"And initially, a lot of companies avoid trying to make a really radical new kind of title for a new system, because that would involve learning a new machine and learning how to make the new title at the same time"
About this Quote
The subtext is managerial, almost confessional. Companies aren’t allergic to boldness; they’re allergic to compounding variables. Learning the system and inventing a new genre mechanic at the same time doubles the failure modes and muddies accountability. If the project tanks, was it a bad idea or a misunderstood platform? That ambiguity is poison in boardrooms and publishing calendars. So firms default to safer ports: sequels, familiar mechanics, modest upgrades - products that function as “training wheels” for both developers and the market.
Context matters: Hawkins helped shape early videogame publishing and platform economics, where launch windows, installed base, and developer relations determine who wins. His comment hints at a structural “chicken-and-egg” problem: platforms need killer apps to sell, but killer apps require confidence the platform will sell. The quote works because it frames creative conservatism not as cowardice, but as a rational response to incentives. It’s a reminder that breakthrough art in commercial tech often depends less on genius than on who can afford to be wrong first.
Quote Details
| Topic | Business |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Hawkins, Trip. (2026, January 15). And initially, a lot of companies avoid trying to make a really radical new kind of title for a new system, because that would involve learning a new machine and learning how to make the new title at the same time. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/and-initially-a-lot-of-companies-avoid-trying-to-91371/
Chicago Style
Hawkins, Trip. "And initially, a lot of companies avoid trying to make a really radical new kind of title for a new system, because that would involve learning a new machine and learning how to make the new title at the same time." FixQuotes. January 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/and-initially-a-lot-of-companies-avoid-trying-to-91371/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"And initially, a lot of companies avoid trying to make a really radical new kind of title for a new system, because that would involve learning a new machine and learning how to make the new title at the same time." FixQuotes, 15 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/and-initially-a-lot-of-companies-avoid-trying-to-91371/. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
