Eidos exec sees tough year

News - Smaller games could struggle at Christmas

Eidos' lifetime president Ian Livingstone foresees a tough year ahead for those making big-but-not-big-enough video games, 2009 set to be dominated by the giants of the gaming world - and suitably huge marketing budgets.

"A lot of titles have already hit the shelves and there is a deluge planned for Christmas, but I think 2009 will be remembered as the year of 'roast duck or no dinner'," the big cheese offered GI.biz. "Big ticket titles continue to sell well but many of the smaller titles will probably disappoint their owners.

"There's a glut of product and in a discerning market.There is no room for mediocrity. To make a suboptimal game with a suboptimal marketing spend is a recipe for disaster. I think we'll continue to see more production resources going into fewer titles supported by even bigger marketing budgets.

"Publishers are continuing to raise the investment bar, ensuring the mega-franchises will rule."

It's all about the money, apparently.