As part of the online gaming industry, my team and I are constantly trying to solve an elusive mystery – should online game developers (or publishers) create their own social networks? Or should they just play with the big boys, Friendster, Orkut, Myspace, Multiply and Facebook (to name a few)?

According to Matt Slagle, who wrote a piece on USA Today, “Social and gaming networks, once considered polar opposites, are cross-pollenating as online interactions replace prime-time TV and other, more traditional media experiences”.

It is for this very reason that I think there is synergy between these two mediums and that we in the gaming industry should learn to foster good ties with social networks.

More after the jump…

Here in the Philippines, Friendster is king. But in other countries and other parts of the world, they have their own preferences. In the states, it’s Facebook, Myspace and Multiply. While Google’s Orkut reigns in Europe. Facebook has 33 million users while Myspace has 72M. That’s according to their October figures.

The point here is that these networks are huge. The key here is to devise a “win-win” situation where both producers and marketers of online games will benefit from.

Let’s start with some of my personal thoughts regarding this

• Presence – instead of building own SNS, game companies should have a presence inside the big social networks. Youtube is also a social network and even big companies have started to see the advantage of having official director accounts and pages. Former Level Up COO Sheila Paul sowed the seeds of the (unofficial) Level Up Youtube Channel which I am now maintaining.
• User-Generated Content – I think this is the one thing that will bind both systems. The key here is capturing good user-made content and letting it create its own viral invasion. Users will be more than willing to submit. I think the Level Up Filmfest is a good first-step in this direction.
• Marketing - Once you create the presence and there’s content, then you start harvesting the rewards. You can then place key, targeted messages to your audience. I always believed that online advertising is the way to go. Why? because people who are already using the Internet are the MOST LIKELY TO TRY your online gaming product.

Right now, good friend and Level Up New Media head honcho, JC Medina together with blogging legend Kiven Codamon are revisiting strategies for LU Cliq and our plans for generating relationships with SNS companies. My hats off to you guys for doing a splendid job.

You have my 100% support!

But wait! There’s more! Join my friendster Pinoy Gamers Group now!