MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - 20 March 2009 - Australian game developers are set to descend in record numbers upon the annual Game Developers’ Conference in San Francisco, U.S.A. Spanning the gamut from casual and mobile developers, to currentgen and MMO studios, the Australian development community is anticipating a year of growth for the local industry despite the current economic climate. And with more than 30 developers attending GDC, the signs are encouraging for the Australian development community.
"There is no question the current economic crisis has had an adverse effect on our industry, but it has put Australian developers in a unique and enviable position," said Mr Tom Crago, President of the Game Developers’ Association of Australia. "The simple fact is that right now you get far more value for money developing in Australia than in pretty much any other territory in the world."
Significant currency fluctuations over the past twelve months constitute bad news for Australians holidaying overseas, but provide a massive comparative advantage for Australian-based game studios. "We now have a situation where Australian teams can deliver more on a game than ever before," said Mr Crago. "Studios can now put more resources onto a project, with no increase in cost to our publisher partners. It’s a great situation for everybody involved."
Crago also pointed to recent titles like deBlob, Puzzle Quest, The Force Unleashed, and Pony Friends as examples of Australian-developed games that had enjoyed both critical and commercial success.
Prominent Australian developers attending GDC 2009 include Infinite Interactive, Halfbrick Studios, Transmission Games, Tantalus, Firemint, Iron Monkey Studios, Endgame Studios, Redtribe, Wicked Witch, and Torus Games.
The GDAA will host a networking function at GDC at Roe Restaurant on Thursday 26 March.
I love the Firemint GDC
I love the Firemint GDC page: http://www.firemint.com/gdc/
Hope everyone enjoys themselves! (i know i would *grumble*)
- RH
Why is it that Tom does not
Why is it that Tom does not mention the largest companies in Australia are going to be there too? Krome? THQ? He's happy to mention their games but not the companies.... and Australia brought to you by Pony Friends - geez.... which hat are you wearing Tom?
(It's a bit like sesame street - which one of these just doesn't belong - deBlob, Puzzle Quest, The Force Unleashed, and Pony Friends....)
Tom is the business man, so
Tom is the business man, so its natural that he's going to plug his own product. He did mention de blob that is THQ. Krome is not a member of the GDAA hence why Tom Crago the president isn't going to endorse them.
I think the original poster
I think the original poster is indicating that Tom shouldn't be mentioning his own product when acting as the GDAA president unless it is *very* relevant and timely otherwise he is conflicted - he may be a businessman but he should not be in the business of using the GDAA as a vehicle to promote Tantalus.
Pony Friends is a while back now and is not what we should hold up as a prime example of the best that we can acheive in our industry... and as the poster says, it does not belong in that group of titles.
As another poster points out, THQ and Krome are not members so you don't see their names in the press release, but it is then more than cheeky for the GDAA to take credit for their games in that release and then even more so for Tom to put their games alongside his own.....
Tom Crago is president of
Tom Crago is president of the GDAA, and Krome aren't members of GDAA hence why he probably didn't mention them.
Also he did mention THQ, de blob and all.
Tom is a pretty natural business man, of course he's going to mention his own product, he did mention it last though.
The THQ studios Blue Tongue
The THQ studios Blue Tongue and THQ Queensland might/might not be showcasing their publicly known wares at the GDC but being third party studios and under the THQ banner they can't showcase or pitch any independent IP projects as everything they do is owned by rights to THQ.
They can and do create original IP. But they pitch it to THQ in a internal process which goes through many stages. :)
Thanks to Tom Cargo for lip service to Da Blob as well. :) Makes me proud I worked on it!
Third time a charm i
Third time a charm i hope.
Tom Crago is president of the GDAA, Krome are not members hence why he's probably not mentioning them. He has a obligation to promote the members.
Also he did mention THQ, deblob etc.
Also Tom is a natural sales/business man, of course he's going to mention his own product.
Argh dumb browser, it kept
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