Think Services Game Group's Game Developer Research Finds Outsourcing in the Game...

Think Services Game Group's Game Developer Research Finds Outsourcing in the
Game Industry Increasing in 2009 Game Development Outsourcing Report

Survey Results Based on Responses of Close to 200 Developers On Their Use of
Outsourcing, Outsourcing Budgets and Plans, Regional Factors and More

SAN FRANCISCO, April 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Think Services Game Group's Game
Developer Research has revealed the results of its 2009 Game Development
Outsourcing Report, which finds that the proportion of respondents whose
studios use outsourced game development rose 10 percent between 2007 and 2008
from 76 percent to 86 percent. Almost 200 professional game developers were
polled anonymously to construct a comprehensive look at the segment. Each was
asked to answer questions about their studios' use of outsourcing, their
outsourcing budgets and plans, regional factors, and much more. The full
report is available for purchase at www.gamedevresearch.com.

The report finds that game development outsourcing is on track to grow to be
an even larger practice than it is now. Half of the participating developers
who do not yet use outsourcing say they plan to begin outsourcing moving
forward, and 95 percent of those who already use outsourcing expect to
continue doing so. Other findings include the fact that a major contributor
to the growth of outsourcing is the increasing cost and bandwidth required to
create a high volume of assets for modern console systems, as respondents
reported that Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 are the two platforms for which
elements of game creation are most often outsourced. The report also finds
that outsourcing is on the rise in terms of overall budget allocation. The
high end of outsourcing budgets increased nearly twofold, with the proportion
of companies planning to spend $2 million or more on outsourcing rising to
almost 20% in 2008.

"It is the goal of Game Developer Research to provide the professional game
community with an understanding of the industry landscape from multiple
perspectives," said Simon Carless, publisher of Game Developer Magazine and
director of Game Developer Research. "With game outsourcing an increasingly
important part of making large-scale video games, we hope this survey will
give both contractors and game studios a good sense of how business practices
are evolving."

The new Game Developer Research report also discusses overall budgets, reasons
for outsourcing, the selection process for choosing firms to outsource to, and
the regions of the world that the respondents worked with. In addition, it
includes a named list of established outsourcing studios from all regions of
the world, specifically and solely using firms cited in the survey results --
with particular attention paid to those mentioned multiple times.

For more information on the report, which should be of use to companies
wanting to further understand the outsourcing market, please visit the
official Game Developer Research website at http://www.gamedevresearch.com.

About the Think Services Game Group
A core provider of essential information to the professional game industry,
the Think Services Game Group offers market-defining content, and drives
community through its award winning lineup of print, online, event and
research products and services. These include Game Developer Magazine, Game
Developer Research, the Webby Award-winning Gamasutra.com,
GameCareerGuide.com, WorldsInMotion.biz, GameSetWatch.com, GamesOnDeck.com,
SeriousGamesSource.com, the Game Developers Conference(R), the Game Developers
Conference(R) Austin, the Game Developers Conference(R) Europe, the Game
Developers Conference(R) China, GDC Mobile, the Game Career Seminars, the
Independent Games Festival and Summit, and the Game Developers Choice Awards.
To learn more, visit www.tsgamegroup.com

About Think Services, a division of United Business Media
Think Services connects specialized communities worldwide using educational
events, consulting, training, certification, membership, and innovative media.
Providing comprehensive opportunities for people to learn from, network with,
and inspire each other, Think Services builds strong brands and works within
communities to foster a unique affinity with its products and services. The
division's flagship products include the Game Developers Conference, the Webby
Award-winning Gamasutra.com, Game Developer magazine, the International
Customer Management Institute (ICMI), and HDI. Think Services is a subsidiary
of United Business Media, a global media and marketing services company with a
market capitalization of more than $1.6 billion. To learn more, visit
www.think-services.com.

SOURCE Think Services Game Group

Sibel Sunar, +1-323-658-1200, sibel@fortyseven.com, or Brian Rubin,
+1-212-391-4707, brian@fortyseven.com, both of fortyseven communications for
Think Services Game Group; or Ben Veechai of Think Services Game Group,
+1-415-947-6280, bveechai@think-services.com