Economic climate to fuel outsourcing growth

With the flurry of project cancellations and studios experiencing financial difficulties in the past few months, the current economic climate is expected to offer a boost to one sector of the industry - outsourcing.

That's according to Streamline Studios boss Alexander Fernandez, who told GamesIndustry.biz that he believes that companies will look for more support in the coming months.

"I 100 per cent believe that," he said. "We're looking at a situation where people have to sit down and look at their balance sheet, at the profit and loss, and then the evil cash flow statement...

"When people start to see the economic situation worsen and they start to tighten their belts, they get introspective and start to ask themselves questions they maybe wouldn't have asked in the high times, when the world was going crazy.

"They're looking at how to survive, and in that way our phone hasn't stopped ringing. As the situation unfolded back in September I started to see a peak of calls, and it just continues to rise. If I hadn't been here to see it, a couple of years ago I probably would have laughed [at the suggestion], but in an economic crisis people really look for support, for people that can assist them.

"I believe outsourcing is one of the tools in the industry's toolbox that's been utilised all over the place, but now the true value of it is being recognised across the board."

Streamline Studios announced last week that 2008 revenues rocketed by 45 per cent on the previous year, and that another solid year in 2009 was expected.