Analyst: Publishers Could Benefit from Treating Developers Like Stars

Pacific Crest Securities analyst Evan Wilson suggested that game publishers could achieve greater financial success by elevating talent and pushing key development figures as a reason to get consumers interested in a project.

"There are very few people in this world who know how to create hits. Not create a hit, but create multiple hits," Wilson told MTV Multiplayer. "Those creative minds should be recognized and remunerated in the video game industry for their contribution as much as other forms of media."

"From a business perspective, that might be more expensive, but if the reward is better selling games the trade-off is worth it," he added.

Wilson went on to suggest that despite that potential, many publishers see development icons as interchangeable in terms of franchise development, noting that Take-Two would likely develop a BioShock sequel with or without creative director Ken Levine.

"Development would go right along without [Levine] and that would be a shame," he said. "If George Lucas died today the probability of another Star Wars installment would go to 0%. If Stallone died today, the probability of another Rambo installment would go to 0%."

But the appeal of churning out sequels and building up franchises regardless of involved talent is emphasized at many companies, particularly Electronic Arts.

"[That method] does create predictability, which is a near-term positive," Wilson noted. "However, it also in many cases restricts innovation. I�ve been critical of EA for the last few years and it is common knowledge among gamers that their brand has been tarnished due to deteriorating quality."