If you already think developers have created too many iPhone games (there are 49,000 of them), just wait until user-generated games take off. GameSalad hopes to usher along the era of user-generated apps with its new GameSalad Studio, which makes it easier for people to create, test, and distribute their iPhone games.
The Austin, Texas-based company says that no programming knowledge is necessary for people to use its tools and create their own apps that run on iOS, Apple’s operating system that runs on the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. The studio tool combines GameSalad Creator, GameSalad Viewer, and GameSalad Direct all in a single suite. Users pay no fees until they decide to publish their games. A small fee covers the cost of submission. Free games require no extra fee, while paid games require a revenue split.
The goal is to remove barriers to entry for making games, just as YouTube lowered the barriers for creating and uploading user-generated videos. GameSalad provides developers with analytics so they get insight into how well their games are doing on the App Store.
Another new tool, GameSalad Accelerator, lets top-performing game makers connect with brands and other services targeted at developers.
In other news, the company named Frank Coppersmith to the post of chief operating officer. He will report to chief executive Michael Agustin. Coppersmith was previously vice president of finance and administration for Challenge Online Games, which was acquired by game maker Zynga in May.
GameSalad, previously known as Gendai Games, raised $1 million earlier this year from DFJ Mercury, Steamboat Ventures, DFJ Frontier and ff Asset Management. The company competes with high-end sophisticated 3D tools from Unity Technologies.
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