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Game Development and the Global Village
Last week I thought I would email an expert in the game industry to ask if the US will see the same amount of job outsourcing. So I emailed Greg of Games Design Art Culture
I am a technical illustrator who works in 3dsMax and Flash and in a couple years
I am looking to try to move into game development is an art job.
I was wondering if you see game industry art jobs being outsourced to India, China and Russia like the web development and web programming jobs are being outsourced on a massive scale right now?
and he emailed back
Not so much... Game development is a lot less cut-and-dried than most web development. Also, if at all possible, you want the team members at a single site for more effective management. Increasingly, relatively simple games (GBA and budget PC titles) are sourced from third-party developers in Eastern Europe, where it's a lot cheaper--but that's not outsourcing art, that's outsourcing the whole project.
I replied
That is a relief. Just wanted to try and estimate that the stage of my career after this one is not a dead end. I know you can be some times less optimistic about game development but it looks like a greener pasture than the world of web design.
Hey thanks for the quick reply. Do you mind if I post your reply (sans email address) on my zine? (he said yes)
That was a pretty good response and I am cautiously optimistic. Also GameState Magazine had a forum discussion in their first issue about this and came to similar positive statement that the game development industry is not going to India or Lithuania like the other programming jobs.
I have no problem with small projects going overseas it is a giant sucking sound that makes me worry.
Toll the bell
Pay the private eye
All's well
20th century dies
Jake at March 24, 2003 
Games
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Comments
It looks like the UK is also a hotspot for game development and last I heard, EA wanted to start a studio in NZ to complement the one in Australia.
Posted by: l33t k1w1 at March 24, 2003 7:16 PM
I actually disagree with Greg. I'm a game industry veteran (12 years) and involved with outsourcing for the last 7 years (mostly art). Every company is trying to outsource today and almost every big (and successful) project has a part of it outsourced. The idustry will consolidate from 500-700 small companies now into 100+ companies over the next few years. Small company won't survive - there's no way to produce a AAA tiltle in the US and be profitable. So, outsourcing is a future for the game industry as it is for IT industry now.
Posted by: Pokemon at January 10, 2004 6:48 PM
I tell you what the first time India produces a best selling Playstation 2 game I will change my mind
Posted by: Jake at January 10, 2004 7:30 PM
