnG: What games will initially be available when Goa.com launches, and how do you feel they represent the service?
Frederic Xicluna: We’ll have two games for the launch, Pangya and Gunbound. Gunbound is a shooting game, the goal is to shoot your opponent or to destroy the environment to make him fall. You can chose your weapon by choosing your mobile, each mobile is different, some move faster, some have better protection. Pangya is an arcade golf game. The goal, as in real golf, is to reach the hole with less shots than your opponent. Those games are online and, of course, multiplayer. These are fun and easy to play games, you can use the keyboard or the mouse to play.
SPOnG: Why do you think online gaming of this model is so successful in the East?
Frederic Xicluna: I think there are several elements that explain this success. First of all, the fact that they are free, of course. Also the games are easy to play and really arcade like, and I think it’s appealing to both hardcore gamers and Casual Gamers. And of course, since you don’t have to pay a monthly fee, you feel free to play whenever you like.
SPOnG: Free online services have been popular in Asia, particularly Korea, which is interesting because traditionally PC gaming is not very popular in the East. With so many people playing Counter Strike and soon Halo 2 on their computers here, how do you think such a service will translate to the West?
Frederic Xicluna: As a matter of fact, online PC gaming is very big in Korea but not as much in Japan. The games we chose for Goa.com are quite international and not specific to Asia so we think they will work really well in Europe. Concerning the business model, Europeans are getting used to the item selling; for example, when you buy a ringtone or a wallpaper for your mobile phone, it is item selling.
SPOnG: Will Goa.com be developing in-house games or working with partners to provide games to the service?
Frederic Xicluna: We’ve always work with partners for our games, Mythic for Dark Age of Camelot and Warhammer; Ntreev and Hanbisoft for Pangya; Softnyx for Gunbound and other partners for our future games. It works for us so there are no reasons to change it for the time being.
SPOnG: What kind of items can you purchase with micro-transactions? Are they all user customisations, or will there be other modes or other features you plan to add to the system?
Frederic Xicluna: Mostly you can buy items that make you look good, but they also provide some advantages in the game: more defense or more firepower for instance. Buying all the items in the game will not make you be the best player, but it can help a little .
SPOnG: With free online gaming being touted, will the costs of running Goa.com be offset by micro-transactions? What other initiatives might you take?
Frederic Xicluna: For the time being our main business will revolve around item selling. Of course we’re thinking ahead and working on different ideas, but it’s a bit too soon to talk about that…. Ask me that same question in a few months.
SPOnG: How well do you think players will take to micro-transactions, as there is a lot of negativity about them these days?
Frederic Xicluna: I think micro-payment is quite easy to use and safe. In our case, it’s a good solution since the items are not really expensive. Anyway, if some people are not comfortable with micro-payment we also provide other means of payment like credit card for instance.
SPOnG: Some Korean online games, like Gunbound, already offer support and versions for a European audience via their website. How will Goa.com be a more suitable portal for games players?
Frederic Xicluna: I think there are some major differences. First, we will localize all the games in four languages (English, German, Spanish and French). Second of all, you’ll know that you play with Europeans, maybe the guy next door, I think it’s important for the community. All the games managers are Europeans also and they easily understand all the problems you could have in the game. All our billing will be in Euros and Pounds, that will also be an asset. And last, Gunbound and Pangya already exist in international versions but our future games will not.
SPOnG: The games on offer are very distinctive in art style and approach, and they appear to be approachable for a broad range of gamers. Are these the kinds of games that will define the service, or do you plan to have Western titles to accompany them?
Frederic Xicluna: For the time being, Goa.com is clearly Manga-oriented and we like the way the portal looks. It’s a change from all those heroic fantasy oriented websites. We’re always looking for new partners so if there are any games based on item selling available in Europe or in the USA we will be interested, of course.
SPOnG: Can you give us any hints as to what games you have lined up to further support the Goa.com service?
Frederic Xicluna: That would be telling! Well, our third game will be Extreme Soccer and the only thing I can tell you is that the fourth game will be available on Goa.com before the end of 2007. Once again, I’ll have more information to give you in a few months.
SPOnG: What’s your favourite online freeware/shareware game, on or off the Goa.com service?
Frederic Xicluna Tricky question… you should ask my girlfriend, she can play for ten hours. As a matter of fact a few months ago I was a Pangya addict. Then I learned some new tricks on Gunbound and I’m getting better everyday. So I guess it’s a 50/50 on Gunbound and Pangya.
Companies:
GOA
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Comments
Joji 28 Mar 2007 21:11
1/1
Doesn't sound as bad I thought. I'd welcome the service if it turns up on Live, but my PC is ready for the scrap heap. Maybe we can then get Ragnorok Online, which has been available in the states for ages.