Tuesday, March 08, 2011

"game industry" deprived of meaning

All the time, I read industry articles that pretend Facebook apps and games like Oblivion or Modern Warfare 2 exist in the same industry.

Television and film production might require similar skills and technologies, but they are different industries with different concerns. Revenues in one are not related to the other. Books and magazines both revolve around writers, but you don't hear book critics claiming that book publishers benefit from magazine sales.

Sure, publishers like EA and Activision are involved in both apps and console games. But that General Electric makes both kitchen appliances and medical equipment doesn't unify those products within one industry.

The sales of Angry Birds and Plants vs Zombies have no bearing on the sales of console RPGs and shooters. Let's acknowledge that in the way we discuss games as an industry (or two).

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