The computer games industry is a set of various companies, communities, and individuals, as well as technologies and processes that together form a complete cycle of production (development, sale, promotion, consumption) of computer games. Many developers see the computer games industry as a sector of the economy where they can make good money. But, in fact, creating games is also a cultural tool.
For today’s preschoolers, games replace children’s fairy tales that create a worldview, for teenagers they create idol characters that replace classic books, and only for adults games serve only as entertainment. With the right approach, the ideas embedded in computer games are much better absorbed by children than ideas from books or cartoons. While educators are writing their next books, which few people read, modern children learn the world largely through the prism of computer games. These games are created by people who are often far from culture, pedagogy, and psychology. And in some cases, games are deliberately created with the purpose of propaganda of certain ideas.
The cultural potential of computer games is just beginning to be revealed, but it is already clear that this potential is huge. As the industry expands, the diversity of offerings also increases, from blockbuster franchises to niche markets like online casino games, such as those reviewed at Slotozen login, showing the wide reach and varied impact of gaming today.
Game industry. Level 1 – Platforms
The main condition for the existence of computer games is the presence of technical devices capable of creating controlled moving images. At the moment such devices are: personal computers and laptops, game consoles, mobile devices (mobile phones, smartphones, tablets).
Computer. In the world the main gaming platform is the computer. All over the world, the emergence of computers not only in workplaces but also in homes has been linked precisely to the development of the gaming industry. Perhaps if there were no computer games, then computers would have remained in the form of large cabinets, and would be used only in special enterprises.
Game consoles are essentially the same as computers, but with only one function – playing games. The narrow focus of these devices makes them more efficient and easier to use. In some countries, game consoles are even more popular than regular full-featured computers. The industry of console games imposes certain restrictions on developers. In order to release a game on a console, it is necessary to obtain a licence from the console manufacturer. Because of this, players are protected from low-quality games, but suffer from the small total number of games released.
Mobile devices are much weaker in technical characteristics than desktop computers, so mobile games look simpler and scarcer than regular games. However, even among mobile games there are masterpieces.
Gaming industry. Level 2 – Software
Technical devices are controlled by computer programmes. Games are also such programmes. Initially computer games are created with the help of software code, but recently special programmes – game engines – have appeared.
Engines contain a lot of ready-made game processes, mechanics and elements. Using a game engine significantly reduces the development time of a new game. When using a game engine, developers concentrate more on creative moments of game development rather than on routine work.
Game Industry. Level 3 – Creation
Having a ready-made game platform and special programmes, developers create computer games from their creative ideas.
A wide variety of professionals are involved in the development of computer games. These include game programmers; artists, designers, levelled designers; and composers, arrangers, actors.
Professional development. In professional development by a large group of people, the entire process of creating a game is divided into many sub-processes. Each person works only on a small part of the game. At the same time a clear hierarchy is preserved – everyone fulfils the idea of one author, adding a minimum of ideas from themselves.
Indie development. Developing a game alone or in a small group implies that each participant makes a significant contribution to the game. An indie developer has more room for creativity than his subservient colleagues. But it also requires a greater number of skills in a wide variety of contemporary digital art fields.
Gaming Industry. Level 4 – Publishing
It is not the developers themselves who sell the computer games created, but the publishing companies. It is usually stated that the task of a publisher is the complete logistical support of the game development process. But this is true only for one of the options of the relationship between developers and publishers. And there are three in total:
Publisher-proprietor. Often, publishers fully sponsor the development process, and legally the rights to the game belong not to its creators, but to the publishers. Having assumed all economic and legal responsibility, publishers receive all profits, sharing only a certain percentage of them with the developers. This option is used when a game is created under an expensive licence: a game based on a film, a game based on real sports competitions, a game from a popular game universe.
Publisher-developer. Developers and publishers are two parts of one big company. In this case, the distribution of responsibility and profit is strictly within the company according to their own rules.
Publisher-service. The rights to the game are held by the developer, and the publisher only provides a convenient tool for selling the game. The main profit goes to the developer, and the publisher receives a small percentage for the service provided. Most often these are online shops selling digital copies of the game, such as Steam and Origin.
Game industry. Level 5 – Distribution
Just releasing a game for sale is not enough for a good result. The game has to be announced to as many potential players as possible. This task is handled by various media, mainly game journalism.
Exhibitions. The best way to tell about a new computer game is to show it at one of the international exhibitions. Exhibitions are the main source of new information in the game industry. It is a place where journalists and players can talk live with developers, play prototypes of games that are still in development. Once a game is announced at a trade show, it will be discussed at all other types of media.There are many annual game shows: the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Game Developers Conference (GDC), Gamescom, GameWorld, CRI, IGF, IndieCade.
Websites. The most effective type of media for popularising computer games is gaming websites. This is explained by the fact that players spend a lot of time at the computer, often visit the Internet, and it is there that it is most convenient for them to get new information.
Magazines. Game magazines have existed since the first appearance of the game industry in Russia – since 1992. For a long time magazines were the main source of new information about games. “Great Dragon” “Game.EXE”, “Game Country”, “Igromania”, “Navigator” – many players are familiar with these names. These days, thanks to the gigantic pace of development of the Internet, gaming magazines have given way to gaming websites and social networks. Magazines are now in the shadow of the popularity of websites, but still continue to exist.
TV programmes. Programmes devoted to computer games rarely appear on ordinary TV screens. But on Internet video services the situation is quite different: computer games are one of the main topics among hundreds of thousands of videos. Thematic programmes, video reviews, years play – all these formats are involved in the dissemination of information about the game. At the moment there are very few professional media in this sector, and the quality of many amateur videos leaves much to be desired. For now we can only wait for the qualitative development of this sector of the game industry.
Gaming industry. Level 6 – Consumption
All the previous layers of the game industry would be useless if there were no players – those who are interested in the appearance of new games, those who are ready to pay for the labour of authors. A player is both a source of profit for the whole game industry, and a connoisseur of developers’ creativity, and a potential participant of other layers of the game industry.
Gaming communities. Individual players often unite into entire gaming communities based on their interests. Unification takes place both on the forums of already popular general gaming sites, and vice versa – new sites, forums, internet groups start to appear around a spontaneous community based on a particular game or game series.
Cybersports. The most experienced players turn their hobby into a profession, that’s how they get into cybersport. Various championships are periodically held around the world, where cyber sportsmen find out who is the best. Not every computer game is suitable for sports competitions, but there are enough of them to organise large events with a set of various disciplines, like the Olympics. Now cybersports has developed into a whole separate industry, with its own infrastructure, funding, stars and celebrities. The ability to play the best can open the way to fame and fortune.
Player Creativity. Game fans don’t limit themselves to just consuming games, they often try to create their own websites, drawings, magazines, video shows, cosplays, game add-ons, full-fledged games. This proves once again that games carry cultural value, and resonate in the hearts of players.
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