User generated content is something social media has embraced heavily. Empowering the users and giving them the tools to create and share content. It seems that this trend is now spreading into video games. Dubbed the Youtube of video games by some Sony are hoping their new PS3 game LittleBigPlanet will fully realise social media and all it’s web2.0 goodness in the gaming space.
At its most simple level LittleBigPlanet offers tools for users to create their own platform levels akin to classic games such as Mario and Sonic, but the tools allow for much more than this. While the game comes with some levels on the disc Sony are largely expecting the users to create the content. The community has already shown huge levels, creating music machines that play ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’, Basic calculators, Political commentary and even a marriage proposal.
A huge community is already developing around the game after only a matter of weeks of its release. Perhaps there is a potential channel for marketing in there, creating an exciting experience based around your brand which players can interact with and spread virally. For now though I would rather look at the community it has generated acting as a microcosm (or littlebigcosm) of social media, showing that given the right tools and incentives users will create a diverse range of content. If you trust in your user you will be surprised what they can deliver.
