Radar announced and new blog

Since my last post, things took a whole new direction and I co-started a new company along with Jim Perkins, Raphael van Lierop and others.  This new company is Radar Group, and I've started a new blog.

A few links:

[Update] Wired.

Announcement coverage of Radar.

My IGN Interview on RadRaph's.

Raph's Gamasutra Interview.

Short summary of Radar:  Radar's primary goal is to facilitate the creation of original IP (intellectual property) for the game industry, because original IP has proven itself to be the driving revenue force for the game industry, which I've discussed many times in this blog's past.  We facilitate the creation of original IP by teaming up with established independent development studios and funding the pre-production of original IP.  We co-design and help shape original IP along with our development partners so that it has all the hooks in place to make the IP viable for cross-media monetization.  This is part of our secret-sauce that makes Radar so unique in the industry, because the vast majority of IP being created in our industry doesn't have the big entertainment picture in mind, creating IP that easily crosses over to other media.

And, because Radar's original IP is built from the ground up with cross-media hooks, we have established a partnership with Depth Entertainment, a new Hollywood-based production studio, to handle the Hollywood end of the business for us.  Depth's first film production, Max Payne, is already deep into filming, and is due out late this year.

Unlike most publishers, Radar will share ownership with development studios on original IP.  Creators should be owners.  This is our firm belief, because owners have the greatest creative passion for their work, and also reap the greatest rewards from a successful product.  Fact: There are not many creatively independent Epic's, Valve's, Remedy's and Id's in our industry.  Radar will change this in the next few years.  I personally had a hand in both Remedy's and Id's rise to creative independence, as well that of 3D Realms.  So, it's not much of a stretch to believe that Radar will take this to a whole new level by working with 10-12 new studios over the next few years.

So, wish us luck and keep an eye on us.  If we succeed, I believe there will be numerous other attempts at our model, and for the industry and gamers as a whole, this will be a big win.

Comments

[duke nukem]

w00t

Ive subscribed to your rss feed for years, shock horror it was updated :D

[Ben]

The new blog has no RSS feed, and so is worthless and will not be read. (attempting to subscribe at the root gave me alan wake rss feed) Using raw HTML for your blog? No comments, rss feed or anything? Lame.

[Scott Miller]

Yea, working on getting all of that fized for the new blog.

[Kristian Joensen]

Congratulations on launching Radar Group Scott. I wish you guys all the best luck in this new endeavor. Radar Group really is a fundamental shift from the typical game industry model with publishers basically taking advantage of developers which you have illustrated so well here and other places. Something like Radar Group is really a very much needed addition to game industry.

Like you said you can end up being the lucky break for several game developers. I mean imagine SEVERAL new studios being at the level of financial and creative freedom of Remedy, id and Human Head. That is certainly very much a good thing for the industry.

Depth Entertainment is certainly also an interesting take on the relationship between the game and movie industries. I really like the fact that Incarnate(a very interesting concept) came to Radar via the Depth Entertainment connection and your philosophy of giving both movies and games the time they need and not necessarily releasing both at the same time is also rather refreshing.

The fact that you guys are also striving to mold the concepts/IP's you work with to work well in both media(movies and games ) will certainly also help increase the quality of the movies based on these games.

I am also sure many gamers are glad that Radar is blacklisting Uwe Boll.

[Don MacAskill]

Great idea. I'm always shocked at how many developers go from one licensed IP to the next, barely surviving, with nothing to show for their efforts.

Best of luck!

[Jezek]

Nice to hear about your new company, Radar Group. And I'm so glad your're blogging again! I came upon your blog when you left but I've read almost all the archives because it was so damn interesting not only about the game industry but many other things. So I'm looking forward to hearing more about your new company and other ventures =)

[Charles E Hardwidge]

I was hoping that if you returned to blogging you'd look at where things are today or, maybe, do something entirely new but I can't get behind a sales pitch. My view is tempered with a fair degree of circumspection as we've got different personality tilts so that's no surprise. Whether you make it work or not is your thing but I'm not going to join you on this ride. I wish I could've said something different but, then, I'd be lying. Thanks for the conversations we did have, for what's worth.

[Scott Miller]

Charles, I've got a lot to say about the industry, and as soon as we get my new Radar blog set up as a real reader-feedback blog, I'll me making near-weekly posts. The purpose of this Game Matters update is merely to redirect people to the new blog.

[Charles E Hardwidge]

Yeah, you and me both.

I've been hoping you'd start up again. Things have developed since we last discussed things and seeing how things have changed and how people are dealing with that interested me. Then there's other angles that may have been worth mining. I just didn't like the idea something neutral was being used to hot rod eyeballs in the direction of some commercial wheeze. I figure, I'm more comfortable with a more issue driven and rounded discussion platform. Having to duck infomercials in a room full of pigeon chested geeks isn't my idea of fun. If you can avoid selling Scott's product of the week and mix some water cooler stuff in there I'd be more interested in taking a look and feel more comfortable about participating.

[Mr.DJ]

I'm just glad to hear, that SOMEBODY, is still willing/able to taking chances, to make changes/inspire the game industri to move on to hopefully new and exciting places! :-)

Otherwise, everything would soon suffer from the dissapointing feeling of repetive ideas and a general "been there done that before" feeling after completing a new game. Which would hurt the industri as a whole.

I always wish new ideas and initiatives welcome(as long as they seem well thouhgt out and serious), as a succes story in the industri, benefit us all. New ideas, spark other new ideas! ;-)

So I trully hope you are succesfull Scott and the best of luck to you and your partners in crime! :-)

[Jason Foster North]

Congrats on the new venture Scott, and best of luck to bringing fresh IP back!!

On a side note, did you ever launch an online resource on longevity, supplements, health, diet, etc..??

[Jason Foster North]

Sorry to hijack here, but reading about your supplement diet and fitness obsession years ago, got me on this longevity addiction of mine, so thanks! I assume you've heard of Ray Kurzweil...

Ray Kurzweil Aims to Live Forever
http://www.livescience.com/health/ap_Kurzweil_050213.html

[Scott Miller]

Jason, I never launched that site, just don't have the time to keep up with it. However, I do post a lot on health and supplements at ImmInst.org, under the name DukeNukem. And yes, I know Kurzweil, and have read his books.

[Charles E Hardwidge]

You might like to look into Doaism, Scott. Taking a simple approach like that is less mental strain and might help kick your ass into dealing with that blocked toilet you've got. It's more right brain and poetic than supplements science but doesn't cost a dime. I haven't dug too deep into the history but the royal courts in China used to obsess over immortality like people can obsess over technical solutions today.

I'm not sure I read this right but your Radar blog is pointing back here. If that's true I'm fairly pleased as I think Game Matters is more focused, and allows you to borrow material from your and other peoples efforts without getting in the way or pissing people off. I'm pretty sure that will help raise its credibility and be less of a barrier to other people participating. I figure, developing positive consensus is key to success.

Without turning into a ramble, I tend to view the world through a Doaist, Buddhist, stoic philosophy which doesn't always translate to the West without some explanation. It's a kinda wierd perspective but pretty much compatible with game theory. Most developer blogs are a bit dry for me but adding some novelty and personal stuff helps round it out. Adding a touch of material like that might help it speak to new audiences.