Interviews

HOWARD HOROWITZ
CEO GOT GAME ENTERTAINMENT

Interview conducted by Randy Sluganski

Founded by Howard Horowitz in 2002, Got Game Entertainment, LLC has successfully demonstrated its commitment to bringing to market quality games not only for the hardcore gamer, but also for the mass-market audience. The company, which publishes games for PC and Mac, has rapidly made a name for itself by listening and responding to the wants and needs of the real consumers. By expanding its focus, Got Game Entertainment has effectively generated a loyal following of fans of both genders and all ages. The company plans a number of new adventure game releases in 2005, but for now they are making headlines with their decision to update and re-release the eight-year-old cult classic Bad Mojo.

Just Adventure - What originally influenced your decision to republish a game like Bad Mojo that was originally released in 1996?

Got Game Entertainment - The cult classic nature that originally made Bad Mojo a hit. The game has a unique appeal that you can not find in adventure games now being developed. This game is a must-have for most adventure players, and it has a quirky appeal that transcends the genre to other gamers.

JA - What have you done to make Bad Mojo playable on today’s new high-speed computers?

GGE - The game has been updated to run on today’s computer specs and PC operating systems, with a native Mac user interface. The few FMV sequences that were not polished in the original have all been cleaned up, allowing the game player a crisper visual experience.

JA - What is your target audience for Bad Mojo?

GGE - The target is the core adventure gamer, spilling over to mainstream game players who enjoy a quirky sense of humor and adventure.

JA - How do you market an eight-year-old game? Do you market it as a new product - which it is to tens of thousands of gamers - or as a re-release of a classic adventure – which may alienate a portion of those gamers who insist on constant innovation?

GGE - That’s a great question. Got Game Entertainment keeps true to the quality of Bad Mojo’s original story line and music score that makes this is cult classic collector-type game. The gaming experience is so engrossing and compelling, and now that it plays in XP at a 20% larger screen size than the original, look out! As I mentioned earlier, we have also upgraded the FMV sequences which are a terrific improvement to the game. The Got Game Entertainment edition of Bad Mojo also includes, for the first time, a bonus DVD, which an all new "making of" documentary with interviews and never before seen, behind the scenes footage, along with an exclusive "hints" section for each level, special movie commentary, and more. At the end of the day, we are staying true to the original content and game play the developers had in mind, while offering a cult favorite to new game players, as well as nostalgic gamers who want to enjoy a classic. Our marketing efforts for the game have also extended outside the gaming community to capture those who might, for example, enjoy independent films and unique media releases.

JA - If sales for Bad Mojo are good, would that encourage you to seek out other classic adventure games for distribution?

GGE - The advantage and reason I feel Bad Mojo is unique, is the game’s story line and nature of the game. This game is a particularly special one and I would be remiss to endorse a blanket policy of re-releasing classic games.

JA - Why has GotGame Entertainment decided to focus almost exclusively on the adventure genre, especially when it is in many quarters considered a niche genre?

GGE - The adventure category is a market that has a loyal following of game players seeking a great story first, supported by new technology. I enjoy a good story, and would like to continue to offer the adventure community new games to enjoy. As well, my background in the adventure genre goes back to my association with Sierra On line.

JA - One of your very early games – Tony Tough and the Night of the Roasted Moths – despite positive reviews from mainstream and hardcore alike, did not sale as expected. What are your thoughts on this?

GGE - This was a disappointment. The story line was filled with humor, quality and an endearing adventure. The difficulty and challenge was positioning Tony as an adult character with occasionally adult themes. Ultimately, the cartoon style combined with somewhat adult humor was either too adult for some, or not adult enough for others who might have hoped for much more “South Park”-type humor.

JA - Do you have a specific preference between European and North American developers? And if so, what are some of the differences between the two?

GGE: None, outside of the localization issues.

JA - What is Got Game Entertainment doing to combat piracy in the industry and has piracy been a problem for your company?

GGE: The situation is that the piracy issue is real, but for Got Game Entertainment it’s hard to measure.

JA - Thus far, Got Game Entertainment has focused on purchasing already developed games for distribution, is Got Game Entertainment looking to go to that next step and fund development costs?

GGE: We are in discussions with a number of developers now, evaluating the right project to green light and fund for 2005/2006 release.

JA - What can we expect from GotGame Entertainment next year?

GGE - Got Game Entertainment will continue to support the adventure community, by working with developers to publish their games so that adventure game players can continue to enjoy new gaming experiences as well as Cult classics like Bad Mojo Redux.