Have you found it difficult as a small developer to get legitimacy in the market?
Yes, it’s hard, obviously the big gaming websites like Kotaku and IGN are interested in the big games and software, and are looking for big scoops – so for us as a small company, it’s very difficult to even get noticed by these big websites because the type of software we’re making is small, and the experience isn’t as in depth as World of Warcraft. Having said that, what I really like about working on Nintendo platforms is there is such a strong community, not only of users but also specialised websites that are telling users about the various new applications. There are a couple of really good ones that have sprung up just around WiiWare and DSiWare.
What’s the Australian climate like for developers?
Because we self fund, we don’t have the same business model that I think a lot of Australian developers face, where they’re constantly trying to find publishers that have a product, or sell a product to a publisher to keep working. I imagine that’s probably very hard, particually now with the PS3 and Xbox 360 and how amazing the graphics are that these machines can generate, and how expensive it is to make a game. If you’re a publisher, you want to make sure you go with developers that have a really strong track record, because you don’t want to spend $30 or $40 million and not make it back. I think particularly for Australian developers, that market it going to get harder and harder as HD becomes more prevalent. I’m quite glad we’re not in that market.
