So, what important do I have to say ?
Let me start with some economics about the game industry. It's hard not to be cynical when you talk about money.
Back in 1980, the equation of profit was this:
- A guy in a garage makes a computer game
- Sell the game
- Profit !
Today, for big games, it works more or less like that:
- A team of +50 guys work on a game for a year or two
- Marketing marketing marketing (and more marketing...)
- Sell the game
- Profit
One might ask, why are the teams so big ?
Well, games needs to be good/impressive (you will see later why) and you wont impress with "just-the-technology-of-the-last-game". No, you need to deliver more BANGS-FOR-BUCKS. You need more engeneers and/or more artists and you need to pay them. In short, you need a bigger budget.
Your game can be as impressive as you want, if nobody sees it, what-for ?
That's why you need Advertisement. Simply put, to make profit, a game needs coverage and there's never enough coverage: press, TV ads, internet, you name it! In one word, you need HYPE. Good hype ensures good sells.
So, this lead us to a spiral:
- Bigger budget needs good sells, go to 2
- Good sells require good marketing, go to 3
- Good marketing wants an impressive game, go to 4
- Impressive games ask for bigger budget go to 1
And this is why the budget keeps growing, and growing, and growing... Untill when ? I have no idea.
You would say that this doesn't apply to mobiles or casual games but it does. Just watch the App Market.
Ps: To make things simple, I might have to taken shortcuts. If you are pissed off about it, oh well, I don't care!
