A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual) that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Sony's PlayStation 3, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Nintendo's Wii, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers. Some developers also specialize in certain types of games, such as computer role-playing games or first-person shooters. Some focus on porting games from one system to another. Some focus on translating games from one language to another. An unusual few do other kinds of software development work in addition to games. Most video game publishers maintain development studios, such as Electronic Arts's EA Canada, Activision's Radical Entertainment, Nintendo EAD and Sony Polyphony Digital . However, as publishing is still their primary activity, they are generally described as "publishers" rather than "developers". Typically, large-scale commercial games are created by development teams within a company specializing in computer or console games. A typical modern video game can cost from USD$1,000,000 to over $20,000,000 to develop. Development is normally funded by a publisher. A contemporary game can take from one to three years to develop, though there are exceptions. In the early era of home computers and video game consoles in the early 1980s, a single programmer could handle almost all the tasks of developing a game. However the development of a modern, commercially-viable video game involves a wide variety of skill-sets and support staff. As a result, entire teams are often required to work on a single project. A typical present-day development team usually includes:
Some members of the team may handle more than one role. For example, the producer may also be the designer, or the lead programmer may also be the producer. However, while common in the early video game era, this is increasingly more uncommon now for professional games. Often in bigger game companies the development team is overseen by managers such as art directors, technical directors and design (or creative) directors. Directors work mainly as personnel managers and usually do not directly influence the product, but more to ensure that everyone in the team works coherently. Directors usually do resourcing but can also be considered people to consult with regarding various issues during game development. Careers
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Role : Gaming Development
