Children's book publishers must look to social gaming to remain relevant claims Huzutech founder
Children’s book publishers must embrace social gaming in order to remain relevant to their target audience, the founder of Huzutech will state today.
Speaking to the Bookseller Children’s Conference today, Graeme Harvey, who founded the social gaming platform, will highlight his experience of working with children’s entertainment brands to present how publishers can extend the commercial life of their characters and content through the development of their own virtual worlds.
Huzutech recently developed a virtual world for children’s book and TV series Horrible Histories.
"There's may have been an lot of talk about how the internet is killing book publishing, but the stark reality is that in actual fact digital technologies can add a new and refreshing dimension to the industry, dusting off favourite titles and breathing new life into the characters and concepts that children love so much. Creating these virtual worlds not only allows publishers to introduce their stories to young audiences in a lively and appealing way, but also enables them to explore the full marketing and commercial potential of the brands they invest so much in," said Harvey.
"At the root of its success has always been the Horrible Histories series' ability to transport readers and viewers into different worlds, and this latest development serves to underline that magical quality. The franchise provides the perfect backdrop for an exciting and engaging virtual world, and although we've taken great care to preserve the very real connection it has with its audience, by tying everything into the social networks and allowing every user to visit and explore the world through a simple web brower we’ve created an entirely new way of experiencing an already much-loved brand."