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Why current changes affecting the games industry have great future potential for women
THE FUTURE OF GAMES
Kaye Elling
Introductions
• Kaye Elling
• 12-year games industry veteran
• Artist > Art Manager
• Infogrames, Sony, Acclaim, Blitz Games Studios
• Course Tutor for
• BA Design for Computer Games
• BSc Interactive Systems & Video Game Design
Title History
Lighting-quick Overview
• Games industry 101
• How games are currently developed
• Current sales models
• Changes the industry is facing today
• Changes in sales models
• Changes in how games are developed
• What this might mean for women in games
Games are funded by Publishers
Publishers: Spanning Market & Development
The Publisher giveth, and the Publisher taketh away
Current Market Drivers
• Games controlled by budget• Budget controlled by publishers
Q: Who controls the publishers?
A: Sales & Marketing!
Games
£££ $$$ €€€
Publishers
Sales & Marketing
Budget Voodoo
•Publishers’ own sales departments
• Sales data on similar genres
• Or prequels
• In depth market analysis
• Complex & arcane algorithms
• Sum forms bottom line budgetBudget
Market Analysis
Sales Data
Budget Voodoo
• Budget = Advance fees
• Prior to title release
• Include royalty deal as well
• After title release
• This is smaller than you’d think! Budget
Market Analysis
Sales Data
“Old” / Current Revenue models
Original Title on the 360/PS3: 2.5 yrsPitch Pre-Production Production Alpha Beta Master Manufacturer
= Greenlight= Signing Adv = Milestone Payment = Royalty
Release Year 1 Year 2 Eternity
Studio Manager/CEO/Owner
Technical Director
Head of Development/ Head of Production
Art DirectorDesign Director
Technical Lead Lead Designer Lead Artist
Senior Designers
Regular Designers
Junior Designers
QA Manager
Senior Artists/Animators
Regular Artists/Animators
Junior Artists/Animators
Senior Programmers
Regular Programmers
Junior Programmers
Audio Manager
PR ManagerHR Manager
QA Technicians
Senior QA
Work Placements
Project Director/ Producer
Senior Management Shared Resources Team SpecificLegend:
Senior Audio Designer
Audio Technicians
External
Outsourcing
“Old” structure
Current stats for women in games
• 71% of UK ♀ play games*
• ~8500-9000 total developers in the UK
• Average ratio of ♀ to ♂ developers = 9%**
• That’s <800 ♀ developers
• Average ♀ salary = £33,260pa (♂ - £2000pa)**
*http://www.edge-online.com/news/study-73-per-cent-of-uk-citizens-regularly-play-games** http://www.interactiveblog.net/?tag=women-game-developers***http://www.mcvuk.com/news/32964/Women-earn-more-than-men-in-the-UK-games-industry
Markets In Transition
Boxed Product
DigitalDistribution
Cloud Computing Streamed Service?
DevelopedEconomies
DevelopingEconomies
MicroEconomies?
Product BasedBusiness Model
Service Based Business Model?
New Potential Revenue models (Subs & Micro)
More transparent monthly data = more payments
Pitch Pre-Production Iteration 1 Patch 1 Patch 2 Expansion
= Greenlight= Signing Adv = Milestone Payment = Royalties
Release Year 1 Year 2 Eternity
Subscriptions = more transparent due to continued developer input
Great news for Developers: An open market
Paul Johnson on Gameswatch http://bit.ly/84V2G
Transitions in Markets Affect Development
Entrepreneurial Structure
CorporateStructure
Smaller Teams
Reduced RiskNew Revenue
Models
Old systems no longer working? Headlines:
• Major layoffs at Sony, THQ, Red Star, et al
•Sales down 29% at Disney interactive Q4 ‘09*
• Even games magazine sales slump/stagnate**
• On the positive: Zynga buys “Serious Business”
Facebook developer ***, Steam users up 25%,
Gameloft says mobile games market >400% ****** http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/game-revenues-down-at-disney***http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/future-suffers-circulation-slumpy***http://www.edge-online.com/news/zynga-acquires-social-game-developer****http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/gameloft-mobile-gaming-market-will-increase-3-4-times-in-next-few-years
Returning to the *Point*
•Finance & revenue models for games are changing
• The entire Business model for games is in transition
• Traditional games publishers no longer have a
monopoly on mainstream game distribution &
development
• Industry is in transition to a broader power base
Not just about consoles & MMOs you know!
...with accessible dev platforms?
What Does This Mean for Women in Games?
•Games are under less corporate control
• Simplicity of Arcade Titles
• Hand Held & Accessible In Browser Gaming
• Entering the mainstream
• = Reduced Dev times =Reduced teams = Reduced risk
• Open to entrepreneurship again
• Blows the traditional studio environment wide open!
Goodbye Traditional Dev Environment?
There are other options for game development
• For the mainstream games industry
• This flexibility is key to greater female involvement
100+ Team (+ Global Outsourcing)
Lumbering mega-giant in marketplace
60+ hour weeks over extended periods
Flexible Development Means Fewer Barriers
•New business models = new development models
• More potential for smaller development
• Opening of micro-studio models with freelancers
• Rise & rise of the indie developer
• This means fewer barriers to entry for women
• NOW is the time to capitalise on this
Shameless plug!
• March 25th & 26th @ The University of Bradford in
collaboration with Bradford College
• Conference: Meeting of Industry & Academia re Games
• To network & discuss issues surrounding women
• As developers & potential future developers
• As subjects of games
• And consumers too
• This year’s theme is Diversity: markets, platforms, players
• Keynote speakers are Lorna Evans, of TIGA & Sheri
Grayner Ray, author of Gender Inclusive Game Design
• Other Speakers: SCEE, Team 17, Jagex, Monumental
• Tickets are £200 for 2-day pass
• £125 for 1day/concessions
• www.womeningames.com
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