Changing the Rules of the Game

Few industries fit the description of high turbulence and high velocity better than the computer games industry. Relatively young, rapidly evolving, and frequently experiencing disruptive innovation, its potential for growth and new business opportunities seems barely exhausted. And indeed, in the current economic climate this industry seems positively recession-proof. Those making and those playing games use digital technology to share an enthusiasm for the industry's products that we rarely find elsewhere. This fascination with computer games and gaming and the economic significance of the industry make it one of the most remarkable socio-cultural phenomena of our world. As the industry emerges, we become more aware of the need to trace it and to understand it in all its meanings, and the challenges it poses. The 10 chapters in this book provide an examination of the computer games industry from 10 different perspectives, discussing the following aspects:
• The spatial logic of the industry
• Business model innovation
• Games development - a risky business
• Co-production and the role of the consumer
• Business sustainability
• The place of creativity
• Emerging people management challenges
• Violent games and work well-being
• A critical perspective on games as phantasmagoric commodities
• Virtual worlds - blurring boundaries between realities and games