Several tech websites around the Internet are confirming today that Noah Falstein, a well-known mover and shaker within the video game industry, has been hired for the position of chief game designer at Google, and speculation about what this means is causing a lot of speculation among gamers.
A short history
Noah Falstein may not be a household name with many people, but he has been heavily involved in the game industry since 1986 and has worked as a video game producer and consultant for Steven Spielberg, Disney, Dreamworks, LucasArts, Microsoft, and other companies.
Falstein also ran his own game production and design consultation firm for almost 17 years before signing on with Google as its new game guru.
What is Google thinking?
Chatter around the industry is ripe with guesses and theories on why Google would hire a chief game designer.
The most obvious of these is that Google may be thinking about forming its own game studio in order to go head-to-head with other game companies. The biggest question is what sorts of games?
If this question is answered by careful reasoning, the best one may be Google developing content for Android mobile games. This makes sense because the company already has a ready-made delivery platform that reaches tens of millions of customers with its library of over 700,000 apps; Google Play or formerly known as the Android Market Place.
Long shot
Others on the Internet have proposed that the hiring of Falstein may be related to the Google Glass project; a device which is essentially a wearable computer in the form of eyeglasses.
The device would enable the user to see data and operate different functions via a HUD (heads up display). Virtual games played on this device would fulfill a longtime premise postulated by science fiction stories and movies.
Google Games?
The formation of a “Google Games” division is very likely and would propel Google into the very lucrative market of Android mobile games. The number of personnel needed to produce a blockbuster hit doesn’t necessarily mean a huge staff. The runaway mobile game hit, Temple Run, was produced with only a three-man crew.
If the most successful search engine company in the world decides to throw its hat into the mobile game ring, it will mean Google will be in direct competition for dollars with game developers already on Google Play.
Is this good? That depends on who you ask. Game developers will say that Google will have an unfair advantage with its huge war chest of R and D money. But having lots of resources doesn’t necessarily mean instant game success.
If this is in doubt, all one has to do is to look at the soon-to-be closing of LucasArts.
Via The Verge
via Examiner National Edition Gadgets & Tech Channel Articles http://www.examiner.com/article/video-game-luminary-hired-at-google-is-this-the-first-step-for-google-games?cid=roadrunner