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6waves is the largest publisher of independent social games on Facebook and has moved to also publish on mobile platforms since 2011. It currently has over 7.20 million monthly active players playing its published games and applications. COO Arthur Chow is responsible for overall strategy formulations and execution of the company as a publisher of social and mobile games, as well as leading the Asian markets and the legal, HR, finance and product teams. He provided an inside look into 6waves’ effect on the industry and advice for developers considering Asia’s market.
6waves’ Impact
6waves established the publishing model for Facebook social games during its global growth, according to Chow. Now it has over 150 games published, some of them being the first of its kind on Facebook. It is also involved in localization, with success in specific platforms such as Mixi, Yahoo! Mobage in Japan, and Tencent’s Qzone in China. “We see ourselves as a trusted partner for developers who can help them on publishing the game to maximize reach and revenue for them while letting them focus on the development of the game,” said Chow. 6waves is always interested in working with developers who are creating new and exciting games.
Asian Video Game Market
Chow describes the Asian market as large and diverse. He has seen the higher retention rates compared to the West, as well as a faster consumption of games and virtual items. Rates also vary between countries, so developers have to be careful.
When it comes to Asia, one size does not fit all and the developer needs to do some localization in order to have its game do well.
There are some things to keep in mind when preparing a game for an Asian market. Chow encourages developers to think of the local audience and consider their expectations for such items as features, culture, and customer service. Also, he reminds developers to look up local regulatory issues regarding games. Chow suggests partnering with someone local to provide guidance into the market.
Future of 6waves
6waves is moving to the mobile publishing space and helping developers to bring their games on to the iOS and Android platform, according to Chow. “By leveraging our know-how in data analytics and the Asian markets, we are prepared to repeat the track record that we have had in bringing some great games to the network of users that we have for our partners,” said Chow.
