Game Developer Research

SAN FRANCISCO — April XX, 2009 — Think Services Game Group’s Game Developer Research has revealed the results of its 2009 Game Development Outsourcing Report, which finds that the proportion of respondents whose studios use outsourced game development rose 10 percent between 2007 and 2008 from 76 percent to 86 percent. Almost 200 professional game developers were polled anonymously to construct a comprehensive look at the segment. Each was asked to answer questions about their studios’ use of outsourcing, their outsourcing budgets and plans, regional factors, and much more. The full report is available for purchase at www.gamedevresearch.com.

The report finds that game development outsourcing is on track to grow to be an even larger practice than it is now. Half of the participating developers who do not yet use outsourcing say they plan to begin outsourcing moving forward, and 95 percent of those who already use outsourcing expect to continue doing so. Other findings include the fact that a major contributor to the growth of outsourcing is the increasing cost and bandwidth required to create a high volume of assets for modern console systems, as respondents reported that Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 are the two platforms for which elements of game creation are most often outsourced. The report also finds that outsourcing is on the rise in terms of overall budget allocation. The high end of outsourcing budgets increased nearly twofold, with the proportion of companies planning to spend $2 million or more on outsourcing rising to almost 20% in 2008.

“It is the goal of Game Developer Research to provide the professional game community with an understanding of the industry landscape from multiple perspectives,” said Simon Carless, publisher of Game Developer Magazine and director of Game Developer Research. “With game outsourcing an increasingly important part of making large-scale video games, we hope this survey will give both contractors and game studios a good sense of how business practices are evolving.”

The new Game Developer Research report also discusses overall budgets, reasons for outsourcing, the selection process for choosing firms to outsource to, and the regions of the world that the respondents worked with. In addition, it includes a named list of established outsourcing studios from all regions of the world, specifically and solely using firms cited in the survey results -- with particular attention paid to those mentioned multiple times.

For more information on the report, which should be of use to companies wanting to further understand the outsourcing market, please visit the official Game Developer Research website at http://www.gamedevresearch.com.

About the Think Services Game Group

A core provider of essential information to the professional game industry, the Think Services Game Group offers market-defining content, and drives community through its award winning lineup of print, online, event and research products and services. These include Game Developer Magazine, Game Developer Research, the Webby Award-winning Gamasutra.com, GameCareerGuide.com, WorldsInMotion.biz, GameSetWatch.com, GamesOnDeck.com, SeriousGamesSource.com, the Game Developers Conference®, the Game Developers Conference® Austin, the Game Developers Conference® Europe, the Game Developers Conference® China, GDC Mobile, the Game Career Seminars, the Independent Games Festival and Summit, and the Game Developers Choice Awards. To learn more, visit www.tsgamegroup.com

About Think Services, a division of United Business Media

Think Services connects specialized communities worldwide using educational events, consulting, training, certification, membership, and innovative media. Providing comprehensive opportunities for people to learn from, network with, and inspire each other, Think Services builds strong brands and works within communities to foster a unique affinity with its products and services. The division's flagship products include the Game Developers Conference, the Webby Award-winning Gamasutra.com, Game Developer magazine, the International Customer Management Institute (ICMI), and HDI. Think Services is a subsidiary of United Business Media, a global media and marketing services company with a market capitalization of more than $1.6 billion. To learn more, visit www.think-services.com.

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CONTACT: Sibel Sunar / Brian Rubin

fortyseven communications

323-658-1200 / 212-391-4707

sibel@fortyseven.com / brian@fortyseven.com

Ben Veechai

Think Services Game Group

bveechai@think-services.com

415-947-6280