Subject to controversy, one can often read that “Giants pays dearly” for the licenses of exploitation of Farming Simulator vehicles, or, on the contrary, that the developer makes the various manufacturers pay for access to his title. How does a firm get into the game? What can we expect for the future of FS? Why not ask the question to the interested party: Giants Software.
How are partnerships made with a brand? Do you contact the equipment manufacturers? Does Giants Software pay for the license? Or, on the contrary, are firms scrambling to figure in the game?
Giants Software: “It goes both ways. We often come across brands at Agritechnica and others of the same type. New and existing brands. Some contact us to find out if they can participate in the game, while for others, we need to convince them a little. Some manufacturers (very rare) do not know the game (like small brands from afar) and this requires a little more presentation. But we always aim for a partnership non-monetary. Both partners bring something and that suits us very well. "
Why, for a manufacturer, we have certain materials more than others. For example, for John Deere, where are the forage harvesters?
Giants Software: “It usually depends on the weather. We talk to the brands about what we need to have the right balance in the game (we're not just looking for tractor groooos for example) and they also tell us what they would like (for example, the latest news). And then we find a compromise. I would say that in normal times, we "could" do almost everything (unless some secret projects are still), but it's the time we have left to finish the game, which is always too short, that decides. A machine takes a long time to render properly, even if the manufacturers provide the CAD. "
Today almost all the major brands are available, this has not always been the case ...
Giants Software: “Indeed, the first Farming Simulator had only one brand. Official licenses are important not only for fans, but also for canvassing other brands. In 2011, when the title still only had a dozen manufacturers, a brand (Editor's note: JD?) refused to grant us the licenses because it was necessary first to withdraw competing brands, which of course we refused. Generally speaking, Farming Simulator tries not to have too many similar equipment and machines from different companies, in order to avoid comparisons. We encourage players to switch between brands so that they can try a little of everything. "
Tractors are, in terms of number, well represented. Secondary vehicles, a little less ...
Giants Software: “We are planning to expand the game to new horizons. Things like trucks, car brands, maybe trains and maybe planes someday. We had this vision a few years ago: make an ultimate simulator, not only agricultural production, but also transport, even with ships. This ecosystem could wrap around the core of agriculture, that's the long-term vision. "