AAA titles have too many game modes for most players. For example, EA SPORTS FC has Ultimate Team, Clubs, Volta Football, Seasons, and Career modes.
Why not separate them into different titles? Why not make it a live service instead of a bundled product? This can benefit players by letting them play their favorite mode for a lower price or even free. This can also benefit publishers, by acquiring new players interested in certain modes but not the full bundle. Publishers can also reach new audiences by extending to other hardware such as smartphones, if the mode doesn’t require traditional controller input.
Expanding Console IPs
One example is PAWAFURU PUROYAKYU Eikan Nine Cross Road, a baseball simulation game by Konami, where players manage a high school team, overseeing training and tactical decisions over multiple seasons.
Three things stand out from a business standpoint. First, they separated one game mode from the larger Powerful Pro Baseball series into its own standalone title. Second, they made it free-to-play, whereas the original is sold as a full-priced packaged product. Third, they made it cross-platform, enabling users to play on smartphones and game consoles.
This simulation mode has been featured every summer by a popular virtual YouTuber agency, Nijisanji, in a three-day tournament with over 200,000 simultaneous viewers. Konami knew this mode alone could attract both players and viewers. In the mobile space, launching as free-to-play was almost certainly necessary. But Konami did try to attract existing and new players by offering the game to consoles as well.
Risks and Opportunities
Spinning off a game mode is less risky than building a new title from scratch. It already has proven game mechanics. It already has a brand known to existing fans. It also has awareness among potential players who are interested but either can’t afford the full-priced original or don’t own the necessary hardware.
The remaining risk is that the new title might cannibalize the original series’ user base. Konami’s example shows that one strategy is to release the new title to players with different hardware and preferences. Publishers can approach players who don’t play packaged games by offering it as a mobile title, a free-to-play experience, or both.
Still, it’s difficult for AAA producers to justify spinning off a single game mode. After all, Konami still includes the simulation mode in the mainline series. Could a new spin-off pay off? The bigger the organization, the greater the internal suspicion.
This creates an opportunity for other third-party publishers. Are there popular modes that deserve special attention? Can you develop a similar experience at a lower price, or with a different business model?
The key is to focus. Identify one strong feature, pair it with your IP or core strength, and you may find more opportunities than expected. Some may become breakout hits.
