Paper Abstract - Aphra Kerr

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ABSTRACT

Producing Players Not Games: The Digital Games Industry in Ireland

Aphra Kerr

During November, 2000, the Irish Times carried front-page stories on the launch of PlayStation2 in Ireland. With headlines like 'Big Queues forecast for Launch of PlayStation2 games console' and 'Hype to the power of PS2' the general public were alerted to the consumer frenzy likely to accompany the launch of this new gaming console. However the success of game consoles in Ireland did not start with the PS2. By 2001 Ireland had the highest penetration rate of PlayStations in Europe and the second highest penetration in the world at 38 percent. By contrast a survey conducted by this researcher in 2001 found that there were only five digital game development companies in Ireland, none of whom were producing console games.

Given the strong domestic and international demand for console games this paper asks why are none being produced in Ireland, one of the main exporters of software in the world and the source of much creative musical, visual and literary talent? In order to answer this question the author examines the increasing globalisation, vertical integration and convergence trends which took place in the global games industry during the 1990s and the barriers to entry that these trends have created for start-up companies. This paper will also explore some of the nationally specific problems faced by Irish start-ups including the proximity of a strong development industry in the UK and the socially constructed, largely negative, perception of the industry held in many institutional circles in Ireland. This research is informed by theories from key political economy of the media theorists (Garnham 1990) (Garnham 2000) (Cornford, Naylor et al. 2000) supplemented by insights from national systems of innovation theory (Lundvall 1992) (Porter 1998) and the sociology of science and technology (Bijker 1995) (Wajcman 1991). The paper is based on 15 in-depth interviews with players and publishers carried out during 2001 in Ireland.

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