The video game industry has boomed in the last twenty years, becoming a multi-billion dollar industry that brings in more money than Hollywood brings in through box-office sales. Thus, it is no surprise that the industry has gone 'Hollywood' in many aspects.
The design and development of a video game is now a multi-million dollar project, and with so much risk involved, companies such as Electronic Arts are wary of taking risks in game design.
Much like a movie might have a chase scene because "audiences like that sort of thing," video games are becoming increasingly dictated by the people with the money, instead of the people with the ideas.
Independent Game Development
At one time, independent game development was the core of the industry, with games like the popular Ultima series developed by a single person. In 1993, the relatively unknown Id Software released a shareware game called Doom that went on to be downloaded an estimated 10 million times.
But high development costs pushed independent game development to the side as the industry rushed to deliver bigger and better graphics than the competitors. The cost of game development skyrocketed, and independent games could no longer compete with the big boys.
The Internet and Game Development
The beauty of the Internet is that it evens the playing field. The use of open source, relatively cheap game engines, and development tools like Flash have led to a resurgence in the independent game market. Companies like Garage Games and Game Tunnel are devoted to marketing and promoting independent games, and the opportunities for the independent game developer haven't been this strong since the early 90s.
The great thing about this trend is that it works for the consumer. Independent games can take the risk and be innovative because they don't have million dollar budgets and large distribution companies breathing down their necks.
What's Next?
The gaming industry is not alone in being reshaped by the web. The music industry is in a constant struggle with emerging technologies. Television is being reshaped to deal with an audience that craves one-click access to their favorite shows and a more interactive experience. And, while electronic books are only a tiny fraction of the industry, they may have a bright future.
So, what's next? Will the ease of distribution on the Internet allow independent musicians to disregard the 'big boys' of the industry completely? Will record labels begin to need musicians more than musicians need record labels? Will Internet television stations begin popping up everywhere?
It's anyone's guess what is coming next, but it is bound to be interesting.
