NOTE: And we’re back! After overcoming a series of technical hitches the back-end of the blog is back up and running and posts can resume. I’m looking to revamp the blog a bit over the next month to fit in more with this new chapter in my life and career, so stay posted for an MP reboot. A quick post to kick things off:

Image from Pet Society by Playfish who are seriously ripping it up on the social game scene

I’ve had the good fortune over the last few months to take a ground up look at the games market and feel out the opportunities for a new studio looking to create original content.

While the iPhone is certainly an exciting new platform and PSN / XBLA are now solid, reliable bets for high-quality indie content, the area I’ve become the most enamored with is instead browser based social gaming. The immediacy of the format is intoxicating and its demographic reach simply without equal. This makes for not only huge market potential, but brutal competition and some seriously exciting design challenges more demanding than the daily grind on the next console sequel.

So I’ve been doing a lot of reading, but one article stood out for me, once again from the fantastic Lost Garden’s danc:
Flash Love Letter – Part One
Flash Love Letter – Part Two

It’s a medium in its infancy. There are few examples of real quality and success. It will grow, and I’m inspired by the possibility that I might be involved with one of the developers that rises to the top in this crazy micro-payments gold rush.

He hits the nail on the head in terms of the platform’s potential, but more importantly, dives into some practical design, business, and marketing tips for realizing true value in your game for you and your players. A highly recommended read.

Also, I’m very keen to know: Have you paid for a Flash game? If so which one and why? Are there any awesome Flash games out there you would like to pay for but there just isn’t that premium option?

Good to be back :)