understanding computer games industry week 2

Unit 13 Understanding the Computer Games Industry

Week 2Publishers & Developers

Questions!

• What percentage of homes in America have games consoles?

• What is the average game player age?

• What is the percentage of males and females who play console games?

Some interesting facts from the ESA! (Entertainment

Software Association)

www.theESA.com

What do you think were the top selling console/video game in the USA in 2009?

Why do you think this?

How many in the top 20 do you think were aimed at mature audiences?

What are the top 3 PC games?

Do you think there is a difference between the PC and video/console top 10?

Why do you think this?

How many were aimed at mature audiences?

Day in the life: Computer Game Designer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcdK6WdqIao&feature=related

Last Weeks Homework!

Part 1 Choose a Developer.

Write a paragraph about the developer eg. when they started, where they are based (UK office?), what games are they know for?

Question

What is the difference between a publisher and a developer?

Discuss in pairs.

Feedback!

Developers or Publishers?

Who does what?

http://www.skillset.org/games/industry/

Producing a computer game is the work of a variety of companies. The two main activities are Games development and Games publishing.

Design, programming, art and animation are the work of developers but games reach the consumer via the publishing companies.

Developers & Publishers

Developer

Developers These are the production studios which create and develop the games titles.

Most of the creative production roles are found within these companies and they offer a wide range of job roles.

Developers can be independent or owned by a Publisher. There are also some development studios which form part of publisher groups.

Projects are either commissioned by a publisher or initiated by a developer and then pitched to a publisher for funding.

Publishers

A computer game Publisher is a company that publishes games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a computer game Developer.

These are the companies that are responsible for promoting, marketing, distributing and, usually, financing games titles. Job opportunities tend to be in commissioning, product/financial management, developer liaison, marketing, product strategy and market research

Publisher

Like other creative industries, the Games Industry has an established structure, with studios and production houses developing “third party” games on behalf of publishers or for themselves if they can raise the finance or want to take a speculative risk.

In addition to the in-house development studios owned by many publishers, independent studios carry out commissioned work and receive a fee for their work and a share of royalties. The publishers own the rights and will market and distribute the games – taking the bulk of the revenues, but also the commercial risk

Last Weeks Homework!

Part 2 What job roles could be found in a computer game developer company?