The Empirical Analysis of the Role Playing Game (RPG) Genre for Video Games

This just popped up in my inbox and although it's of no direct interest to game players, I thought some might still be interested. For the mere price of Euro 1,144 you can grab Research and Markets' The Empirical Analysis of the Role Playing Game (RPG) Genre for Video Games report for developers and publishers:

This report provides a unique insight into one of the most complex of computer games genres: the Role Playing Game (RPG).

The RPG genre is calculated from a sample of 272 RPG games. Standard deviations are used to identify key selling points and new games potentials.

The second part of the report uses the same games analysis software to undertake an investigation into the way platform technology, PC and Console in this case, influence fundamental aspects of RPG design.

The report concludes with general principles of relevance to both RPG developers and publishes and the games developer community in general.

Key Selling Points, Genres and Platforms:

In this report we investigate the underlying nature of role playing games (RPGs), clarifying the subtleties and complexities that characterise such games. We also identify two very important sub-genres, within the main RPG genre, and the role of platform technology in creating them.

Games can be compared both against each other and against their industry attributed genre profiles. As a result we can spot developmental trends and identify the Key Selling Points (KSPs) of individual games and franchises.

I'll be able to get my Diablo Killer (tm) project perfect with this data. Companies mentioned in the data include Troika, Black Isle, BioWare, Obsidian, Blizzard, Nival, Ascaron and more.