Editing Video game development (section)

== Overview ==

Games are produced through the [[software development]] process.{{sfn|Bethke|2003|p=4}} Games are developed as a creative outlet{{sfn|Bethke|2003|p=7}} and to generate profit.{{sfn|Bethke|2003|p=14}} Game making is considered both art and science.{{sfn|Bethke|2003|p=12}}<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Melissinos|first=Chris|title=Video Games Are the Most Important Art Form in History|url=https://time.com/collection-post/4038820/chris-melissinos-are-video-games-art/|access-date=2020-06-09|magazine=TIME |date=22 September 2015 }}</ref> Development is normally funded by a [[video game publisher|publisher]].{{sfn|Bates|2004|p=239}} Well-made games bring profit more readily.{{sfn|Bethke|2003|p=12}} However, it is important to estimate a game's financial requirements,{{sfn|Bethke|2003|p=17}} such as development costs of individual features.{{sfn|Bethke|2003|pp=18–19}} Failing to provide clear implications of game's expectations may result in exceeding allocated budget.{{sfn|Bethke|2003|p=17}} In fact, the majority of commercial games do not produce profit.{{sfn|Bethke|2003|p=3}}<ref name="Forbes">{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/2008/11/20/games-indie-developers-tech-ebiz-cx_mji_1120indiegames.html |title=Indie Game Developers Rise Up |first=Mary Jane |last=Irwin |date=November 20, 2008 |work=[[Forbes]] |access-date=January 10, 2011}}</ref>{{sfn|Bethke|2003|pp=17–18}} Most developers cannot afford to change their development schedule midway, and require estimating their capabilities with available resources before production.{{sfn|Bethke|2003|p=18}}

The game industry requires innovations, as publishers cannot profit from the constant release of repetitive sequels and imitations.{{sfn|Moore|Novak|2010|p=19}}{{POV statement|date=February 2014}} Every year new [[independent game development|independent development]] companies open and some manage to develop hit titles.<!--17--> Similarly, many developers close down because they cannot find a publishing contract or their production is not profitable.{{sfn|Moore|Novak|2010|p=17}} It is difficult to start a new company due to the high initial investment required.{{sfn|Moore|Novak|2010|p=37}} Nevertheless, the growth of the casual and mobile game market has allowed developers with smaller teams to enter the market.<!--17--> Once the companies become financially stable, they may expand to develop larger games.{{sfn|Moore|Novak|2010|p=17}} Most developers start small and gradually expand their business.{{sfn|Moore|Novak|2010|p=37}}  A developer receiving profit from a successful title may store up capital to expand and re-factor their company, as well as tolerate more failed deadlines.{{sfn|Moore|Novak|2010|p=18}}

An average development budget for a multiplatform game is [[United States dollar|US$]]18-28M, with high-profile games often exceeding $40M.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.develop-online.net/news/33625/Study-Average-dev-cost-as-high-as-28m |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100113144801/http://www.develop-online.net/news/33625/Study-Average-dev-cost-as-high-as-28m |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 13, 2010 |title=Study: Average dev costs as high as $28m |first=Rob |last=Crossley |date=January 11, 2010 |access-date=October 17, 2010 }}</ref>

In the early era of [[home computer]]s and video game consoles in the early 1980s, a single [[game programmer|programmer]] could handle almost all the tasks of developing a game — programming, graphical design, sound effects, etc.{{sfn|Adams|Rollings|2006|p=13}}{{sfn|Chandler|2009|p=xxi}}<ref name="CPGD">{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/old/content/2005/11/crossplatform.ars |title=Cross-platform game development and the next generation of consoles — Introduction |first=Jeremy |last=Reimer |date=November 7, 2005 |access-date=October 17, 2010}}</ref> It could take as little as six weeks to develop a game.{{sfn|Chandler|2009|p=xxi}} However, the high user expectations and requirements{{sfn|Chandler|2009|p=xxi}} of modern commercial games far exceed the capabilities of a single developer and require the splitting of responsibilities.{{sfn|Moore|Novak|2010|p=5}} A team of over a hundred people can be employed full-time for a single project.<ref name="CPGD"/>

<!-- THIS PARAGRAPH IS USED in Game Design article as well, be sure to update. -->Game development, production, or design is a process that starts from an idea or concept.{{sfn|Bates|2004|p=3}}{{sfn|Adams|Rollings|2006|pp=29–30}}{{sfn|Bethke|2003|p=75}}{{sfn|Chandler|2009|p=3}} Often the idea is based on a modification of an existing game concept.{{sfn|Bates|2004|p=3}}{{sfn|Adams|Rollings|2006|pp=31–33}} The game idea may fall within one or several [[Game genre|genres]].{{sfn|Bates|2004|p=6}} Designers often experiment with different combinations of genres.{{sfn|Bates|2004|p=6}}{{sfn|Oxland|2004|p=25}} A game designer generally writes an initial game proposal document, that describes the basic concept, gameplay, feature list, setting and story, target audience, requirements and schedule, and finally staff and budget estimates.{{sfn|Bates|2004|pp=14–16}} Different companies have different formal procedures and philosophies regarding game design and development.{{sfn|Bates|2004|p=151}}{{sfn|Bates|2004|p=151}}{{sfn|McGuire|Jenkins|2009|p=23}} There is no standardized development method; however commonalities exist.{{sfn|McGuire|Jenkins|2009|p=23}}{{sfn|Chandler|2009|p=xxi-xxii}}
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In today's market four categories of video games can be distinguished:

* ''Mainstream games'', made by development companies{{sfn|Moore|Novak|2010|p=41}} over several years{{Citation needed|date=March 2010|reason=same ref for how long mainstream development takes.}} and backed by publisher financial support.
* ''[[Casual game]]s'', where a smaller team or even individuals can work on a title often released within a year{{Citation needed|date=March 2010}}, usually backed up by reasonable publisher funding.{{Citation needed|date=March 2010}} Casual games (such as, ''[[Bejeweled]]'' or ''[[Tetris]]'') are preferred by casual gamers for their simple gameplay and little time commitment.{{sfn|McGuire|Jenkins|2009|p=25}}
* ''[[Serious game]]s'' (such as, ''[[Building Homes of Our Own]]'' or ''[[Virtual Iraq]]''), that target education, public sector, social commentary, and training applications with video game technology.{{sfn|McGuire|Jenkins|2009|p=25}}

The games are also categorized by their target system or platform:{{sfn|McGuire|Jenkins|2009|p=25}}

* ''[[Video game console|Console]]'' games (such as, for [[PlayStation (console)|Sony PlayStation]]), is the current largest market for video games{{sfn|McGuire|Jenkins|2009|p=25}}
* ''[[Handheld game console|Handheld console]]'' games (such as, for [[Nintendo DS]]){{sfn|McGuire|Jenkins|2009|p=25}}
* ''[[Personal computer]]'' games{{sfn|McGuire|Jenkins|2009|p=25}}
* [[Browser game|''Browser-based'' games]]{{sfn|McGuire|Jenkins|2009|p=25}}
* [[Mobile games|Mobile]] (a.k.a ''[[Cell phone]]'' games){{Sfn|McGuire|Jenkins|2009|p=25}}-->

A [[Video game developer|game developer]] may range from a single individual to a large multinational company. There are both independent and publisher-owned studios.{{sfn|McGuire|Jenkins|2009|p=25}} Independent developers rely on financial support from a [[Video game publisher|game publisher]].{{sfn|Chandler|2009|p=82}} They usually have to develop a game from concept to prototype without external funding.<!--25--> The formal game proposal is then submitted to publishers, who may finance the game development from several months to years.<!--25--> The publisher would retain exclusive rights to distribute and market the game and would often own the intellectual property rights for the game franchise.{{sfn|McGuire|Jenkins|2009|p=25}} The publisher may also own the development studio,{{sfn|McGuire|Jenkins|2009|p=25}}{{sfn|Chandler|2009|p=87}} or it may have internal development studio(s). Generally the publisher is the one who owns the game's [[intellectual property]] rights.<ref name="Forbes"/>

All but the smallest developer companies work on several titles at once.<!--28--> This is necessary because of the time taken between shipping a game and receiving royalty payments, which may be between 6 and 18 months.<!--26--> Small companies may structure contracts, ask for advances on royalties, use shareware distribution, employ part-time workers and use other methods to meet payroll demands.{{sfn|McGuire|Jenkins|2009|p=26}}

[[Console manufacturer]]s, such as [[Microsoft]], [[Nintendo]], or [[Sony]], have a standard set of technical requirements that a game must conform to in order to be approved. Additionally, the game concept must be approved by the manufacturer, who may refuse to approve certain titles.{{sfn|Chandler|2009|p=90}}

Most modern PC or console games take from three to five years to complete{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}}, whereas a mobile game can be developed in a few months.<ref name="MGA_SoA">{{cite web|vauthors=Behrmann M, Noyons M, Johnstone B, MacQueen D, Robertson E, Palm T, Point J |url=http://www.mobilegamearch.eu/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Mobile-Game-Arch_D3.1_06122012_PU.pdf |title=State of the Art of the European Mobile Games Industry |publisher= Mobile GameArch Project |year=2012 |access-date=2013-08-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202133647/http://www.mobilegamearch.eu/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Mobile-Game-Arch_D3.1_06122012_PU.pdf |archive-date=2014-02-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The length of development is influenced by a number of factors, such as [[Computer and video game genres|genre]], scale, development platform and number of assets.{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}}

Some games can take much longer than the average time frame to complete. An infamous example is [[3D Realms]]' ''[[Duke Nukem Forever]]'', announced to be in production in April 1997 and released fourteen years later in June 2011.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/03/24/duke-nukem-forever-release-date-disparity-demystified/ |title=Duke Nukem Forever release date disparity demystified |magazine=PC Gamer |date=2011-03-24 |access-date=2012-01-03}}</ref> Planning for Maxis' game ''[[Spore (2008 video game)|Spore]]'' began in late 1999; the game was released nine years later in September 2008.{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}} The game ''[[Prey (2006 video game)|Prey]]'' was briefly profiled in a 1997 issue of PC Gamer, but was not released until 2006, and only then in highly altered form. Finally, ''[[Team Fortress 2]]'' was in development from 1998 until its 2007 release, and emerged from a convoluted development process involving "probably three or four different games", according to [[Gabe Newell]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200703/N07.0326.1849.05812.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070403160515/http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200703/N07.0326.1849.05812.htm|archive-date=2007-04-03|title=The History Of ''Team Fortress 2''|magazine=[[Game Informer]]|author=Berghammer, Billy|date=2007-03-26|url-status=dead|access-date=February 27, 2012}}</ref>

The game revenue from retail is divided among the parties along the distribution chain, such as — developer, publisher, retail, manufacturer and console royalty.<!--26--> Many developers fail to profit from this and go bankrupt.{{sfn|McGuire|Jenkins|2009|p=26}} Many seek alternative economic models through Internet marketing and distribution channels to improve returns,{{sfn|McGuire|Jenkins|2009|pp=26–27}} as through a mobile distribution channel the share of a developer can be up to 70% of the total revenue<ref name=MGA_SoA /> and through an online distribution channel owned by the developer almost 100%.{{Cn|date=January 2021}}