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European Game Developer Failures Enumerated
Thanks to Polygon for their article discussing the recent problems faced by European videogame developers. The piece explains: "According to a recent study conducted by London's Financial Times, 23 European game developers folded in 2003, which is up from 14 in 2002 and 8 in 2001." It also notes that "one of the biggest European companies to close its doors this year was Rage Software, perhaps best known for their David Beckham Soccer series", and a recently-linked editorial mentions a number of other notable independent developers who are no more, including Mucky Foot, Lost Toys, Computer Artworks, and Silicon Dreams. The news piece ends by quoting Eidos CEO Mike McGarvey as suggesting: "A studio of about 150 people, split into three teams, is about the ideal size and it's hard to see how it makes sense for the cottage industry types. They may have more of a future in post-production as a service-based business."
That's a lot...I recognised a couple developers from the list.
Is it the beginning of the game developer decline?
As the CEO of an American game publisher and former independent development company I find it difficult to understand how a successful indie developer could go out of business. Maybe things are different in Europe, but at least in America a smart CEO would sell off IP, work as a contractor, secure big IP, or consolidate.
Well, i think they closed doors just in time to avoid the impending "most unfortunate name of the year award"
Karem
When all is said and done, nothing changes...
23 is far too low. Our count has 12 developers foldiung in germany alone, we counted over 40 in the UK, we dont know how many others folded in the other countries. This is widly known, I dont know why the Financial Times has this low number. Its far worse than the article shows. Many studios are still struggling, more failures to come.
Best known for the David Beckham Soccer series? I'd have thought more people would like to remember Rage for their excellent Rocky game, the wonderfully promising Lamborghini and the under-rated Hostile Waters. David Beckham Soccer was famous for five minutes when it flopped horribly, but that was all, really. Even Go-Go Beckam, their GBA platformer, was rather more memorable.
"I Know You Are But What Am I?"
The news piece ends by quoting Eidos CEO Mike McGarvey as suggesting: "A studio of about 150 people, split into three teams, is about the ideal size and it's hard to see how it makes sense for the cottage industry types. They may have more of a future in post-production as a service-based business."
McGarvey will be surprised when open source will start eating his lunch. First, industry insiders thought open source couldn't develop compilers, then kernels, then desktops, and they were proven wrong each time. It takes open source a decade or two to catch up, but it ultimately always does. The real question is: how long will Eidos make it?
Games cost so much money its almost like a movie production, artists, scene directors etc. The # of companies that can afford to produce a good game shrinks then, and that is why there is less and less variety occuring.
Kris Holland