GameSetQ: Game Developer Research Asks For Game Outsourcing Facts
So, as you might have guessed, outsourcing of asset creation for the game industry is starting to become a big deal - when I visited Shanghai in 2006, it was pretty startling to see the significant amount of art assets for games already being created there.
But how far has it gone, and how much will outsourcing expand in the game biz? At Game Developer Research, we're working with Chinese research specialist Niko Partners to complete a research paper about Chinese outsourcing - and we'll do our own wider survey in 2008, most likely.
We're not advocating for outsourcing one way or the other, incidentally - just documenting. And we need your help, if you work at a game developer and are involved with outsourced asset/code creation as an executive. As we explain:
"If eligible as an executive looking at/carrying out outsourcing, you are invited to take five minutes to complete the 2007 Game Development Outsourcing in China Survey. The information you provide is critical to the market research being collected on China as a resource for the outsourced development of games."
"This survey is anonymous in that none of the information presented will be associated with any individuals or companies. The data will be used in a market research study authored by Niko Partners in association with Game Developers Research to track the growth of outsourced development of games in China."
"In appreciation of your time and effort, your name will be entered into a drawing to win a complimentary Classic Pass to the 2008 Game Developers Conference (February 18-22, 2008 in San Francisco - Approximate Value = $995) when we receive your completed survey."
Comments
Please please please do not confuse outsourcing with OFFSHORING!
Outsourcing is hiring other parties to do work. It should not be done because it is cheap, but because it is the best way to put together a production entity to do a work. If you are focused on quality, you don't just assume that whoever is in your company is the best to do this new game about (insert subject matter X) - instead you hand-pick somebody from out there in the world who is the best for it. It's called auditioning. Almost all the "labour" (including the direction, writing, star acting etc) on every film made is, technically, outsourced. Unless a movie director/star (whoever) owns the company producing a film, they are outsourcing their work. It gives them the flexibility to focus on making the utmost quality work.
Offshoring is a different story. I was interviewed to work as a game designer for a company in China. The first thing the guy asked me was how much do you want to get paid? Not what games are you focused on making?; what genres do you specialize in?; what subject-matters do you specialize in?; what games do you think worked; what games do you like? Just right to the bottom-line: how much do you cost? That's the focus of offshoring. Cost. Different animal.
Posted by: CaRteR | July 12, 2007 8:15 PM