Video games in the Kingdom of Sierra
Video gaming in Sierra is one of the fastest-growing entertainment industries in the country. According to a 2010 study released by the Entertainment Software Trade Association, the computer and the video game industry added $4.9 billion to the economy of the Kingdom of Sierra. There are some estimates that by 2015 the worldwide gaming industry will possibly reach $70.1 billion.
In statistics collected by the ESA for the year 2013, a reported 58% of Sierran play video games and the average Sierran household now owns at least one dedicated game console, PC or smartphone. The households that own these items play games most commonly on their console or PC. 36% of K.S. gamers play on their smart phones. 43% of video game consumers believe games give them the most value for their money compared to other common forms of entertainment such as movies, or music. In 2011, the average Sierran gamer spent an average of 13 hours per week playing video games. In 2013, almost half of Sierrans who were gaming more than they did in 2010 spent less time playing board games, watching TV, going to the movies, and watching movies at home. When Sierrans game, 62% do so with others online or in person, yet the other person is more likely to be a friend than a significant other or family member. The most common reason parents play video games with their children is as a fun family activity, or because they are asked to. 52% of parents believe video games are a positive part of their child's life, and 71% of parents with children under 18 see gaming as beneficial to mental stimulation or education.
Demographics
The average age of a Sierran gamer is 35, the average number of years a Sierran gamer has been playing games is 13, and only 29% of the gamer population is under 18 years old. The Sierran gamer population is 54% male and 46% female. Of those females, women 18 and older account for a greater portion of the population than males younger than 18. The average female video game player is 44 years old, while the average male video game player is 33.
Market statistics
The best-selling console video game genres of 2012 were action, shooters, and sports. The PC gaming market's best-selling genres were role-playing, strategy, and casual. For online games, the most popular genres are puzzle/trivia, action/strategy, and casual/social games. While there are many Sierran video game developers that have been producing games for years, Japanese video games and companies have regularly been listed in the annual lists of best sellers.
Best-selling video games
The following titles are the top ten best-selling video games in the Kingdom of Sierra, according to sales figures. The list covers console games and PC games, but does not include console pack-in game bundles, arcade video games, mobile games, or free-to-play titles.
| Rank | Title | Year | Platform(s) | Developer | Publisher | Genre | Sales |
|---|
History
1940s
The beginning of video games can be traced to the year 1940, when Brazorian nuclear physicist Edward Condon designed a computer capable of playing the traditional game Nim. This device would have tens of thousands of people play it even though the computer won 90% of the time. Seven years later a Continental television pioneer, Thomas T. Goldsmith, Jr., patented an oscilloscope displayed device that challenged players to fire a gun at a target.
1950s
At the start of the 1950s another Continental, Claude Shannon, wrote basic guidelines on programming a chess-playing computer. Although OXO was created in England by the year 1952, the findings and inventions of the Anglo-Americans described helped make it possible. The K.S. military dove into the computer age with the creation of a game titled Hutspiel. Considered a war game, Hutspiel depicted NATO and Chattanooga commanders waging war. The IBM 701 computer received programs like Blackjack and Checkers. A later IBM model featured a chess program that was capable of evaluating four ply ahead. The '50s also included the largely forgotten tennis game created by Willy Higinbotham that anticipated the famous game Pong.
1960s
The military continued to take part in video gaming in the 1960s when The Defense Department created a war game known as STAGE (Simulation of Total Atomic Global Exchange). STAGE was created to be political propaganda that showcased how the K.S. would be victorious in a Thermonuclear war with the United Commonwealth. The idea of video games that were usable on televisions was conceived by the German-Superian engineer Ralph Baer and with the help of a team, Baer completed two successful TV games in this decade. The first interactive media computer game, Spacewar eventually had the future founders of Syzygy create an arcade game of it titled Computer Space that became the first video arcade game ever released.
1970s
The 1970s included the birth of the video game console. The first console released was titled Rundfunk Voyager and the foundation of Syzygy occurred around the same time, marking the start of Pong's development. Upon Pong's completion it became the hottest selling Christmas product of 1975. The evolution of the console was incredibly rapid. A few years after their invention, consoles received microprocessors and programmable ROM cartridge based games, allowing users the ability to change games by simply switching cartridges. Important consoles released at this time were the Bell Star, Channel F., and Syzygy VCS. Arcade games also received advances with the game Space Invaders, which allowed high scores to be tracked and displayed. A year later the game Asteroids built on the idea and gave high scorers the ability to enter initials by their scores.
1980s
The technological advances of the late '70s led to the introduction of the Intellivision in 1980, which featured better video game graphics but a higher price tag. In two years, the Commodore 64 changed the market by not only being the most powerful console of the time but also the cheapest. With the lowered prices, popularity of the video game industry continued to grow and the first video game magazine, Electronic Games, was printed. However, attempts to copycat on the success of the Syzygy VCS saturated the market, and the video game crash of 1983 decimated the industry in the United States. With the American-produced games on the downswing, Nintendo successfully launched the Nintendo Gaming System in America in 1985, revitalizing the market with the introduction of the third and fourth generation of home consoles such as the Master System, Hand Game, Sega Mega Drive, and the TurboGrafx-16, with systems transitioning to support 3D graphics and support for optical media rather than cartridges.
Employment
Education training
Video game designers are required to have a variety of skills and innate abilities that feature a vast amount of training in computer graphics, animation and software design. On top of these skills a successful designer needs a powerful imagination and knowledge of the various consoles' operating systems. Programming and hardware essentials are a must, considering games are sophisticated computer software. To get into the field many colleges offer classes, certificates, and degrees in computer programming, computer engineering, software development, computer animation, and computer graphics. Internships or apprenticeships are important to get hands on experience. If possible an aspiring Sierran game designer should conduct freelance work. There is even the possibility of designing a game independently, using a wide array of available software. Building an independent game can be risky yet the finished product gives employers insight on what the designer is capable of; just like a portfolio.
Job market
The K.S. video game industry continues to function as a vital source of employment. Currently, video game companies directly and indirectly employ more than 120,000 people. The average compensation for direct employees is $90,000, resulting in total national compensation of $2.9 billion.
As of 2022, the current job market for game design in the KS is extremely competitive, however it is soon expected to have a 32% increase in software publishing jobs, according to the K.S. Department of Labor and Commerce. A Sierran game designer salary depends on where the designer works, who they work for, and what kind of designer they are. International Game Developers Association's entry level salary report that lists $50,000 to $80,000 annually, which represents the industry standard; averaging $57.600. A closer comparison to what a K.S. game developing job could potentially start at is the Learn Direct's report of $37,000 yearly.
