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Games Industry

Games Industry. AG1060A: Game Professional Awareness AG1063A: Games Industry Awareness AG1160A: The Games Marketplace. Dr Iain Donald i.donald@abertay.ac.uk. Today. The Growth of the Games Industry A brief history of computer games Games as a social and intellectual exercise.

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Games Industry

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  1. Games Industry AG1060A: Game Professional Awareness AG1063A: Games Industry Awareness AG1160A: The Games Marketplace Dr Iain Donald i.donald@abertay.ac.uk

  2. Today • The Growth of the Games Industry • A brief history of computer games • Games as a social and intellectual exercise. • Games audiences how they have changed • The evolution of technology • The future of Games - perception, utilisation and scope

  3. Admin

  4. Learning Resources • Students/Staff can access IAMG learning resources off-campus using the following link: • https://portal.abertay.ac.uk/learning/module/iamg/ Note: login is required off campus!

  5. Author: Tristan Donovan

  6. The History of Video Games • Research - lots of studies on the History of Computer games! • Personal and social context, the impact that video games had, and why. • Personal perspective to develop, and an understanding of the games industry’s impact on modern culture. • ‘Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it’ - George Santayana

  7. The World before... • B&W or Colour television (3 Channel), no cable or satellite. • No ‘Blockbuster’ Movies (1976 and Jaws started that). • No Home Games systems, as understood today. • No Mobile Phones, at all (First commercial network was NTT in Japan, in 1979 – but not pervasive until the late 90’s).

  8. The World before... • No CD’s or DVD’s (or even Video. The great VHS / Betamax wars had not even happened yet), see BluRay and HDDVD. • No Internet. • No Interactive TV (Sky, Vivo) at all, in fact no remotes… • Jumpers for Goalposts...

  9. ...a more innocent time

  10. ...times have changed

  11. The 1970s

  12. Magnavox Odyssey 1972 Atari Pong 1975 Atari VCS (renamed 2600) 1977 Prinztronic Videosport 800 1978

  13. The 1980s

  14. Game & Watch 1980 Commodore 64/ZX Spectrum 1982 Nintendo NES 1985 Nintendo Gameboy 1989

  15. The 1990s

  16. SEGA Mega Drive 1988/1990 Nintendo SNES 1990/1992 Sony Playstation 1994 Nintendo N64 1996

  17. The 2000s

  18. PS2 2000 DS 2004 (& Wii 2006) Xbox 360 2005 iPad 2010

  19. Evolution

  20. Game Design • Games were basic by today’s standards • But allowed players’ imaginations to run wild • Dumbing down of games? • Imagination is no longer a requirement • Or Maturing interactive medium? • We demand higher quality • Less genre distinction • Interest stemmed from availability!

  21. Public Opinion • Arcades were ‘unsuitable’ for children • Home consoles initially deemed safer • Controversy & Consistency • Custer’s Last Stand • Wolfenstein 3D • Doom/Mortal Combat • Night Trap (centred around females being stalked by a serial killer) – awful game • Moral Opposition not the Target Market

  22. Innovation • Practically no game found on the shelves or DLC sites today, cannot be found in some form in the 80’s and 90’s. • Graphical and Processing power do not improve gameplay by themselves, nor design games (at all).

  23. Innovation • With added ‘realism’ of graphics and audio, come increased demands for realism in gameplay – this was never a factor before. Why should a game be realistic – is COD:MW3 more fun than COD2 just because it looks like it’s straight out of CNN? • Cross-reference with other sources e.g. Iraq/Afghanistan memoirs

  24. Demographics

  25. Demographics • Plethora of sources • ESA, NPD, PEW, ELSPA(UKIE), BBC, etc • Everyone is still trying to define the market(s) • Age, Race, Gender, Culture, Habits, etc. • Key is, does a viable market exist • Beware the ‘Fanboys’, hype, pre-sales fog…

  26. Perception • Media promotes an image of gamers • Male, 15-26 • Media promotes an image of games • Violence, low morality, results in dysfunctional personal skills • Serve no purpose • Contribute to social decline • Bill O’Reilly 2006…Daily Mail 2010 • Equating games to drugs

  27. Gamer Segmentation • NPD Gamer Segmentation Report 2010 • Categories: Young Heavy, Avid PC, Extreme, Console, Secondary, Offline PC, Online PC • A bit like classes…? • Extreme = 48.5 hrs per week • Average Age up (from 31 to 32) • Research & Cross-Reference • Elsewhere average age is 35, average purchaser age is 39…

  28. Family Fun

  29. Adults Increasing in every category 81% of 18 to 29 year olds play games. 60% of 30 to 49 year olds play games. 40% of 50 to 64 year olds play games. 25% of over 65’s play games This is a good thing…

  30. Children BBC Survey 100% of 6-10 year olds are gamers! Most popular format is PC Educational games second most popular genre!

  31. Gender % of Female Gamers Increasing every year 40-50% depending on source

  32. Developers IGDA Who Makes games (2005) White male (83%) Heterosexual (92%) 5.4 years XP. 31 years old. 80% have a College or University Degree. People with disabilities (e.g., cognitive, mobility, etc) 13%

  33. CDC Results CDC - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Typical Gamer is... 35-year-old man who is overweight, aggressive, introverted and … often depressed! Read More http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2009/08/gamers-are-sad/#ixzz10x3d3abO

  34. Technology

  35. Hidden Technology • Making the game efficiently • Source Control/Code bases • Art Software • Middleware • Resource Management • Editors • Bug Tracking, etc.

  36. Transparent Technology • Concerned with making the game fun to play: • Consoles • Controllers • Interfaces • Connection Possibilities • Excluding Art, ‘Hidden’ technology very rarely sells games to the public

  37. Technology in Games • Perception • Everything is made easier by new technology • Increased realism • More depth • Bigger scope • Higher quality

  38. Key Questions • Does technology make games more fun, quicker to produce? • Does technology make games easier to play or produce. • accessible to different genres or demographic targets? • Does technology replace the need for skill? • What technology offers is potential. • Consider GPS as an example…

  39. Technology in Games • Reality • New technology brings new challenges • Can’t have it all (realism, depth, scope, quality) • Always looking ahead • Technology is resource hungry • Team sizes 1993 = 15/20 2010 = 120+ • Development time & Cost

  40. For Developer • Increased demand for skills • Increased demand for high quality content • Increased demand on staff to learn new technology while working • Core skills are even more key • Impossible to hide

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