Overview - Computer Games
The first games were launched in the 1960's. By the 1970's there was a recognised Games Industry with video arcades and home entertainment consoles. Home computing exploded in the 1980's and brought a period of huge expansion and creative innovation. Games became an industry, and moved away from 2 or 3 talented, devoted creative "mavericks" being responsible for every aspect of a project.
Developing top of the range Computer Game titles now involves large teams of people, and costs millions of pounds. It begins with market research and development in national and international operations. Teams of people then work to produce design documents from which all the elements that make up the final game are drawn and which sets down all possible paths the games can take players and any of the mechanics of actual gameplay that are relevant. If the game has story or narrative elements scripting and storyboarding also takes place.
Working from this design document the technical aspects of the game are decided and the game code, animation, graphics audio production and special effects follow. The application of the technical expertise then turns the creative products into paths for gamers to enjoy. Teams work on the projects in a system of production much like producing a movie. Like movies the risk is great - the game may not grab audiences, the investors may lose money. But like movies, Games can be successful globally, and the profit margin per unit can be far more than that per viewer for movies. Like movies games often feature well known franchises and blockbuster sequels which greatly enhance the commercial success of the sector.
For these reasons the games industry is now firmly established as a major feature of the UK's contemporary media landscape. Sales of entertainment software outstrip the video rental market and cinema box office spending, and the growth in the software and hardware market is set to go on rising. More games are being purchased worldwide and UK companies are contributing to that success.
With the massive growth in its audience and incredible advances in technology and creative possibilities, the games industry offers a wide range of interesting career opportunities. But, as with the other sectors, there is competition for jobs at all levels and candidates who have a good knowledge of how the industry works have a much better chance of getting in and getting on.
Like the movie industry, Games 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.
So a computer game is the work of a variety of companies which all have an influence on the final product. The two main activities are games development and games publishing. Design, programming, art and animation are the work of development studios, but games reach the consumer via the publishing companies.
Because games can be distributed on different hardware platforms, the companies responsible for making the major games consoles on which the games are played, the 'license holders', are a very important part of the equation. In fact, they all act as publishers in their own right and the industry refers to them - namely Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo - as First Party Publishers. Games can also be published onto PC's which have no formal licensing and so this is a popular option for smaller companies or start ups.
Two major developments have impacted on Gaming recently. The first is the Internet, and the emergence of online multi-player gaming. Gamers can now access the Internet through PC's and through portal's such as Xbox Live, and play against one another, or even collaborate in team games. Many of the most popular titles now have an online component allowing players to test themselves against fellow players around the world. The second significant factor is Wireless platforms, where the new generation of mobile phones and other handheld gaming devices devices have opened up a market for wireless transmitted interactive content, especially Games.
For more information about how a game reaches its audience see The Production Process - Computer Games or to find out more details about the sector visit Defining the Interactive Media and Computer Games Constituency.
Developing top of the range Computer Game titles now involves large teams of people, and costs millions of pounds. It begins with market research and development in national and international operations. Teams of people then work to produce design documents from which all the elements that make up the final game are drawn and which sets down all possible paths the games can take players and any of the mechanics of actual gameplay that are relevant. If the game has story or narrative elements scripting and storyboarding also takes place.
Working from this design document the technical aspects of the game are decided and the game code, animation, graphics audio production and special effects follow. The application of the technical expertise then turns the creative products into paths for gamers to enjoy. Teams work on the projects in a system of production much like producing a movie. Like movies the risk is great - the game may not grab audiences, the investors may lose money. But like movies, Games can be successful globally, and the profit margin per unit can be far more than that per viewer for movies. Like movies games often feature well known franchises and blockbuster sequels which greatly enhance the commercial success of the sector.
For these reasons the games industry is now firmly established as a major feature of the UK's contemporary media landscape. Sales of entertainment software outstrip the video rental market and cinema box office spending, and the growth in the software and hardware market is set to go on rising. More games are being purchased worldwide and UK companies are contributing to that success.
Like the movie industry, Games 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.
So a computer game is the work of a variety of companies which all have an influence on the final product. The two main activities are games development and games publishing. Design, programming, art and animation are the work of development studios, but games reach the consumer via the publishing companies.
Because games can be distributed on different hardware platforms, the companies responsible for making the major games consoles on which the games are played, the 'license holders', are a very important part of the equation. In fact, they all act as publishers in their own right and the industry refers to them - namely Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo - as First Party Publishers. Games can also be published onto PC's which have no formal licensing and so this is a popular option for smaller companies or start ups.
Two major developments have impacted on Gaming recently. The first is the Internet, and the emergence of online multi-player gaming. Gamers can now access the Internet through PC's and through portal's such as Xbox Live, and play against one another, or even collaborate in team games. Many of the most popular titles now have an online component allowing players to test themselves against fellow players around the world. The second significant factor is Wireless platforms, where the new generation of mobile phones and other handheld gaming devices devices have opened up a market for wireless transmitted interactive content, especially Games.
For more information about how a game reaches its audience see The Production Process - Computer Games or to find out more details about the sector visit Defining the Interactive Media and Computer Games Constituency.
