Expert comment Last updated 03 February 2022
The new series of The Apprentice sees candidates tasked with creating their own computer game and pitching it to a panel of hugely successful games investors.
In this article, gaming expert Zuby Ahmed shares tips and advice on some of the most important things to keep in mind when making a game and how you can make a long-lasting impression when pitching your product.
Firstly, you have got to ask yourself - why are you making the game? Are you making it for yourself or an audience? Subsequently, you should think about what your goals are. Are you trying to get critical acclaim? Are you doing it as a passion project, or are you doing it for commercialisation?
Be sure to question whether the game you’re creating has commercial viability and longevity, and more importantly, does it demonstrate competitiveness against existing products in the marketplace.
Listen to your audience and don't wait until it's too late. Know the person you're designing your product for and make sure you're always on point with that person whenever you change anything. Ask yourself, ‘Is that person still going to be happy with the change?’ If the answer is no, then you’ve got to ask yourself why you might be pivoting towards a new audience. Consider your audience all the way through the development process and don’t underestimate their power.
When it comes to pitching it’s really important to know about the individuals that you’re pitching to - what their backgrounds are, and subsequently, what they are intrinsically motivated by within their own personalities or personal interests and how that's migrated into their professional manifestations. That way, you can deliver your message to specific individuals. Those who have been successful know exactly who they're pitching to, and more importantly, specific people that they want on board because they know it's right for their business opportunities.
Stay on point with your message when pitching – put it across quickly and efficiently. You should always leave your audience hungry to know more and thinking ‘wow, this sounds cool.’
Zuby Ahmed is a seasoned game developer and manager, with a career spanning over 20 years. He is the course leader for Video Game Design at Birmingham City University’s School of Games, Film and Animation.
In 2006 Zuby founded SmashMouth Games with a focus on making innovative 'pick up and play' games whilst also starting his career in Higher Education as a lecturer. Zuby has taught graduates who have gone on to have successful careers, working for companies which include Sony, Ubisoft, TT Games and Rockstar North.