Making games isn’t a science

It’s not a science (though they can and do have science within)  – but game creation is also an art; as in it’s impossible to make a dead-cert hit.  You can (and we do) stack the odd more in your favour; adding a known IP to give it visibility, using tried and tested gameplay mechanics and so on.  But there is always the unknown factor – the variable that is impossible to pin down.  This variable is the risk and without it, you’re simple making the same as before, but it also means you can’t predict the outcome.  Why am I writing this now?  I was reminded of this in any creative enterprise via an interview with Sharleen Spiteri of the band Texas:

Q: What’s the greatest threat to music?

A: The labels. They don’t understand that music isn’t a science; they see that someone’s successful, and want to make a record that sounds exactly the same. But the point is to give the public something they don’t yet know they want.

It’s the same in games!