GenCon Interview with Kate Connally, Goko’s New CEO

Wait, you’re probably asking, what is Goko? Well, it’s an almost new and developing game portal gearing itself towards offering some of the most popular tabletop board games, as well as new and re-imagined games, in digital, multi-platform, format. And like any smart, almost brand-spanking new game platform should do, Goko is at GenCon this year. If you are at GenCon, go visit Goko and Connally, at booth (#327)! You’ll be able to playtest the games currently offered, as well as some of the up and coming titles while giving feedback, something the new CEO of Goko values highly.

Almost brand-spanking new? Yep.

Last year, Goko attempted its grand launch with the declaration that HTML 5 would be the big-all, end-all in online gaming.  Unfortunately, Goko’s release using HTML 5 had much in common with the Titanic. Thankfully, its survivors are headed towards an actual, working gaming experience, the iOS, and eventually android.

Equally important, however, is also asking “Who in the world is Kate Connally?” For starters, Fast Company (a sweet entrepreneurial magazine that’s a cross between TedTalks and Popular Science) named Connally as one of the Most Influential Women in Games in 2010. In perusing Conally’s CV and interviewing her, it’s really easy to see why. Connally has a sort of magic touch, often finding that sweet spot, the golden mean, where content and marketing meets consumer wants, all without sacrificing the quality (and qualitative) experience.

Connally”s got a clear vision for the future of Goko. As she should; her previous record speaks for itself:

• Director of Business Development at AtomShockwave
• Senior Director of Product Marketing at Atom Development
• Vice President of Nickelodeon’s Addicting Games
• New CEO of Goko

And that’s just in the past thirteen years.

It’s because of the kind of success Connally has repeatedly demonstrated that “is part of the reason why I was a very good person to come into GOKO and really set it off on a new path that is very focused on content development and clear demographic opportunities.” Connally has found that the mid-core group of gamers, that group that’s not quite casual, but can’t be defined has hard-core either, is where Goko’s market is, alongside the use of tablet and smartphone tech.

Obviously Goko’s first launch didn’t have all its bytes in a row. Errors abounded on multiple platforms, there were server overloads, and a multitude of gameplay issues. As a result, Connally’s first acts were to pull everything back, form a cohesive team, and move forward with what already worked, keeping things that didn’t away from the players.

There are currently three playable games at Goko: Dominion (Rio Grande Games), Forbidden City (an Asian-themed game of strategy), and All the King’s Men (a sort of adapted, bejeweled version of the board game that goes by the same name). And Kate Connally? She’s the one in charge.

While Goko is presently available via pc, and is already working towards a working release on iOS (smartphone and tablet), with definitive android plans, specifically for the amazon Kindle. Conally’s goal for all this gaming magic: make it accessible, fun, and most importantly, interactive. Up and coming in GOKO’s game roster are Catan World, Race For The Galaxy, Empire Builder, Settlers of America: Trails to Rails, The Struggle for Catan, and Treasures & Traps.

When we discussed her tenure at Addicting Games, where she increased the growth of the teenage boys’ online gaming section in unprecedented ways, she was quick to point out just how important the voice of the consumer, the end-user, is.

“I think the trick there, with what we were able to do with Addicting Games, was really create a game brand that stood out from everything else that was online at the time. We very much let the programmers, game developers, and the audience tell us what they wanted, and I think this, versus a lot of other organizations at the time who may have gotten in their own way, is what worked.”

That’ll also pretty much be the draw of Goko, it’ll provide a nifty intersection of what electronic gamers want, while providing a literally ‘play anytime, play anywhere’ version of some of the most played board games in history. Board games are a social event, but with work, families, outside obligations, making that social time happen isn’t always going to happen – and Connally has paid attention to that disconnect, to letting the audience tell her what they want, while letting developers and programmers make these electronic versions fun and playable. 

Awake and want to play at 3am? That’s doable. Want to schedule a game with friends but not everyone can make it in person? Play it on Goko. Want to pay something new and learn it with tutorials and via playing the game’s bot? Here’s a way to do that without feeling intimidated or rushed. Games can be played real time, or turn-based when a player can get to his or her computer/smartphone/tablet. It’s pretty ingenious.

There are some things to note about Goko, though: it’s still in BETA, which is where Connally (rightfully so) wants it to stay, as the bugs and kinks are worked out. You can play as a guest without creating a user account. If (and really, when) you do create a user account, the three available games can be played, to a point, without investing any kind of real money. When you get hooked (and you will), the costs aren’t ridiculous and are on a pretty decent sliding scale akin to purchasing a new video game or board game.

Hopefully (and I hope Goko takes note), the site will also offer gift codes and package deals once the game offerings expand.

If she does this right, and I’ve every right to believe Connally will pull this off brilliantly, Goko is going to be one of those go-to spots for gaming. Like Steam, but for board games.   And yes, I’m already playing.

“Let’s use the technology to help us deliver the best consumer experience today.” ~ Kate Connally

 

Related posts: