SA game dev stats - local industry gaining strength

[James]

SA game dev stats – local industry gaining strength

Make Games SA has revealed some stats from its development community over the year 2013

[brendanvb]

Didn't realise there was much of an industry in SA. Some of those titles sound really exciting - Eskom Energy Planner anyone? :P

[Mister 44]

Didn't realise there was much of an industry in SA. Some of those titles sound really exciting - Eskom Energy Planner anyone? :P

Let's do an Eskom CEO simulator. It's exactly like Sims, but with an infinite money cheat.

Back on topic: I think the main reason big developers won't open a local dev house is lack of experienced employees. If SA devs can get a steady stream of Indie games in the market it will be another story. Another factor may be the number of strikes in SA. You don't want a strike and union issues a month before release of a AAA title.

[Solitude]

It's great that the SA game industry is growing and that we are getting games out there. My question is, when do we get a AAA game studio in South Africa and release something big? Indie games are great but just imagine the jobs that will be created if a big game studio is started in South Africa. Our labour is cheaper than overseas so surely it should be feasible.

[brendanvb]

It's great that the SA game industry is growing and that we are getting games out there. My question is, when do we get a AAA game studio in South Africa and release something big? Indie games are great but just imagine the jobs that will be created if a big game studio is started in South Africa. Our labour is cheaper than overseas so surely it should be feasible.

Yeah you raise a good point. But much like film I think SA would have difficulty breaking into the mainstream market. Which is unfortunate.

[Stunt]

Yeah you raise a good point. But much like film I think SA would have difficulty breaking into the mainstream market. Which is unfortunate.

I think Solitude is referring to getting an established Developing House to open a local-talent Dev Branch in SA. If Ubisoft, for example where to open a Ubisoft Cape Town Dev House it would pull great talent and as Solitude stipulates create brilliant opportunities for many unknown geniuses in our country.

[brendanvb]

I think Solitude is referring to getting an established Developing House to open a local-talent Dev Branch in SA. If Ubisoft, for example where to open a Ubisoft Cape Town Dev House it would pull great talent and as Solitude stipulates create brilliant opportunities for many unknown geniuses in our country.

Oh that makes sense. I'd definitely like to see that happen.

[XbatousaiX]

It's great that the SA game industry is growing and that we are getting games out there. My question is, when do we get a AAA game studio in South Africa and release something big? Indie games are great but just imagine the jobs that will be created if a big game studio is started in South Africa. Our labour is cheaper than overseas so surely it should be feasible.

There was a studio called I-Imagine but they backed the wrong horse by releasing there game exclusively on the original X-BOX.
It had potential but the ps2 was dominating by the time the game came out

[brendanvb]

There was a studio called I-Imagine but they backed the wrong horse by releasing there game exclusively on the original X-BOX.
It had potential but the ps2 was dominating by the time the game came out

What game did they release? Did we even have the original Xbox in South Africa? I don't recall having ever seen it anywhere at the time.

[XbatousaiX]

What game did they release? Did we even have the original Xbox in South Africa? I don't recall having ever seen it anywhere at the time.

It was called chase and no the X-BOX didn't come out in SA. The game was pretty good but very short.