原文標(biāo)題：Hilmar Veigar Pétursson interview — Why CCP thinks Iceland and South Korea are a good mix

原作者：Gamesbeat 

原文鏈接：https://venturebeat.com/2018/09/06/hilmar-veigar-petursson-interview-why-ccp-thinks-iceland-and-south-korea-are-a-good-mix/ 

  翻譯：大坑  環(huán)保酵素（星航傳媒專職翻譯）

?版權(quán)所屬，轉(zhuǎn)載請(qǐng)聯(lián)系原作者和譯者 

星航傳媒已獲原作者授權(quán)翻譯轉(zhuǎn)載

翻譯稿

Gamesbeat(以下簡稱GB)：看起來你們現(xiàn)在特別忙。

Hilmar Petursson (以下簡稱HP)：【微微一笑】對(duì)，我們現(xiàn)在正在對(duì)這個(gè)復(fù)雜流程進(jìn)行收尾工作。

Gamesbeat：是什么促成了這筆交易？

Petursson：去年我們?cè)诠镜牟呗陨线M(jìn)行了重大調(diào)整，也就是我們決定停止目前的VR開發(fā)項(xiàng)目，這個(gè)決定是基于我們對(duì)已安裝設(shè)備的資產(chǎn)和對(duì)未來趨勢(shì)的評(píng)估。然后，我們針對(duì)這個(gè)策略對(duì)公司經(jīng)行了重組。 我們決定將重心轉(zhuǎn)移到PC游戲和移動(dòng)游戲上來。在那之后，我們將我們新的戰(zhàn)略提上日程（我實(shí)在是找不到什么好詞兒來說了）。我們聘請(qǐng)了一個(gè)韓國團(tuán)隊(duì)來與我們的開發(fā)團(tuán)隊(duì)合作，來和大家一起討論新戰(zhàn)略終將要面對(duì)的任務(wù)。除此之外我們還在兩家公司的過去和未來發(fā)展上發(fā)現(xiàn)了許多共同點(diǎn)。合作中，我們了解到了Pearl Abyss（以下簡稱PA）團(tuán)隊(duì)過去的成就和對(duì)未來的規(guī)劃。我們?cè)诟髯缘谋尘?，文化和DNA中看到了合作的優(yōu)勢(shì)。雖然一個(gè)冰島公司和一個(gè)韓國公司的合作優(yōu)勢(shì)可能在表面上看不出來，但是我們兩家真的有很多共通之處。在共同努力的過程中，我們都得到了一個(gè)結(jié)論——這是改變CCP的最好時(shí)機(jī)，也就是不再被現(xiàn)有股東所擁有，并加入PA并成為他的一份子。

GamesBeat：一些想法是如何改變的？您是否需要資金用于您想要做的特定項(xiàng)目？這是尋找合作伙伴的一些推動(dòng)力嗎？

Petursson：我們正在考慮我們的預(yù)算。我們有很多的現(xiàn)金儲(chǔ)備。我們銀行里有大約4000萬美元。但正如他們所說，籌款的最佳時(shí)機(jī)是你不需要用它們的時(shí)候。（笑）這是這樣做的推動(dòng)力，也只是為了獲得各種人的反饋。我們想了解當(dāng)今市場真正引起共鳴的是什么。資金和研發(fā)需求這兩個(gè)原因使我們更加迫切需要一個(gè)合作伙伴。

GamesBeat：聽起來VR對(duì)你來說是一個(gè)前景光明的方向。你對(duì)那次經(jīng)歷的評(píng)價(jià)是什么？雖然它似乎沒有真正危及公司。這雖然令人失望的，但并不是那么糟糕。

Petursson：不，這是一種對(duì)風(fēng)險(xiǎn)的計(jì)算。在這項(xiàng)業(yè)務(wù)中，您必須承擔(dān)一些風(fēng)險(xiǎn)?？傮w而言，與市場規(guī)模相比，它的表現(xiàn)非常好。當(dāng)所有成本都被計(jì)算在內(nèi)時(shí)，我們通過直接的玩家購買和與平臺(tái)持有者的合作①，在我們所參加的四場展會(huì)中賺了大約300萬美元。我不會(huì)說這是一個(gè)非常糟糕的結(jié)果。但是，一款好的游戲需要幾年的時(shí)間通過市場證明。我們決定不進(jìn)行新的開發(fā)，但我們將繼續(xù)保持現(xiàn)有的游戲?？傊?，我們隨后將會(huì)繼續(xù)挑戰(zhàn)自我?？紤]到市場規(guī)模，它至今仍然賣得很好?，F(xiàn)如今我們只想更多地關(guān)注PC和移動(dòng)設(shè)備。從那時(shí)起，我們又宣布了兩個(gè)移動(dòng)游戲。我們還討論了在EVE宇宙的世界觀中開發(fā)第一人稱射擊游戲Project Nova的點(diǎn)子，還正在倫敦開發(fā)一個(gè)新的動(dòng)作MMO游戲。

（①：應(yīng)該是氪金和G胖的綠卡吧。譯者注。）

GamesBeat：看起來你已經(jīng)把很多東西都加倍了，而不是拆分出來。手機(jī)端對(duì)你來說是一種挑戰(zhàn)，也許吧。所以 你會(huì)如何描述這一點(diǎn)？

Petursson：當(dāng)然，過去10年我們一直關(guān)注移動(dòng)設(shè)備。我現(xiàn)在說移動(dòng)市場偏愛更有深度，更硬核的游戲，所以，我們現(xiàn)在仔細(xì)研究一下是有道理的。這就是我們開始開發(fā)手機(jī)游戲的原因。EVE手游已經(jīng)處于測(cè)試過程中。該游戲的KPI看起來異常強(qiáng)大，我們對(duì)于做出一款好的移動(dòng)端游戲感到自信。

GamesBeat：當(dāng)你觀察全球游戲業(yè)務(wù)時(shí)，同一家亞洲公司正在做這樣的交易并不讓我感到驚訝。這是否是未來的一部分？因?yàn)楝F(xiàn)在，財(cái)力雄厚的公司經(jīng)常出現(xiàn)在亞洲。

Petursson：這是很多因素共同造成的。在CCP，我們一直關(guān)注韓國和中國市場 ——最初更多的是朝向韓國——當(dāng)涉及到將游戲服務(wù)和在線游戲運(yùn)營時(shí)的時(shí)候。網(wǎng)游行業(yè)的這兩項(xiàng)技術(shù)基本上誕生于韓國，并在韓國達(dá)到了巨大的規(guī)模。談到趨勢(shì)，今天韓國的愿景可能在五年后就會(huì)在全球得到實(shí)現(xiàn)。

例如，當(dāng)我們考慮將EVE免費(fèi)化時(shí)，這種模式當(dāng)時(shí)已經(jīng)非常成熟。它在西方完全扎根之前已經(jīng)在韓國存在了好幾年了。如果你看看韓國的手機(jī)游戲，它們會(huì)更前衛(wèi)，更像是我們?cè)谖鞣剿?/span>3A大作或Xbox游戲。比如你在手機(jī)上看到Black Desert Online這樣的游戲，你會(huì)覺得它看起來很神奇。你不會(huì)相信這只是一個(gè)移動(dòng)游戲。因此，我們總是關(guān)注韓國，最近也觀察中國，正在猜測(cè)其他地方將會(huì)發(fā)展出什么樣的新花樣。

GamesBeat：這筆交易有什么特別復(fù)雜的地方嗎？好像花了很長時(shí)間。

Petursson：有些方面確實(shí)很復(fù)雜。這就是為什么我們很晚才接到這個(gè)通知。 [笑]這是一項(xiàng)涉及兩家巨大公司的跨國交易。很多律師一直致力于此。不管怎么說，這只是完成這類事情的一般流程程?？紤]到管轄區(qū)域的數(shù)量之多和整個(gè)事物的規(guī)模之大，我不認(rèn)為這是非常奇怪的的。當(dāng)然，我們需要一個(gè)龐大的顧問團(tuán)隊(duì)來完成這項(xiàng)工作。

GamesBeat：我還沒有在新聞稿中看到收購價(jià)。你可以告訴我們嗎？

Petursson：好的，購買價(jià)格為4.25億美元。這是定金和尾款的總和。

GamesBeat：你們最后一次獲得投資是什么時(shí)候？或者你們?cè)?jīng)尋求外部資金援助嗎？

Petursson：我們上次在2015年與NEA談?wù)撡Y金合作。這是我們開拓VR領(lǐng)域計(jì)劃的一部分。

GamesBeat：Pearl Abyss買下了一切，對(duì)嗎？百分之百的公司股權(quán)？

Petursson：是的。他們購買了100％的CCP股權(quán)。

GamesBeat：嗯，恭喜。這對(duì)你們來說聽起來像個(gè)好的歸宿。

Petursson：我們非常興奮。就像我剛開始說的那樣，我們發(fā)現(xiàn)兩家公司之間存在很多共同點(diǎn)。如果你想要制作一款硬核MMO，CCP的經(jīng)驗(yàn)會(huì)對(duì)它很大的影響。

GamesBeat：Eve Online上的用戶基數(shù)在哪里？

Petursson：EVE自從開始免費(fèi)游玩以來一直保持著自己的地位。付費(fèi)方式的變更對(duì)我們來說是一次非常成功的舉動(dòng)?，F(xiàn)在我們主要關(guān)注中國服務(wù)器的再次發(fā)行。當(dāng)然，我們預(yù)計(jì)之后仍然會(huì)有大量更新。我們?nèi)匀辉谛乱恋榭吹胶芏鄼C(jī)會(huì)。這是一個(gè)驚人的15年。我們現(xiàn)在正在為Eve Online的第四個(gè)五年制定計(jì)劃。雖然這聽起來絕對(duì)很瘋狂，但它無論從哪個(gè)方面考慮都是有意義的。

GamesBeat：我們?nèi)匀豢吹揭恍┐髴?zhàn)正在進(jìn)行中。

Petursson：是的，今年夏天在EVE 歷史中創(chuàng)下了紀(jì)錄。EVE有史以來最大規(guī)模的戰(zhàn)斗發(fā)生在今年一月，但整個(gè)夏天我們都有多場會(huì)戰(zhàn)。玩家們投入了了史無前例的超期數(shù)量，對(duì)我們來說，這是一個(gè)非常激動(dòng)人心的夏天。我們確保所有服務(wù)器都正常運(yùn)行，讓他們應(yīng)對(duì)正在發(fā)生的戰(zhàn)爭。我們正在加強(qiáng)我們的服務(wù)器。

GamesBeat：游戲是否仍然吸引成千上萬的玩家？

Petursson：是的。 活躍玩家數(shù)量有點(diǎn)波動(dòng)，但是有200,000到300,000人

GamesBeat：這么大規(guī)模的用戶群有很多活動(dòng)吧。

Petursson：是的，無論你在哪里，EVE玩家的活動(dòng)都令人印象深刻。

GamesBeat：還有，你希望你們的玩家了解這筆交易嗎？

Petursson：我們認(rèn)為這是我們公司的下一個(gè)自然發(fā)展階段。在過去的13年里，我們已經(jīng)獲得過投資。也有很多與其他MMO開發(fā)者合作的機(jī)會(huì)。總而言之，我認(rèn)為我們將擁有更多的經(jīng)驗(yàn)和資源，可以進(jìn)一步完善EVE Online。我希望我們的21項(xiàng)行動(dòng)也將使Pearl Abyss受益。他們正處于一個(gè)和我們之前十分相似的發(fā)展階段。我希望我們的一些經(jīng)驗(yàn)?zāi)軌驇椭麄冏叩酶h(yuǎn)。

原文

GamesBeat: It sounds like you’re pretty busy over there.

Hilmar Petursson: [Laughs] Yeah, we’re in the final stretch of a very complicated operation.

GamesBeat: What motivated you in doing the deal?

Petursson: We made a pretty big change in terms of strategy last year, where we decided to stop doing further VR development for now, considering our assessment of the installed base and how it was going to track going forward. We restructured the company around that. We decided to focus more on core PC games and core mobile games.

Subsequent to that, we decided to take our new strategy on the road, for lack of a better word. We engaged a Korean group in collaboration with our developers as strategic ambassadors, to talk to people about joining the mission of the new strategy. Out of that process we found a lot of resonance and interest in the changes we were making and what we were planning up ahead.

As we went through that process, we got to know the team over at Pearl Abyss, what they’ve been up to and what they’re planning in the future. We saw a lot of synergies between our plans and their plans, our mutual backgrounds and culture and DNA. It might not be an obvious synergy, an Iceland company and our Korean company, but we found we have a lot in common. As we worked together, we came to the conclusion that this would be a good moment to make the change for CCP, to stop being a company owned by our current investors, and instead join Pearl Abyss and become a part of that.

GamesBeat: How did some of the thinking change? Did you need money for particular projects that you wanted to do? Was that some of the impetus for going outside?

Petursson: We’re covering our development budgets. We have very good cash reserves. We have about $40 million in the bank. But as they say, the best time to raise money is when you don’t need it. That was kind of the impetus behind doing this. Also just to get feedback from the various people who we talked to throughout the process. We wanted to learn what really resonates with the market today. It was those two things combined.

GamesBeat: It sounds like VR was costly in some ways for you. What was your assessment of that experience? It didn’t really endanger the company, it seems like. It was a disappointment, but not that bad.

Petursson: No, it was a kind of calculated risk. In this business you have to take some risks. Overall, it did very well compared to the market size. When all the chips are counted we made about $3 million out of the four games we did, through a combination of direct consumer revenue and co-development with the platform holders. I wouldn’t call that a very bad outcome. But the market is going to need a few years to justify more bets along the lines of game investments at the scale we like to do.

We’ve decided not to do new development, but we’re going to keep our current games in operation. We’ve done well subsequently. We’re still selling quite well given the market size. We just want to focus more on PC and mobile. Since then we’ve announced two more mobile titles: War of Ascension and Project Galaxy. We also have discussed development of a first-person shooter in the Eve universe, Project Nova, and we’re working on a new action MMO in London.

GamesBeat: You’re doubling down on a lot of things, as opposed to branching out, it seems. Mobile is a kind of branch for you, maybe? How would you characterize that?

Petursson: Certainly we’ve kept an eye on mobile for the past 10 years. I’d say now the market for mobile is turning more toward deeper, more hardcore games. It makes sense for us to take a closer look at that now. That’s why we’ve started mobile game development. Eve: War of Ascension is already in a soft launch process. The KPIs for that game are looking extraordinarily strong. We feel confident in the decision that this is the time for us to take a closer look at mobile.

GamesBeat: When you look at the global games business, it doesn’t surprise me that an Asian company is doing a deal like this. Does it feel like that’s part of the future? Financially strong companies are quite often in Asia now.

Petursson: It’s a combination of a lot of things. At CCP we’ve always looked toward Korea and China — initially more toward Korea — when it comes to the concept of running games as services and online games in general. That part of the industry was basically born in Korea, and reached enormous scale in Korea. When it comes to trends, the outlook in Korea today might be a reality worldwide five years later.

For example, when we were looking at taking Eve free-to-play, that model was already very well-established in Korea. It was a number of years before it fully took root in the west. If you look at the mobile games that are played in Korea, they’re much deeper, much more like triple-A PC or console games that we know in the west. If you look at something like Black Desert Online on mobile, the game looks amazing. You wouldn’t believe it was a mobile title. So we’ve always looked to Korea, and more recently China, when it comes to guesstimating what’s going to be a reality elsewhere five years from now. That’s one aspect.

Another aspect is that the Asian markets — particularly in China, Korea, and Japan – value gaming companies quite highly. If you look at the multiples in those markets compared to markets in the west, there’s a deeper, more ingrained gaming culture, and a deeper understanding of the role of games in the future. And of course we have a lot of global powerhouses stepping into the arena from Korea, China, and Japan, more so than ever. The companies in that area are leading. It’s really not a surprise to hear that we’re partnering with a Korean company.

GamesBeat: Where are you as far as number of employees now? Are you planning to grow, or to do more development in Asia in the future?

Petursson: We have 250, 260 employees. We’re not necessarily looking to expand a lot as a consequence of this move. We have some open positions on our website and we’re hiring into existing projects, particularly in our London studio, but there are no big expansion plans as a part of this. Of course, as we move through the coming months and years and we build our partnership with Pearl Abyss, who knows where we’ll take it? There just aren’t any immediate plans to make any changes on that front.

GamesBeat: You also have a studio in Shanghai as well?

Petursson: Yes, we have a studio in Shanghai, which right now is focused on the re-release of Eve Online in China. We announced earlier this month that Eve Online is going to be re-released together with NetEase in China. It’s a very big project for us, and the Shanghai team is very much focused on that.

GamesBeat: Was there anything particularly complicated about this deal? It seems to have taken a while.,

Petursson: There are definitely aspects that are complicated. It’s why we’re having this call pretty late. [laughs] It’s a very large international, cross-border transaction involving two very big companies. An army of lawyers has been working on it. It’s just the process of getting something like this done. I don’t think it’s anything very unusual, given the number of jurisdictions and the size of the whole thing. It’s certainly been a good amount of work involving a very big team of advisers to get us to this point.

GamesBeat: I didn’t see a purchase price in the press release yet. Do you have one you can announce?

Petursson: Yes, the purchase price is $425 million. That’s a combination of an up-front payment and an earnout arrangement.

GamesBeat: When was the last time you guys raised money? Or did you ever seek outside funding like that?

Petursson: The last time we raised money in 2015, with NEA. It was part of our push into VR.

GamesBeat: And Pearl Abyss is buying everything, right? 100 percent of the company?

Petursson: Yes. They’re buying 100 percent of CCP.

GamesBeat: Well, congratulations. It sounds like a good home for you guys.

Petursson: We’re very excited. Like I said at the beginning, we found a lot of synergies between the two companies. If you make hardcore MMOs your company is very much shaped by that.

 

GamesBeat: Where are you as far as number of users on Eve Online?

Petursson: Eve has held its position since the move to free-to-play. It was a very successful move for us. Right now our main focus is on the re-release in China. Of course, we have big updates planned up ahead. We still see a lot of opportunity in Eve. It’s been an amazing 15 years. We’re laying down plans now for a third decade of Eve Online, which sounds like absolute madness when you say it, but it makes all the sense in the world based on how the numbers have been trending.

GamesBeat: We’re still seeing some huge battles going on.

Petursson: Yeah, this summer has been an absolute record in terms of warfare in Eve Online. We had the biggest battle in the history of Eve in January, but throughout the summer we’ve had numerous big engagements. People have been bringing out their super-capitals in numbers we haven’t seen in years. It’s been a very exciting summer for us. We’re making sure all the servers are up and running, getting them to cope with what’s going on. We’re reinforcing that plan.

GamesBeat: Is the game still well into the hundreds of thousands of players?

Petursson: Yes. The MAU fluctuates a bit, but it’s 200,000 to 300,000 people.

GamesBeat: There’s a lot of activity for a user base of that size.

Petursson: Yeah, the activity among Eve players is impressive across the board, no matter where you look.

GamesBeat: Is there anything else in particular that you’d like your community to know about the deal?

Petursson: We look at this as the next natural step for us as a company. We’ve had some of our investors on board for the past 13 years. There’s a lot of opportunity in joining up with another MMO developer. Together, I think we’ll have a much deeper bench of experience and resources to pull from, to even further strengthen Eve Online. I hope our 21 of operations will benefit Pearl Abyss as well. They’re on a journey we’re very familiar with. I hope that some of our experience will help them as they move through their stages of growth.

?版權(quán)所有，轉(zhuǎn)載請(qǐng)聯(lián)系原作者和譯者