Precarity in the Games Industry
Creating widely consumed creative content like video games can often be described as a dream job; one that is often taken advantage of by a consumerist ideology as many people see working in the game industry as the job of a lifetime. High-profile creative work is rarely available and is even less often a lucrative option; however the gaming industry is one of the few to offer such an opportunity, and because of that, jobs are highly sought after. The companies managing this sort of labor often take advantage of this attractive offer by making use of individuals that can and will give anything to work in the video game industry and ultimately generating a stressful, unstable, and precarious sort of labor force.
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When working under a big name game company such as EA or Bethesda, designers are put under pressure of generating the next big name title for them, the next iteration of Elder Scrolls, FIFA 16, or add-on downloadable content instead of new, more original works. With the kind of pressure imposed with the long work hours and lower wages common in creative fields of work, subtracting, or at least restricting the actual creative output that makes the job of a game developer so desirable ultimately leads to a situation of precarious and unfulfilling …show more content…
It is an all too common story these days, where a former higher-up designer, being fed up with the lack of creative input he has in or how he does his work, jumps off the corporate ladder and creates his own independent studio. With this strategy, there are a number of risks, sacrificing a secure income and a cushy position under a studio with an already successful name in favor of artistic freedom. With most indie start-ups, there is always a struggle for money, and for many indie game studios, a financial boom may not come on that long-awaited release date. A creative gone rogue, crafting an experience of their own design, one that is meant to be shared, despite the possibility of economic failure, is a capturing character that weaves a full narrative around his actions and likely misadventures within the realm of the production process and management of an independent title. It is also not an uncommon plot, as many documentaries are centered around this role already such as Indie Game: The Movie (Dir. James Swirsky, Dir. Lisanne Pajot, 2012) and GameLoading: Rise of Indies (Dir. Anna Brady, Dir. Lester Francois, 2015). This type of underdog narrative easily commands the attention of the American viewer and has been the inspiration behind many
Tom Bissell, in his essay, “Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter” has described video games and how they are unique and different from movies, books, or even interactive films. Bissell says “I came to accept that games were incompetent with almost every aspect of what I would call traditional narrative.” This is showing the readers that even though there is a plot and story line, as characters can control and alter the story line or outcome by what you do or see throughout the game.
The network effects in the video game industry are derived from the console system that is sold to consumers. If a company is able to increase penetration in this arena, though at-cost/ below-cost pricing or pull created through the development of desirable content, it can potentially lock in the added value of the video games sold for the system. Which is to say, the console locks-in the network effects in the industry and the games serve to reap the profits. The video games, however, may present something of a challenge in that they can be somewhat easily replicated by competitors. Nintendo used an encrypted chip system to reduce this possibility.
Animation and Video Games allow many of us to disconnect from our daily lives in order to enjoy an experience that can take us to grand new worlds and gives many people the opportunity to connect with charming and unique characters. Generally, this is considered to be a good thing, however many people fail to realize that the industries behind these forms of entertainment are subject to the same pitfalls that befall most businesses. This means that these industries are subject to things such as supply and demand, bankruptcy, and the outsourcing of jobs. These are the leading causes of the biggest problem in these specific industries currently which is layoffs. Unfortunately, this means that many individuals are unaware of how prominent layoffs are in the Animation and Video Game industry along with their underlying causes as well as how such actions can affect the lives of the individual artists who are responsible for creating the content that brings joy and happiness to many of our lives.
Video games are an ever-growing franchise that is constantly undergoing change. Ever since the dawn of video games, new consoles, games, developers, and teams have come together, fallen apart, triumphed, and failed. What is it that has allowed some to thrive where others failed? Several different factors have changed and influenced the world of gaming, including the history that is continuously being written, the people who have built the games behind the scenes, and, of course, the actual video games themselves. Numerous video games have been more successful than others, but identifying what components set the successful apart from the unsuccessful is something definitely worth observing.
Author A.B. Harris declares a call to action in his article “Average Gamers Please Step Forward” published in 2012 as he talks about the how gamers shouldn’t settle for how the Entertainment Software Association put the average gamer into a box, Harris (2017) declares that the average gamers are far more credible and intelligent than the perceived demographics suggest (pg.503). He starts to build a bond between himself and the reader by connecting himself with the audience and asserting himself as one of them who all want the same thing, to “change the mainstream” (Harris, 2012, p.506) and show non-gamers they are more than over-sexed male adolescents with a penchant for violence (Harris, 2012, p.504). Harris uses his personal values and experiences
Video games are progressively becoming a crucial medium today, despite the light connotation of its initial categorization. Today they are a business that produces billions of dollars and employs engineers and artists alike in an art form connecting interactive games, to virtual societies where millions of people dwell. However, like all human products, our same emotion, flaws and injustice show in the games, with the impression of hatred, racism and stereotypes that are our everyday background. What are the creators of these video games real intentions in the desire they produce in the human?
The purpose of this essay is to look at and deconstruct the skills required of a sound designer as well as the pathways into the videogame industry as someone working in this particular role. The essay will look at recent shifts in technology and their impact on the way that the industry is configured, as well as looking at ways to take advantage of these shifts and changes from the perspective somebody interested in working in audio for games. The essay is built on research numerous gaming publications such as Game Informer as well as an online discussion that was conducted with Jack Gill, Managing Director of So Good Studios, a small but growing Independent studio.
Video games have been unloved or hated ever since they have came out. Video games are excellent for kids because they will improve their work with others, help them think more faster, and will help kids become more intelligent.
Though gaming has its drawbacks, it also has many benefits to cover them. If controlled, gaming is extremely useful and with the amount of gamers in the world today, it proves that it is not just for children or for teenagers. There are millions of adult gamers that understand the importance of gaming in the under the existing circumstances of the world. Individuals that have studied gamers believe that gaming in today’s
The gaming industry has attracted over a billion customers and has made around hundreds of billions dollars so far. So therefore i am going to persuade you that video games are incredibly beneficial. Some of the most valuable and necessary skills, video games give us include: Social advantages, Mental Advantages and Skills that will secure jobs. I am doing this because i am sick and tired of the common stereotype that gamers and lazy, stupid, unemployed and a particular age. I am here to give the drastic advantages and put a rest to this urban myth.
Many people have been able to make their “American Dream” come true with hard work, being focused and on task, and, most importantly, taking their work seriously. Only the hard working people can make their dreams come true when they do what they are supposed to do and set goals that will surely help them achieve their goals. Unfortunately, the majority of people who don’t make their “American Dream” is the children and teenagers who play video games with every waking second of the day. The ESA (Entertainment Software Association) performed studies that show how “more than 150 million Americans play video games” (www.theesa.com); but they will never achieve their “American Dream” by playing video games every chance that they are in front of
to keep up with emerging trends in the gaming industry. Combining my 3 years of
Introduction: Hello ladies and gentlemen. Today I have the honor of introducing a man who has influenced the lives of many through the questionable art form of video games. Originally, it was not Dan Houser’s intention to become a game designer, but over time he became fascinated with storytelling. Dan’s brother, Sam, was working for a music label that was trying to branch out into games, and Dan was allowed to join. Eventually their game, Grand Theft Auto, was released. The sales were marginally good, but the label lost too much money and decided to sell
When you think of the average gamer who comes to mind? On television you probably see some over-weight and unemployed guy who is living in the basement of his parents’ house. The visual discourse in this is that only males are gaming “nerds” and that there is no place in the field for women. The group called The Fine Young Capitalists (TFYC) try to change that narrative with a contest of their own allowing women to create their own ideas for games. Some disturbing contradictions came out of their mission, and it was criticized by game developer Zoë Quinn.
Herman et all (2002) points out that history of video games begins from 1971 year, when Nutting association released 1500 machines with Spacewar video game. At the beginning it was too difficult to control the game process and playing machines had huge dimensions. But by the time with new technologies they become more compact and easier to play. According to the information given by Herman et all (2002), the period between the years of 1978-1981 is called ‘golden age’ of video game industry. In this period the arcade games ‘Football’ and ‘Space Invaders’ were released. All previously known sale records were broken by these two games with nearly equal wages. In this time interval great breakthroughs in the field of graphics were achieved,