What Is Your Player’s FQ…

At GDC in San Francisco, I saw a fair amount of “indie”/experimental games”…all trying to provide an interesting experience to potential players.

What struck me about many of these games is that they took place in some unrecognizable world or land…or abstract theme…and had some unidentifiable monsters or some other non-mainstream theme.

I could see the potential in some of these games, but then realized that they may not get much play…because they are not suitable for a player’s FQ…

What is FQ…FQ stands for Fantasy Quotient…Most people in this world have a low fantasy quotient…they do not care about high fantasy themes like Orcs, etc…this past year, the rise in social games has shown that most players have a very low Fantasy Quotient…many players do not care about orcs and elves, etc. They are drawn to more realistic themes like Restaurants, Aquariums, and Farms. Something aspirational they can relate to in their everyday life.

As you develop your game, I think it is a good idea to make sure that your gameplay is wrapped around a theme/story that resonates with a potential player’s Fantasy Quotient (FQ). Using hidden lands and magical fantasies may work, but having a more relate-able and attainable theme…a theme that resonates with a player’s FQ…will help your game be more accessible to a wider audience.

So…what game are your working on…and what is its Fantasy Quotient?