Can Boondogl reinvent the web game market?
Before the days of smartphones and tablets, a vibrant casual gaming market existed on the web thanks to a slew of games on sites like Newgrounds and PopCap, but as many of those games moved to mobile devices, the web game genre essentially dried up. Now, a small developer called Kermdinger Studios wants to breathe new life into web games, not as a platform for simple flash applications, but as a reinvigorated market for console-quality video games.
Kermdinger Studios is launching an alpha version of its new web game marketplace, Boondogl, which it plans to make commercially available in June.
“We believe the technology has progressed enough, particularly in the last six months, to make native web games for console-quality games possible,” CEO Anthony Palma told GamesBeat. “We want to be the first to the market with this platform.”
Palma explained that the web game format makes game design easier for developers, who can release games on multiple platforms using HTML5 or JavaScript, and it helps consumers by making the same games available on multiple devices.
“Boondogl lets gamers buy and play their favorite games on whatever device is currently available to them with no plugins or big downloads,” said Boondogl director Tony Parisi. “This is a huge boon for developers that allows them to extend their reach and grow their business with low friction.”
During Boondogl’s alpha phase, the market will feature two indie games for sale: Cosmochoria, an Asteroids-like space shooter; and The Next Penelope, a high speed spaceship racing game with combat mechanics.
“These games will be up for demo purposes for prelaunch, and then they will be on sale for the launch on day one,” Palma said.
When it launches, Boondogl with offer several different payment models that consumers can take advantage of, including normal one-time game purchases, free-to-play games, and an arcade-style token system that provides short term game access for a very low cost.
Eventually, Boondogl will also offer a subscription-based model similar to PlayStation Plus, allowing players to pay a monthly fee to gain access to several games at once.
photo credit: smcgee via photopin cc
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