Developer: Australian Game Industry Not Dead

Australia has had more than its share of studio closures and mergers over the past few months, but one Australian developer says that the industry's death in the country has been exaggerated, adding that it isn't even "wounded." Australian videogame developer Stephan Shutze says that, despite appearances, the Australian videogame industry is not in trouble at all.

Shutze said that the Australian industry is simply changing, and while those changes can be difficult for those directly affected by it (in the form of layoffs, closures, and relocations), it is simply the natural course of a metamorphosis rather than a tragedy. He also compared the industry to the movie industry in the 20th century, which changed from the gigantic movie studio structure to smaller independent studios. Finally he noted that the success of free-to-play and casual space on new platforms has caught a lot of big studios off guard.

"Smaller independent studios have rushed in and achieved success in many surprising ways," he said. "Even individual developers are creating a living for themselves producing small titles. And before you discount this as relevant to the survival of an industry, ask how many film producers can generate a living income by themselves."

You can read his entire commentary at The Age.

Source: The Escapist.