PSP World

There is Big Money in Shovelware

Shovelware is difficult to define, but most gamers would say that they know it when they see it. The term used to refer to all of the extra junk programs that would come pre-installed on a PC or bundled on a CD-ROM. Now, it increasingly refers to quickly-produced games that seek to cash in on a console’s popularity, by emulating other more successful games or latching on to the latest craze. Pretty much every console on the market has titles like this – even the original NES had a raft of games that circumvented the “Nintendo Seal of Approval” in a bid to make money. With the incredible popularity of the Wii and DS consoles, Nintendo once again finds its systems host to many titles that might fall under the category of “Shovelware”.

There doesn’t seem to be much that gamers can do to protect themselves from it, other than to remain informed and avoid purchasing games without first checking out some reviews. Besides, most of these titles -- Imagine: Party Babyz and Pony Friends are some examples – aren’t aimed at hardcore gamers, but rather and casual consumers and parents who don’t know better.

There doesn’t seem to be any economic incentive for companies to stop producing these titles, either. By all accounts, shovelware can be an extremely enticing proposition for software makers. Ubisoft – which also published blockbuster games Assassin’s Creed and Prince of Persia – has been one of the most successful producers of shovelware on the Nintendo DS and Wii. According to the company’s most recent quarterly earnings report, its “Imagine” lineup of games has already reached 11 million in sales worldwide, with over 300,000 units sold in December 2008 alone. Majesco is another publisher whose games have skirted the “shovelware” category, but have turned a tidy profit for the company. Majesco recently announced a new lineup of games for the Wii coming in 2009 which will be sold under the “Go Play” brand. Titles will include Go Play Lumberjax and Go Play Circus Star.

A screenshot for Imagine Party Babyz from Ubisoft.

Despite the short-term profitability of shovelware for publishers, there are signs that it could hurt individual consoles and the gaming industry as a whole. The original purpose of the Nintendo Seal of Approval was ostensibly to ensure that certain quality standards were met by publishers so that gamers would always have a positive experience when playing the hardware. If consumers get burned too often by cheap knockoffs and poorly made games, they could come away feeling let down by the console makers themselves. Money spent on poorly-made games is money that could have gone to support quality games, meaning that overall publishers will be rewarded for mediocrity. It is probably in the best interest of console makers to enforce quality guidelines and limit the overall quantity of shovelware on their respective systems.