The free-to-play/microtransactions supported industry added another major feather to it’s cap yesterday when the deal between publisher Outspark and gaming Goliath EA was announced. San Francisco based Outspark already has a number of successful free-to-play casual/MMO hybrid games that regularly attract 5 million plus unique monthly visitors, and has steadily been gathering steam. One of Outspark’s hallmarks is that their games tend to be highly social and easily customized by the end user.
Dubbed Dance Groove Online, this new title will be the first fruits of EA’s purchase last December of Seoul, Korea based J2M. This will be J2M/EA’s first western market introduction of the firms several casual online games. Instantly familiar to fans of Dance Dance Revolution and EA’s own Boogie, with the exception of the dance pad and/or wii Remote will be replaced with an 8 key keyboard layout. Not quite the physical workout, but still the same in rhythm fun. And EA isn’t joking around about making this title a success. According to the official website, in-game tracks aren’t simply studio produced pieces, but rather fully licensed tracks from real-world, bid deal house and club artists including one of my personal all-time favorites, Colette. Still in closed beta, Dance Groove Online should see it’s public appearance later this autumn.
Outspark CEO Susan Choe comments, “EA’s scale and strong heritage combined with Outspark’s online platform and unparalleled capability to provide real-time feedback and enhanced customization will bring unrivaled fun to millions of gamers as they play and connect in real time. Our players and EA fans will be eager to get their hands on this game.”
Outspark will be responsible for localizing the game, something they’ve already been successful at, and staying true to their own philosophy, they’ll be adding a host of design, social networking, and customization features. As operators of the title, Outspark will also be responsible for additional back office operations including support, marketing, community and customer service. And naturally, as it will be an Outspark operated online gaming destination, Outspark’s in-game currency system, Sparkcash will be utilized to customize the game experience.
An interesting proposition for sure, and yet more evidence that EA is clearly investing in the casual/free-to-play market. If the Battlefield Heroes numbers are on the money (pun intended), EA is clearly leading the pack of major ‘old-school’ gaming companies in these new monetization markets.
2009 hasn’t seen much in the way of new music and/or dance based titles, so the question begs to be asked, why this format, and why now? Granted EA is teeing up The Beatles Rock Band, and Activision Blizzard and readying Guitar Hero 5, Band Hero, and DJ Hero, so perhaps this is a pre-fire to launch interest again? Either way, it’s a great vote of confidence for Outspark, and yet another free-to-play title to count in the EA arsenal.
