Report To The Stakeholders

[Buzzardo]

Originally Posted by Steve Jackson

Actually, it seems to be a decent year for game companies in general. If any publishers in the top 20 or so have their backs against the wall, I don't know about it. Of course, I might not know. (And if they'd told me so in a response to my "wanna be acquired?" Illuminator, I wouldn't share it, but the fact is, nobody has told me it was an awful year.)

I'm pleased to hear that. After reading, gaming is my favorite hobby, and I'd hate to see it get into straits more dire than they already are.

[RevBob]

Originally Posted by Steve Jackson

To be precise, it's been turned over to Rev. Bob to post.

I knew there was a reason my ears were burning...

[Steve Jackson]

Aaaaaand it's up. http://tinyurl.com/SJGStake

[bonetm]

Originally Posted by Steve Jackson

Aaaaaand it's up. http://tinyurl.com/SJGStake

I noticed The Good, the Bad and the Munchkin is number 24 and 35 in sales. Either it means it's been doing REALLY well, or one of them should be TGBM 2: Beating a Dead Horse.

[Andrew Hackard]

Pretty sure #24 is GBM and #35 is GBM2, just because of the disparity in price. But I'm checking. (ETA: confirmed.)

[stefanj]

I wish the Ogre project had turned out to be less of a burden than it has turned out to have been, but it is a mark of SJGames honor and dedication that it is carrying it out without compromise.

[Pragmatic]

I hope more Munchkin sets come out. My cousin loves them, and I like encouraging her geeky tendencies. :-)

[Andrew Hackard]

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

I hope more Munchkin sets come out. My cousin loves them, and I like encouraging her geeky tendencies. :-)

Eh, I dunno. I don't think the game has legs.

[guymc]

As always, Steve is totally open and honest... something all the SJG fans have come to expect. I know the Ogre project has turned out to be a mixed blessing, but thank you for doing it anyway. I look forward to supporting Car Wars, too.

I would still like to see SJG devote more resources to a computer game division, even if that means acquiring an existing development group. I don't imagine projects like the Zombie Dice app bring in a lot of money. (And Ogre War Room, of course, brought in nothing at all...) Even so, some of your properties are so perfect for the iOS casual gaming treatment that I hope you will pursue this further.

Munchkin, of course, would make an incredible iOS game... especially if planned well to include the capability for in-game purchases of expansions. It would both draw iOS gamers to the physical game and give existing fans a new way to play.

Ogre itself cries out to be an iOS game. Personally, I'd love to see it done with the player taking the part of the Ogre, seeking out and destroying a Command Post defended by a computer-selected force. This could have great "fog of war" aspects that the board game itself lacks, with the Ogre sensors limited in range somewhat and defenders able to camouflage themselves until they move or fire.

GURPS needs a boxed board game version designed for fast play. Actually, You'd want several genre themed games, with base sets using a simplified version of the GURPS system throughout -- followed by expansions for those themes. This could be as simple as Melee and Wizard were in mechanics, but with better components.

Despite the indulgence in making suggestions, I hope Steve & Company will stay focused on the good practices that have brought them this far. SJG is a company that's kept a handle on practicality, without losing their ability to take a chance and to dream big. Don't change what works.

[Blind Mapmaker]

Glad to see that it was a pretty good year (not that Munchkin and Ogre made it look otherwise). Thanks to Steve for being so open about the recent past and forthcoming about the future. You don't see that often. Especially the sales numbers are interesting.

I have high hopes for the e23 redesign, other than that there's not much about the 2013 list that I'm excited about. I would love to see some more GURPS hardbacks, but given that there's only the Basic Set in the top 40 I can completely understand SJG's priorities. Well, maybe next year there'll be a kickstarter for GURPS Deluxe ^^;