INDEPENDENT GAME DEVELOPMENT: PRICE OF FREEDOM

Abstract

Within the video game development aspect, video games that developed with highest budget and promotion informally classified as AAA game. Developments that rejecting financial support from any publisher to keep up freedom against mainstream companies named as Independent video game even though its definition is open to interpretations. This article proposes a field study of production and distribution of the digital video game industry to see whether independent video game development is an independent alternative to mainstream production. Research within companies and their products segmented on production tools, distribution systems, and manufactured hardware’s that used by independent developers of digital video games gives us an insight of power relations within the industry. Digital video game developers, free video game development engines, leading digital distribution systems, developer based investigation of most played video game, and considering biggest acquisitions of the industry provides us a clear view of political economy. Statistical evidence and common ground of reviews used to form sample. Companies claim that they are providing free production tools such as video game engines and digital distribution systems to support independent digital video game development. This article identifies power relations within the industry to underline corporations support of independent development is an exploitation of them as a risk-free research & development service. This free support becomes wellplanned sub-part of capitalist structure that established by very same corporations. While this research includes technology, law and regulation, and occupational careers facets within

Keywords

• political economy,digital video game,independent,game industry,AAA