A Star Marketer Pushes George Lucas Video Game Design

By Alex Russel
alex.russel@computeranimationschoolreview.com
Computer Animation School Review Columnist

In 2004, George Lucas turned to a hard-charging marketer to regenerate his video game division, which many said was coasting on the success of Star Wars titles. With the film franchise completed, LucasArts was going to have to find its bread and butter elsewhere.

For a long time, Jim Ward was a hard-charging marketing executive at Wieden & Kennedy, the Portland ad agency behind award-winning Nike commercials and the famed Windows 95 launch (with music by the Rolling Stones.)

Nike Marketer Takes on Video Game Design

Headhunted by George Lucas in the late 1990s to head up the film director's marketing division, Ward's newest mission was to make LucasArts one of the world's leading video game designers without simply relying on the world's love of Star Wars.

Two years later, Ward seems to be on his way. LucasArts' recent successes have led it from being the number-eight video game designer in the world to number five.

Star Wars Video Game Designs Still a Factor

To be sure, much of the boost is thanks to two Star Wars titles, Star Wars Battlefront II and Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith, which were the second and third best-selling titles in 2005, after the latest John Madden NFL game.

But LucasArts also had a hit with Mercenaries, a game that has nothing to do with galaxies far, far away.

Waiting for PS3: Video Game Designers in Limbo

LucasArts' video game design success comes despite a tricky time for video game designers. The delayed launch of Sony's Playstation 3 has frozen video game sales.

This limbo period has caused competing video game giants like Electronic Arts to delay the release of highly anticipated game designs like "The Godfather."

Video Game Designers Should Never Be Late

One of George Lucas' leading traits as a filmmaker has been his ability to set high standards without having to push deadlines. Star Wars films were always delivered to theaters on time.

Ward is unrelenting in getting his employees at LucasArts to do the same. His fervor has ruffled feathers in video game designer circles, but it has also increased performance. There's no word of George Lucas complaining.

Sources
New York Times

About the Author
Alex Russel is a freelance media writer living in Brooklyn.

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