Molyneux: Mobile F2P 'abuses and confuses' gamers

“I am working harder than I've ever worked in my life,” opened Peter Molyneux, speaking to a packed theatre at this year's Gamelab conference in Barcelona.

It was hard to disagree with a man who was giving his talk over Skype whilst sitting in a studio that was, in the man's own words, “in crisis” just 36 hours ago.

Why though, is Molyneux pushing himself, his team, and gaming, beyond the realms of expectation?

The answer is simple: Molyneux was answering a call, and he's now on a mission to free gaming from itself and explore innovation.

A new path

“Gaming is a new form of entertainment, that will be more dominant than film, television, or music. How close are we at the moment to that?” asked Molyneux, quoting Clive Sinclair.

"For me, and this is a personal thing, I was called me to do what I'm doing now. Because console games are trapped in genres, they're constrained by these big budgets. It's too risky for the big developers to truly innovate, to redefine what we think of as a game.”

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The problem, however, goes beyond the console market, and mobile games are just as septic.

“For me, mobile gaming, and especially the free-to-play mechanic, which should be the most brilliant innovation for people to play for a game, is being abused. They monetise addiction,” said Molyneux.

“They confuse their audience, who can't decide if mobile games are casual, or for gamers.

“Lots of games in the App Store are also being defeated by discovery. If you go hunting on the App Store you can find some wonderful little experiences, but the world never sees them.”

Games for all

Molyneux wants to use his position, his status within the industry, for good, and he's willing to put everything on the line to prove that games can be for everyone.

“Games don't have to be for casual or core audiences, they can be for everyone. That's what Clive Sinclair was talking about: getting rid of these cliques," he continued.

“With the right team, we can truly innovate. It's not just about the idea, its about interaction, its about what people feel when they interact with an experience. That word 'feel' is truly important. I want gaming to change the world. I want to redefine the way that people interact with an experience. I want it to be delightful, and it needs to be accessible, approachable, and understandable.”

Change, however, is difficult, and ushering in a new era of inclusive gaming will be far from easy.

Ultimately, if Molyneux wants to succeed , he will have to alter how gamers, consumers, and developers percieve an industry that, to some extents, thrives on division.

“I want to redefine the way that people invest in an experience,” offered Molyneux “We need people who are willing to put their lives, experience, passion, and dedication on the line. I wanted to use all of the money I had saved up with the ultimate aim of getting to the end of this journey.

“I wanted to throw myself in front of the maelstrom of Kickstarter and early access, and I want to stand in front of people and let them throw rotten tomatoes at me.

“The reason I do this is because I really believe in what I want to build, and the industry needs people to take these risks.”