VIDEO GAME DEVELOPERS

What They Do ?
• A video game developer creates the content that appears in the game. They are there to design the story line
and the graphics of the game

• The game developers normally specialize in one genre like Codemaster which specializes in racing games (F1 ,
grid , dirt 3).

• The video game developer May specialise in making games for one console manufacturer

• May be ‘first party’ (associated with a specific console manufacturer)

• May be ‘third party’ (associated with a specific video games publisher, often owned by them)

• May be independent (not associated with a specific video games publisher or console manufacturer
 Third Party
Third-party developers are usually called
by a video game publisher to develop a
video game for one or more consoles
(Xbox, PS3, Wii).
 First Party
In the video game industry, a first-party
developer is a developer that is part of a
company that actually manufactures a video
game console. First-party developers may
either use the name of the company itself, like
Nintendo; have a specific division name like
Sony's Polyphony Digital; or have formerly
been an independent studio before being
acquired by the console manufacturer, such as
Rare or Naughty Dog.
 Independent
Independents are small software developers
that are not owned or belong to a single
publisher. Some of these developers self-
publish their games, relying on the Internet
and word of mouth for publicity. Without the
huge marketing budgets of mainstream
publishers, their products almost never get as
much recognition or popular acclaim as those
of larger publishers such as Sony, Microsoft, or
Nintendo. However, they are free to explore
experimental themes and styles of gameplay
that mainstream publishers would not risk
their money on
 DMA Design was founded in 1988 by David
Jones, Russell Kay, Steve Hammond and Mike
Dailly in Dundee, Scotland. DMA Design then
changed its name in 2001 to become Rockstar
North

Rockstar is an
independent game
developer as it is not
associated with a
specific video games
publisher or console
manufacturer
Rock stars biggest three games are red
dead, midnight club and grand theft
auto. Grand theft auto is life simulation
same as is red dead. But midnight club
genre is action and racing. Rockstar
mainly specialises in life simulation
games but do make other games
Founded in 1986 by Richard and
David Darling. Codemasters
quickly established themselves Codemaster is an
mostly with action games and independent game
racing games. Codemasters have developer as it is
recently release titles for the not associated with
modern consoles (Xbox/PS3/Wii) , a specific video
such as the Toca touring car games publisher or
series, Colin McRae rally series, console
Brian Lara cricket series and manufacturer
Operation Flashpoint.

Codemasters three biggest games are Grid, F1

and Dirt 2. these three games are all similar as
they are all racing games although they focus
on a different type of racing. All three games
may focus on different areas of racing but they
all shear the same genre witch is driving.
Eidos’s three biggest games are Kane &
lynch, batman and just cause. these three
games are all similar as they all allow you to
roam around and do the missions when you
wish. All three games share the same genre Eidos is an
which is action and adventure. independent game
developer as it is not
affiliated with a
specific video games
publisher or console
manufacturer

Products Eidos Interactive, was founded

Tomb Raider series
Hit man series
in 1990 as a company
Deus Ex series specialising in video game
Kane & Lynch
Thief series
development
Championship Manager series
Legacy of Kane series
Revenue : £179.1 million (2006)
Operating income : £28.8 million (2006)
Profit : £8.1 million (2006)