ABSTRACT
This chapter elaborates on the people and process of making a video game, including the hurdles and considerations the industry must tackle along the way. It covers top developers and publishers, gamer demographics, and other data research. This includes information on best-selling video game franchises, in addition to major events including video game conventions and eSports. Video game publishers are responsible for the capital, marketing, legal, and licensing aspects of a video game production. A major part of this capital and publishing layer includes the process of funding of the game—which today can cost tens of millions of dollars for a single big-budget title. Beyond financing development, other publisher functions include paying for localization (adapting the game’s text, symbols, and language for other cultures), as well as covering design, layout, and printing costs (of box art, inserts, and/or instruction manuals) for physical releases.
