Editing Video game development (section)

== Game industry ==
{{Main|Video game industry}}
The video game industry (formally referred to as interactive entertainment) is the economic sector involved with the development, marketing and sale of video games. The industry sports several unique approaches.{{Cn|date=January 2021}}

{{Globalize|section|date=September 2008}}

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=== Locales ===

==== United States ====
{{further|List of video game companies}}

In the [[United States]], in the early history of video game development, the prominent locale for game development was the corridor from [[San Francisco]] to [[Silicon Valley]] in [[California]].{{sfn|Moore|Novak|2010|pp=50–51}} Most new developers in the US open near such "hot beds".{{sfn|Moore|Novak|2010|p=17}}

At present, many large publishers still operate there, such as: [[Activision Blizzard]], [[Capcom|Capcom Entertainment]], [[Crystal Dynamics]], [[Electronic Arts]], [[Namco Bandai Games]], [[Sega of America]], and [[Sony Computer Entertainment America]]. However, due to the nature of game development, many publishers are present in other regions, such as [[Big Fish Games]] (Washington), [[Majesco Entertainment]] (New Jersey), [[Microsoft Corporation]] (Washington), [[Nintendo of America]] (Washington), and [[Take-Two Interactive]] (New York),{{sfn|Moore|Novak|2010|p=51}}

=== Education ===

Many universities and design schools are offering classes specifically focused on game development.{{sfn|Moore|Novak|2010|p=19}} Some have built strategic alliances with major game development companies.{{sfn|Oxland|2004|p=309}}{{sfn|Moore|Novak|2010|p=298}} These alliances ensure that students have access to the latest technologies and are provided the opportunity to find jobs within the gaming industry once qualified.{{Citation needed|date=July 2011}} Many innovative ideas are presented at conferences, such as [[Independent Games Festival]] (IGF) or [[Game Developers Conference]] (GDC).

Indie game development may motivate students who produce a game for their final projects or thesis and may open their own game company.{{sfn|McGuire|Jenkins|2009|p=27}}

=== Stability ===
Video game industry employment is fairly volatile, similar to other artistic industries including television, music, etc. Scores of game development studios crop up, work on one game, and then quickly go under.{{sfn|McShaffry|2009|pp=19–20}} This may be one reason why game developers tend to congregate geographically; if their current studio goes under, developers can flock to an adjacent one or start another from the ground up.{{Cn|date=January 2021}}

In an industry where only the top 20% of products make a profit,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.forbes.com/2008/11/21/games-eedar-developers-tech-ebiz-cx_mji_1121eedar.html| title=Profile: Cooking Up A BlockBuster Game | first=Mary | last=Irwin | work=Forbes | access-date=November 25, 2013}}</ref> it is easy to understand this fluctuation. Numerous games may start development and are cancelled, or perhaps even completed but never published. Experienced game developers may work for years and yet never ship a title: such is the nature of the business.{{Cn|date=January 2021}}