BigPoint lashes out following Facebook Euro growth

It speaks volumes that online games publisher and developer BigPoint has proactively been sending statements to news sites offering a response to recent reports ofFacebook creating a dedicated teamto work alongside developers in Europe.

BigPoint CEO Heiko Hubertz expresses that Facebook’s interest in the region is confirmation that it’s currently "one of the most exciting areas of development in the gaming industry."

He goes on to warn that while the social network giant’s leap into the European market can only be viewed in a positive light, developers should not view it as the only viable option.

"Although Facebook is a fantastic platform, at BigPoint we believe that it should only be considered one route to market. As Facebook themselves say, as a gaming platform they are only getting started, and so we would advise all European games developers to investigate multiple routes and platforms to give their game the best chance of success."

Hubertz’s statement in full follows:

At Bigpoint, we welcome the news that Facebook are creating a dedicated gaming team in Europe. We’ve always maintained that Europe is one of the most exciting areas of development for the gaming industry at the moment, and this move by Facebook further confirms this opinion. It’s great to see that as well as companies like us expanding into the US, US companies see Europe as a must-be-in market.

"In particular, European companies have pioneered the high-growth area of casual and mobile gaming, with huge take-up by consumers worldwide. For example, our casual gaming title Farmerama has over 37 million registered users.

Facebook’s entry into Europe can only be viewed positively for the European games industry. However, we would counsel the industry to not become blinkered by this move by Facebook, and decide that Facebook is the only platform to develop for. Although Facebook is a fantastic platform, at Bigpoint we believe that it should only be considered as one route to market. As Facebook themselves say, as a gaming platform they are only getting started, and so we would advise all European games developers to investigate multiple routes and platforms to give their game the best chance of success.”