http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 10th 2010 7:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/No joke, I was just playing SCII right before reading this article.]]>Aug 10th 2010 7:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/
Raynor should in that picture.]]>Aug 10th 2010 7:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/
+1 SC 2 FTW

Raynor definitely looks badass now]]>Aug 10th 2010 7:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 10th 2010 7:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/
seriously. fuck my my future, all i do is play SC 2...]]>Aug 10th 2010 8:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 10th 2010 8:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 10th 2010 8:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Activision wants to charge, not Blizzard. They're part of the same company, but they act separately.

btw, Vivendi/Blizzard holds a 52% stake in the company.]]>Aug 10th 2010 8:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 10th 2010 8:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 10th 2010 8:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 10th 2010 9:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/
I can't help but feel that it is also due in part to Steam branching out to the Macs as well, Counter Strike, Half Life, etc. ]]>Aug 10th 2010 9:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/wow brings back memories
i played this as a kid
engadget thank for you choosing that picture]]>Aug 10th 2010 10:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/
You played SC2 as a kid? Wow, you grew up fast.]]>Aug 11th 2010 12:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/
I believe he meant to say, "they should put Raynor in that picture".]]>Aug 11th 2010 1:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 10th 2010 7:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 10th 2010 7:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/There are always low hanging fruit in every industry. If you suck then that's your place]]>Aug 10th 2010 7:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/
Not all game testers are paid minimum wage. Some are paid $12-$16 per hour at Publishers and much more at Developers depending on how long you've been working and how good you are.

I used to be a game tester. Long hours, yes. Of course, times have changed and the industry has gotten worse towards them, which is why I quit a few years back. Upper management do treat them like they are less than employees even though many have college educations.

And yes, they are switching to temping ... which means quality goes down. Eventually, they'll move the testing out of the country and then the quality will go down even further ... but as long as the suits get richer ... that's what's important.]]>Aug 10th 2010 7:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/its not

my roommate did this and tested borderlands... it gets old real quick, not like the movies.]]>Aug 10th 2010 7:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 10th 2010 8:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 11th 2010 1:01AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/
Hence the $90,000.]]>Aug 10th 2010 7:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/
USC offer BS and Master in video game design, and Standford offer course at Iphone Apps.]]>Aug 10th 2010 7:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 10th 2010 7:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/
Anything worthwhile takes a lot of work.]]>Aug 10th 2010 7:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 10th 2010 7:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 10th 2010 7:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/
Degree alone won't land you a job in game designer, you must work as intern first.]]>Aug 10th 2010 7:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 10th 2010 7:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 10th 2010 7:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/
Don't underestimate the change you are making. CS is not easy. ]]>Aug 10th 2010 9:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 10th 2010 7:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/
I have more friends that I can count with the digits on my hands in which they did QA for a company at what folks would call as "minimum wage" and less than a decade later, are making well over the $90K average now as Sr. Developers or double the average as Sr. Architects.

Folks, it's called "getting your foot in the door"...]]>Aug 10th 2010 7:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 10th 2010 8:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Or their college degrees aren't worth the paper they're printed on. For instance, a BSc majoring in biology is great as pre-med or as a stepping stone to a Ph.D. Aside from that it's not much use. Just a college/university degree isn't enough to get you somewhere, it has to be in a useful field, from an institution that does well in that field.]]>Aug 10th 2010 10:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 10th 2010 7:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 12th 2010 1:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 10th 2010 7:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 10th 2010 8:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 10th 2010 7:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/
1) the 90k is some aggregate of "total compensation" and takes insurance & pension into account. Read the Ars Technica link.
2) the author/poster conveniently forgets to mention the average career lifespan in the games industry is a mere 5 years.
3) I find it extremely hard to believe that the industry has 120,000 jobs, unless you're factoring in even less paying jobs such as working retail. EA has less than 9k employees, and they're the #2 company. Of those 9k employees, how many of those do you think are QA?]]>Aug 10th 2010 7:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/
The linked report says the industry directly employs about 32,000 people. The 120k number is combined direct and indirect employment. It's a *tiny* industry, and very tough to break into unless you are talented.]]>Aug 12th 2010 2:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 10th 2010 7:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 10th 2010 8:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/Aug 10th 2010 8:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/
Of course consoles will because it's more convenient to play on and relax instead of sitting at a desk your your computer is. PC games will still thrive due to games that is not ported to a console like SC, WoW, Diablo, and other games that are popular on pc's but not on consoles or is not control friendly on a console.]]>Aug 10th 2010 8:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/>PC gaming
>dying

Oh, that's right, it's been "dying" for over a decade.]]>Aug 10th 2010 9:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/video-games-industry-is-in-rude-health-unlike-the-rest-of-the-u/
STEAM

...that is all]]>Aug 11th 2010 9:38AM