Auteurs and authorities in Turkish video game industry

Yıl 2025, Sayı: 2, 42 - 60, 23.12.2025

Yiğit Tarlabölen

Öz

The study investigates the functioning of creative processes in the video game industry, which has emerged as one of the most prominent sectors in contemporary entertainment. It explores the applicability of the classical auteur theory to the video game medium and aims to examine how creative authority operates within company structures. To this end, in-depth qualitative interviews with fifteen industry professionals from three Turkish video game companies of varying scales to collect insights from the participants regarding creativity and authority. The findings indicate that creative authority within the sector is largely exercised by institutional or managerial entities rather than by individual creators. Arguing that the classical individual-centric theory is insufficient, the study demonstrates an authority structure in the modern industry that prioritizes financial imperatives, such as market trends and budget concerns, over individual creativity, thereby constraining the latter. Accordingly, this study proposes a new conceptual framework, the auteur-ity theory, which merges “auteur” with “authority” to explain this tension and analyze how corporate hierarchies and market demands shape the creative processes. This study aims to contribute to game studies by providing a production-focused analysis.

Anahtar Kelimeler

game studies , creativity , authority , industry , video games

Etik Beyan

This article is based on the field research findings of the author’s master’s thesis entitled “Rethinking the Concepts of Auteur and Authority in Creative Actors in the Turkish Video Game Industry” prepared under the supervision of Assist. Prof. Selver Dikkol Akçay in the Department of Radio, Television and Cinema at Başkent University’s Institute of Social Sciences. This research has been conducted with the “informed consent” of the participants and “ethical committee approval” in accordance with the decision dated 10.03.2025 and numbered 17162298.600-89 of the Social and Human Sciences and Arts Field Research Board of the Başkent University Academic Evaluation Coordination Office.

Türk oyun endüstrisinde yaratıcılar ve otoriteler

Öz

Çalışma, günümüz eğlence sektörünün en öne çıkan sektörlerinden biri haline gelen video oyun endüstrisinde yaratıcı süreçlerin işleyişini incelemektedir. Klasik auteur teorisinin video oyun ortamına uygulanabilirliğini araştıran bu çalışma, şirket yapıları içinde yaratıcı otoritenin nasıl işlediğini incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Bu amaçla, yaratıcılık ve otorite konusunda derinlemesine görüş almak üzere, farklı ölçeklerdeki üç Türk video oyun şirketinden toplam on beş sektör profesyoneli ile niteliksel görüşmeler yapılmıştır. Bulgular, sektördeki yaratıcı süreçlerin büyük ölçüde bireysel yaratıcılardan ziyade kurumsal veya yönetimsel birimler tarafından yürütüldüğünü göstermektedir. Bireysel yaratıcılığı merkeze alan klasik teorinin yetersiz kaldığını savunan bu çalışma, pazar eğilimleri ve bütçe kaygıları gibi finansal çıkarlara öncelik veren bir yapıyı ortaya koymaktadır. Bu doğrultuda çalışma, “yaratıcı” (auteur) ile “otorite” (authority) kavramlarını birleştiren ve auteur-ity theory olarak adlandırılan yeni bir kavramsal çerçeve önermekte; bu yapının bireysel vizyonu kurumsal hiyerarşi ve pazar talepleri doğrultusunda nasıl kısıtladığını açıklamaktadır. Bu çalışma, oyun çalışmalarına üretim süreçleri odaklı bir analiz sunarak alana katkı sağlamayı hedeflemektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

oyun çalışmaları , yaratıcılık , otorite , endüstri , video oyunları

Etik Beyan

This article is based on the field research findings of the author’s master’s thesis entitled “Rethinking the Concepts of Auteur and Authority in Creative Actors in the Turkish Video Game Industry” prepared under the supervision of Assist. Prof. Selver Dikkol Akçay in the Department of Radio, Television and Cinema at Başkent University’s Institute of Social Sciences. This research has been conducted with the “informed consent” of the participants and “ethical committee approval” in accordance with the decision dated 10.03.2025 and numbered 17162298.600-89 of the Social and Human Sciences and Arts Field Research Board of the Başkent University Academic Evaluation Coordination Office.

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