If your game makes sense in a micro-transaction way, do that. If you game makes sense in a subscription way, then do that. I also think, with regard to advertising. If you have Online then makes sense, in fact, it makes the world more believable. However, I don't want to see an ad for Coca-Cola in WoW.

[Laughs]

Or maybe do! Its all about focus on the game. I'm glad, for example, WoW isn't micro-transactional. I'd spend a thousand dollars a month!

Does that tempt you to consider micro-transactions?

[Laughs] Well, you know, there are different people involved in this business. It is of course commercial. For me, as a producer, I really want to make sure the game is enjoyable. Its natural selection. if the game deserves to make money, it does. If not, then it dies. Games that are successful get copied by other companies who also want to make money.

Both models have a future, I think micro-transactions will get bigger in North America and Europe. I think maybe subscriptions won't ever work in Asia beyond one game at a time. I think advertising... there's going to be a lot of it... because every other field is like that. What's worse? iTunes or cable? iTunes is micro-transactional, cable is subscription... they both work.

What features do you think will help separate Jumpgate from the crowd?

Strong visual appeal. Low-accesibility. It runs on everything. These are three big things, though they are of course un-sexy, and rather boring, but i think you have to look at the landscape of games. Why is Runescape successful? It runs on everything!

The barrier for entry is zero. I think a lot of games lose players because they don't work. They have a poor frame-rate, take up 18GB of space, and they still don't look great. They crash. These are core features. Most games don't fail because their combat system is weird. they fail in more fundamental ways.

Our mechanic is going to be strong. In terms of fitting into a bucket, you know, its a strong proposition. When I tell you it is a space combat game, you can play the game in your head. If I tell you its sort of like with hot wheels... you're confused!

Going back to your earlier point... do you think the platform is suffering as a cutting edge games machine?

It used to be that the PC was always ahead of consoles, but now, not so much. The problem is that the audience for PC gaming is getting larger, but the specs are getting lower. I think the problem is that game developers are like little kids. Whatever the new shiny thing is, we want it, the problem with that new shiny thing is that most people don't own it. It turns out that most of the people out there don't care about real shadows, high dynamic range lighting, they don't know what this is. They don't care.

They care if its bright, and saturated, and pretty, like Pixar. So I think as a developer, if you're responsible, you have to talk to people in a way that makes the game better. Sometimes, going high-tech isn't the way to make the game better.

So, art direction and the like is key to creating games without super high-specs?

When you make a game you have to decide what you want to do. Some games work well... remember the original Far Cry? That worked well going high-spec. But not so much recently.

The attitude of "here's a problem, lets just push the tech"... that's kind of a lazy attitude. If you're a musician and you want to learn piano and you start with Rachmaninov, well, you know, its going to be a disaster. You've got to get the basics right first. You're not equipped. Game makers should go back to making core experiences that work without extra tools, make sure the core experience works.

So your game can work just as well in a Chinese internet cafe as when sold in a London High Street?

That's the idea. Accept our low spec is probably their high-spec... a tale of two cities.

And with a friendly nod from the resident PRs, the interview is over, and we return to the main arena to watch the masses enjoying Codies' various games on display. And to see improbably bearded Gandalf gorging himself on a sausage roll by the Omega Sektor toilets. I kid ye not.

By Luke Guttridge