The number of game developers in NSW

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Submitted by souri on
Forum
Industry and Education

I wonder.. why is the number of games developing studios in NSW so pitifully small? You'd think that in a state with the largest number of people in Australia, and a good amount of resources/talent would be more than enough to support a big number of game companies.. as it is, NSW is a VERY distant third, behind Victoria and Queensland - both of which have many, many good studios..
I can see why Victoria has so many devs and start ups with the amount of the support the Victorian government has for the games industry, and hey, Queensland seems to be snagging all the overseas investments (and ya can't blame them.. would be a great place to work with all that sun, beach etc).. And then you have NSW, with only 3 mid to large sized dev studios.. I have 3 programmer friends who had to move interstate to get into the games industry, and I think that's the current trend at the moment.. If you're in NSW, your options are very, very limited unless you make the move..
I wonder if the NSW government has any initiatives for encouraging games development.. most probably not.
Sorry.. I am just thinking out loud. [:)]

Don't get me started on the amount of devs in W.A and S.A...

Submitted by Daemin on Thu, 27/02/03 - 11:31 PMPermalink

But then again Adelaide is almost the back end of beyond, we've got 2 development houses, which is a fair bit considering the number of people we have living here - under 1 million in the suburbs... While Melbourne's got several million people living in the "city" and suburbs... And the development houses in Queensland are spread all over the coast I believe, just as the beach and the sun is, and they also have a far greater population than SA.

Bleh

Submitted by Malus on Fri, 28/02/03 - 12:42 AMPermalink

Most of the Queensland developers are just out of the CBD in Brisbane in areas such as New Farm and Fortitude Valley. Don't actually know of any on the beach, but it would be a good idea, surf during your lunch break lol.

Dean Ferguson - 3D/2D Artist

http://www.inkmancomic.com/dean/portfolio/index.html

Submitted by aki on Fri, 28/02/03 - 4:35 AMPermalink

I've wondered about this too and its frustrating for me, as a NSW resident. Is it the lack of support in the state? Export tax issues? I know there was some schemes in the past to promote IT and R&D areas in the state, with the development of things such as the Australian Technology Park.

Does anyone think that this statistic will change anytime soon, or is it pretty much gonna be the way it is? Who here has relocated for a game company outside of NSW?

Submitted by Daemin on Fri, 28/02/03 - 8:29 AMPermalink

I would think the cost of setting up a business (office space rental?) in Sydney would be larger than both Melbourne and Adelaide, but then Adelaide is probably the cheapest so that kinda doesn't make too much sense.

For Queensland I'd say its the sun that's bringing the international developers there, for Melbourne I'd say that its the more popular city than Sydney, so that's why developers would go there.

Submitted by Sertan on Fri, 28/02/03 - 9:48 AMPermalink

It could be that productivity in those two cities are higher than in NSW due to the difference in interest for entering the videogames industry as a career choice. Could be.

We like a man who comes right out and says what he thinks - when he agrees with us.

Submitted by souri on Fri, 28/02/03 - 10:01 AMPermalink

quote:Originally posted by Daemin

I would think the cost of setting up a business (office space rental?) in Sydney would be larger than both Melbourne and Adelaide, but then Adelaide is probably the cheapest so that kinda doesn't make too much sense.

Having the actual office in the CBD in Sydney would be costly, but they can always set up in the 'burbs around Sydney.. Microforte are in Chippingnorton, which is like way out west from Sydney.. Personally, I'd prefer to commute to Chippingnorton than to the CBD.. I used to work right in the middle of the city and had to travel every day by train. Peak hour train commuting is worse than you can imgaine!
I think Microforte are moving location soon actually..

Submitted by inglis on Fri, 28/02/03 - 11:28 AMPermalink

gearbox could be moving down, thats 3 companies in a month.
creative assembly, thq and possible gearbox. very good news :)
keep em' coming :)

lachlan inglis
Showreel WIP: http://effectism.com/sample/

Submitted by davidcoen on Fri, 28/02/03 - 11:50 AMPermalink

ahhh, but NSW has at least 5 pokermachine companies and numourious animation houses (ok, so i didn't know we had a disney animation studio here...) and a few software houses, just only MF and perception (or whatever) for game companies with money that i know of...

Submitted by souri on Fri, 28/02/03 - 10:28 PMPermalink

quote:Originally posted by akiWho here has relocated for a game company outside of NSW?

Not me, but a few friends have moved to work at Blue Tongue and Infogrames Melbourne House..
I've known quite a few *extremely* talented pixel artists from about 7 years ago who have all disappeared.. these guys would have been extremely talented game artists, but they moved on into the field of graphic design or something else dubious. I'm sure these people would have jumped at the chance at working in the games industry, but 7 years ago there wasn't as much activity happening in Australia, let alone NSW. :)

Submitted by GooberMan on Sat, 01/03/03 - 1:05 AMPermalink

I used to live in Sydney until October 2001 (moved up here to apply for the QANTM course) - lived about a 10 min Drive from Chipping Norton too. I guess the main reason is the cost down there - it's cheaper in Queensland for example than pretty much anywhere in Sydney to rent/lease a place.

Ethan Watson
Current job: Programmer, Krome Studios

Submitted by Daemin on Sat, 01/03/03 - 8:27 AMPermalink

I guess Sydney is the Movie capital of Australia (even tho Adelaide is kinda trying).

Melbourne and Brisbane are fighting it out to be the Games capital of Australia then.

Submitted by souri on Wed, 05/03/03 - 11:28 PMPermalink

quote:Originally posted by Souri

And then you have NSW, with only 3 mid to large sized dev studios..

I guess that is down to 2 mid to large sized dev studios now (Microforte, Perception?).. something is stirring up at SSG.. Closing down? Splintered off to Melbourne? Who knows..

Submitted by Tripitaka on Mon, 17/03/03 - 5:40 AMPermalink

The state of technology in NSW is absolutely hopeless, whereas in Victoria the government is actively supporting new ventures. That's why the AGDC moved down there.

Trying to be a game designer in Sydney certainly does narrow your options.

Posted by souri on
Forum
Industry and Education

I wonder.. why is the number of games developing studios in NSW so pitifully small? You'd think that in a state with the largest number of people in Australia, and a good amount of resources/talent would be more than enough to support a big number of game companies.. as it is, NSW is a VERY distant third, behind Victoria and Queensland - both of which have many, many good studios..
I can see why Victoria has so many devs and start ups with the amount of the support the Victorian government has for the games industry, and hey, Queensland seems to be snagging all the overseas investments (and ya can't blame them.. would be a great place to work with all that sun, beach etc).. And then you have NSW, with only 3 mid to large sized dev studios.. I have 3 programmer friends who had to move interstate to get into the games industry, and I think that's the current trend at the moment.. If you're in NSW, your options are very, very limited unless you make the move..
I wonder if the NSW government has any initiatives for encouraging games development.. most probably not.
Sorry.. I am just thinking out loud. [:)]

Don't get me started on the amount of devs in W.A and S.A...

Submitted by Daemin on Thu, 27/02/03 - 11:31 PMPermalink

But then again Adelaide is almost the back end of beyond, we've got 2 development houses, which is a fair bit considering the number of people we have living here - under 1 million in the suburbs... While Melbourne's got several million people living in the "city" and suburbs... And the development houses in Queensland are spread all over the coast I believe, just as the beach and the sun is, and they also have a far greater population than SA.

Bleh

Submitted by Malus on Fri, 28/02/03 - 12:42 AMPermalink

Most of the Queensland developers are just out of the CBD in Brisbane in areas such as New Farm and Fortitude Valley. Don't actually know of any on the beach, but it would be a good idea, surf during your lunch break lol.

Dean Ferguson - 3D/2D Artist

http://www.inkmancomic.com/dean/portfolio/index.html

Submitted by aki on Fri, 28/02/03 - 4:35 AMPermalink

I've wondered about this too and its frustrating for me, as a NSW resident. Is it the lack of support in the state? Export tax issues? I know there was some schemes in the past to promote IT and R&D areas in the state, with the development of things such as the Australian Technology Park.

Does anyone think that this statistic will change anytime soon, or is it pretty much gonna be the way it is? Who here has relocated for a game company outside of NSW?

Submitted by Daemin on Fri, 28/02/03 - 8:29 AMPermalink

I would think the cost of setting up a business (office space rental?) in Sydney would be larger than both Melbourne and Adelaide, but then Adelaide is probably the cheapest so that kinda doesn't make too much sense.

For Queensland I'd say its the sun that's bringing the international developers there, for Melbourne I'd say that its the more popular city than Sydney, so that's why developers would go there.

Submitted by Sertan on Fri, 28/02/03 - 9:48 AMPermalink

It could be that productivity in those two cities are higher than in NSW due to the difference in interest for entering the videogames industry as a career choice. Could be.

We like a man who comes right out and says what he thinks - when he agrees with us.

Submitted by souri on Fri, 28/02/03 - 10:01 AMPermalink

quote:Originally posted by Daemin

I would think the cost of setting up a business (office space rental?) in Sydney would be larger than both Melbourne and Adelaide, but then Adelaide is probably the cheapest so that kinda doesn't make too much sense.

Having the actual office in the CBD in Sydney would be costly, but they can always set up in the 'burbs around Sydney.. Microforte are in Chippingnorton, which is like way out west from Sydney.. Personally, I'd prefer to commute to Chippingnorton than to the CBD.. I used to work right in the middle of the city and had to travel every day by train. Peak hour train commuting is worse than you can imgaine!
I think Microforte are moving location soon actually..

Submitted by inglis on Fri, 28/02/03 - 11:28 AMPermalink

gearbox could be moving down, thats 3 companies in a month.
creative assembly, thq and possible gearbox. very good news :)
keep em' coming :)

lachlan inglis
Showreel WIP: http://effectism.com/sample/

Submitted by davidcoen on Fri, 28/02/03 - 11:50 AMPermalink

ahhh, but NSW has at least 5 pokermachine companies and numourious animation houses (ok, so i didn't know we had a disney animation studio here...) and a few software houses, just only MF and perception (or whatever) for game companies with money that i know of...

Submitted by souri on Fri, 28/02/03 - 10:28 PMPermalink

quote:Originally posted by akiWho here has relocated for a game company outside of NSW?

Not me, but a few friends have moved to work at Blue Tongue and Infogrames Melbourne House..
I've known quite a few *extremely* talented pixel artists from about 7 years ago who have all disappeared.. these guys would have been extremely talented game artists, but they moved on into the field of graphic design or something else dubious. I'm sure these people would have jumped at the chance at working in the games industry, but 7 years ago there wasn't as much activity happening in Australia, let alone NSW. :)

Submitted by GooberMan on Sat, 01/03/03 - 1:05 AMPermalink

I used to live in Sydney until October 2001 (moved up here to apply for the QANTM course) - lived about a 10 min Drive from Chipping Norton too. I guess the main reason is the cost down there - it's cheaper in Queensland for example than pretty much anywhere in Sydney to rent/lease a place.

Ethan Watson
Current job: Programmer, Krome Studios

Submitted by Daemin on Sat, 01/03/03 - 8:27 AMPermalink

I guess Sydney is the Movie capital of Australia (even tho Adelaide is kinda trying).

Melbourne and Brisbane are fighting it out to be the Games capital of Australia then.

Submitted by souri on Wed, 05/03/03 - 11:28 PMPermalink

quote:Originally posted by Souri

And then you have NSW, with only 3 mid to large sized dev studios..

I guess that is down to 2 mid to large sized dev studios now (Microforte, Perception?).. something is stirring up at SSG.. Closing down? Splintered off to Melbourne? Who knows..

Submitted by Tripitaka on Mon, 17/03/03 - 5:40 AMPermalink

The state of technology in NSW is absolutely hopeless, whereas in Victoria the government is actively supporting new ventures. That's why the AGDC moved down there.

Trying to be a game designer in Sydney certainly does narrow your options.