Gameloft CEO Reflects On 25th Anniversary And How There Is “No Miracle Recipe For A Blockbuster”

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Amidst an industry filled with stories about job cuts, shutdowns, and downsizing, any business that manages to survive the test of time deserves a round of applause. One such company is Gameloft, which is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary, marking a remarkable milestone.

Originally a modest mobile gaming company, it has expanded into a business with over 2,900 employees distributed among ten studios. Its collection, which includes both well-known original intellectual properties and licensed games, indicates that Gameloft is set to persist in the industry for the coming time.

In a recent conversation with Alexandre de Rochefort, CEO of Gameloft, we delved into the last 25 years of the company’s journey. He shared insights on what has kept Gameloft going strong, key milestones that shaped the company, and the hurdles faced in breaking free from stereotypes within the mobile gaming industry.

“Agility” is key

If asked to choose one word that best describes Gameloft’s longevity in the gaming industry, de Rochefort might pick “adaptability,” given his long-standing association with the company since its inception. He believes that the company has consistently demonstrated the knack for adjusting when necessary, particularly as mobile gaming was gaining traction.

Every half year, it appears, we’ve encountered significant shifts, be it within Gameloft or the gaming industry,” de Rochefort notes. “The primary factor keeping me at this company is my ongoing enjoyment, as something drastically new happens every six months.” Tracing Gameloft’s history, de Rochefort highlights four pivotal events that, in his opinion, significantly influenced the course of the company.

The Gameloft CEO recalls that the first significant event he notes is January 2003, marking the integration of the Java programming language into Nokia and Siemens mobile devices. According to de Rochefort, this integration was the catalyst that ignited the transformation of the mobile gaming industry into its current form.

According to de Rochefort, the years 2000 to 2002 were particularly tough for Gameloft and its limited competitors due to a lack of activity in our field. He adds that we were correct in our foresight but arrived too soon; fortunately, Java technology was developed during this period.

In July 2008, a pivotal moment occurred in Gameloft’s timeline that resonated across the globe – the launch of the Apple App Store for the iPhone. This event served as a “game-changer,” according to de Rochefort, transforming not just Gameloft but the entire gaming industry. It catalyzed growth within the industry by fueling the rise of mobile and tablet gaming.

As a gamer reflecting back on pivotal moments in gaming history, I can’t forget the impact of free-to-play gaming from 2010 to 2012. According to de Rochefort, this shift was instrumental to Gameloft’s success and sparked a second wave of growth in mobile gaming. This era also resonated throughout the entire video game industry. In my opinion, free-to-play gaming wasn’t just a trend for mobile games; it was a turning point that significantly shaped the future of our beloved video game world.

As a dedicated fan, I can’t help but get excited about the significant leap my favorite gaming giant, Gameloft, made back in January 2019. Unlike their previous steps into the digital realm, which were primarily focused on phones and tablets, this time they boldly ventured into the world of home consoles and PCs. This strategic move didn’t just boost their financial performance but also opened up a whole new landscape of collaborations with other esteemed companies in the industry.

Originally, Apple and Google were our primary and only collaborators, as stated by de Rochefort. Now, he observes that we have multiple partners ranging from seven to nine, and Apple and Google are no longer at the top. Instead, according to de Rochefort, Nintendo has moved into the leading position among Gameloft’s partnerships.

According to De Rochefort, although leaving behind mobile exclusivity presents certain challenges, it provides us with greater flexibility in the future. He elaborates that by shifting these teams to PC and console development, we produce fewer games annually compared to before. However, the scale of our ambition for those games has increased significantly. Nowadays, most of our games are designed to be playable across multiple platforms like PC, console, and mobile.

Defeating the stereotypes

For some, the phrase “mobile game” is often associated with certain stereotypes due to the aggressive monetization strategies like “gacha,” which aim to extract money from players. However, de Rochefort emphasizes that Gameloft takes great strides to keep such practices at bay in their games, ensuring a divide between these tactics and their studio’s creations.

As someone who’s grown up with mobile gaming, I can confidently say that we’re perfectly poised to steer clear of those missteps. Back in the day, mobile gaming wasn’t like this at all.

Between 2003 and 2008, as well as from 2008 to 2012, we offered top-tier Java games for a price ranging from $5 to $10. Later on, mobile gaming entered the scene with a free-to-play model, which changed everything, according to de Rochefort. At that point in time, our pricing strategy was clear and simple, but the advent of free-to-play gaming certainly shook things up.

According to de Rochefort, there’s a distinct difference in people’s views towards free-to-play games. Many gamers, especially younger players or those from countries where mobile gaming is common, are accustomed to this model and can recognize when a game is excessively pushy. On the other hand, older gamers who were introduced to gaming through consoles and PCs before smartphones became popular often view free-to-play games as exploitative.

In his view, de Rochefort acknowledges that certain games have been excessively aggressive and damaging to the industry. However, he has made efforts to guarantee that Gameloft maintains a fair relationship with their players. He expresses, “I believe free-to-play models can work well, but it’s crucial for our industry to adhere to fairness for users. We strive to uphold this principle, and I don’t think we are among the companies that prioritize greed over fairness.

As a gamer, I’d say Disney Dreamlight Valley is a premium game that requires an upfront purchase. Within this game, you can buy additional items and cosmetics using in-game currency. But unlike some games, you don’t have to shell out extra cash to fully enjoy and complete the main game. The developers are careful not to overstep boundaries when it comes to paywalls and other tactics that might pressure players to spend more money unnecessarily.

Apart from citing in-game advertisements as an illustration, he notes that free-to-play games often contain numerous such ads, but only a small fraction of Gameloft’s earnings (less than 10%) stem from advertising. De Rochefort expresses this by saying, “We’ve always been focused on creating authentic gaming experiences.” This is the reason we opted against hypercasual games; it’s just not part of our inherent nature.

Positioning for the future

Prior to the job interview, Gameloft declared a 25th anniversary celebration offering free in-game currency to players spanning their entire game collection. A total of 21 games are involved in this promotion, and managing such a diverse range is quite challenging. Nevertheless, de Rochefort assures that the company can handle it effortlessly due to its workforce of 2900 employees distributed across ten studios.

Despite being resilient, Gameloft Toronto was not exempt from the recent round of job cuts. In 2024 alone, 49 employees at this location were let go. De Rochefort remains optimistic that the toughest times have passed for Gameloft and the gaming industry as a whole, provided companies maintain a sense of realism in their objectives.

According to de Rochefort, the video game industry seems to be entering a more established phase following three challenging years. He expresses optimism because he believes the industry will no longer experience double-digit growth as it did for the previous ten years before 2021. In his view, there’s unlikely to be a growth mechanism capable of fueling such expansion in the next four to five years.

For Gameloft, maintaining its position involves a blend of original intellectual properties (IP) and licensed games. They have several projects underway. Homegrown IPs such as Asphalt, Gangstar, and Dungeon Hunter are complemented by upcoming collaborative works like Disney Dreamlight Valley, an upcoming Dungeons & Dragons game in collaboration with Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast, and a few more unspecified titles in development.

The “agility” essential to de Rochefort’s vision is evident in the wide range of platforms where Gameloft games are available: not just PCs, consoles, and conventional marketplaces such as the App Store, but also emerging subscription services like Apple Arcade and Netflix Games, which they leverage to exhibit their games.

According to De Rochefort, it seems that we are currently the leading provider of games for Apple Arcade, having launched eight games so far and planning to release even more. Additionally, our partnership with Netflix has resulted in four games being released, with hopes of many more in the future.

Regarding the design of upcoming Gameloft games, it’s important to note that there isn’t a set formula or blueprint to follow. As de Rochefort explains, “There isn’t a magic formula for creating a blockbuster game, as you might know, because if such a formula existed, we would all be making the same types of games.

Despite previous focus, Gameloft may no longer specialize in creating mobile-exclusive games. According to de Rochefort, they aim to broaden their horizons by being transparent about the types of games they wish to create. This means they might abandon the creation of mobile-only games and instead develop cross-platform games for PCs and consoles, with an effort to adapt these games for mobile devices as well.

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2025-04-25 21:10