Tech Stream

Indie game producers remain positive

3 March 2009

Listen and download: MP3

In tough times, like the current economic conditions, people still seem to find money for entertainment, especially when it involves long periods on the couch, rather than going out to a restaurant or to see a new movie. The big spend up on giant TVs, home entertainment systems and gaming consoles over the last few years is being put to good use in loungerooms across the world. Coupled with record breaking sales figures toward the end of 2008 for games, some bloggers and technology journalists have speculated that the gaming industry might be recession proof.

This positive attitude by some in the media hasn’t stopped share prices toppling in line with the rest of the technology sector, and it’s going to be a bumpy ride for many of the bigger games producers. Making a big game like Grand Theft Auto, for example, costs about as much as a Hollywood movie and requires hundreds of people working on it. And it still costs up to AU$100 for a new release game, which will be out of reach for many.

So as overseas games publishers freak out during the economic crisis, the Australian gaming industry is bracing itself for potential cutbacks as well. Already a major studio in Brisbane has been shut down, another one in Melbourne is in big trouble, and with no local publishers in Australia, what will happen to the industry? Surprisingly, the economic downturn could be a blessing in diguise for smaller independent games producers.

Kaitlyn Sawrey investigated for Hack, Triple J’s daily youth current affairs program here in Australia. Indiegames.com is a great international resource for new independant games and gaming news. You can also find more links from this story and details on the Hack blog. Follow the MP3 link above to hear the story.

Jason Hill also blogged in The Age online today about the economic downturn and its effects on the gaming industry. He ponders in a post on Screen Play about which console manufacturers might be most hurt by the recession.