Joint Research Centre. The European Commission s in-house science service

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1 Joint Research Centre The European Commission s in-house science service 1

2 Digital Games for Empowerment & Inclusion (DGEI) DGEI Policy Workshop, 24 September 2012, Brussels Shaping DGEI: video games, serious games and policy actions James Stewart JRC-IPTS, Information Society Unit The views expressed by the author are not necessarily those of the EC 2

3 Topics and Questions on supply of DGEI Who should we be talking to, and what are they doing? Video game industry and markets Serious Games research, development and markets What can the video games industry, the serious games industry DGEI? Existing Policy activity in the field of entertainment and serious games. What could policy do for DGEI? 3

4 Video games industry? 10/23/2012 4

5 Video Games Industry and Market Global Video games industry is worth $56bn/year->85bn (2015) (PWC) European markets make up 30% of world market Major players e.g. EA have revenues of over 4bn USD 10% of Europe Software industry; 20% of UK Interactive Media industry workforce (depending on classification) 21 st C. digital game culture familiar to much of the population Many genres: Facebook poker to WW, Wii-fit to Foursqure Popular titles sell over 10 million copies (>40 /unit) Online 'casual' games reporting up to 70 million monthly annual users (MAU) Zynga claim 290 million users. Children still core player market (over 90% video game uptake) Valuable market is Younger men High growth in older players, driven by casual gaming US data puts female players at 47% of total game players 5

6 Consoles and conventional handhelds 100s millions 1. Hardware 2. Major publishers 3. Many small developers Linear value chain selling products PC now moving online: 1. MMOG real-time service 2. Casual, Browser and Social Network Mobile: New Handheld 1.Casual 2.Locationgames 3.Media integration etc 10/23/2012 6

7 Consoles and conventional handhelds 100s millions 1. Hardware 2. Major publishers 3. Many small developers Linear value chain selling products PC now moving online: 1. MMOG real-time service 2. Casual, Browser and Social Network Freemium App stores Social layer In-game monetisation Virtual goods DAU/MAU Gamification Badges etc Mobile: New Handheld 1.Casual 2.Locationgames 3.Media integration etc 10/23/2012 7

8 Rapid Change: An opportunity in Europe 8

9 Two points New Games, New skills, New Jobs Digital games, perhaps the most 'social' of all media forms, in the form of online gaming, are leading new practices of cooperation online, demanding new skills and social practices Who makes games? Teams of: Computer scientists, software engineers Artists and animators Game designers - The art of Game design Project Managers Business Teams 9

10 Relevance to DGEI In general, Industry not interested in serious uses: Return on investment just too low v.v entertainment markets. Except Nintendo opening serious market for consumer games. Existing and potential Indirect contribution: Audiences, Platforms, games, delivery systems, genres, and business models. Potential Direct contribution? 1. SMEs have potential to diversity into less risky business 2. Image of industry very important. Serious games and DGEI could help can improve this. Future participation : directly entering applied markets, providing tools and services, CSR, skills deveploment*, leadership * industry has its own skills shortage 10

11 Non-Leisure market and a Serious Games Industry Does it even exist? Who do we talk to, and how do we talk? Constituencies of ideas and action (research, business, conferences, journals etc) Digital Game based learning Meaningful Play Gamification Accessible Gaming Games for Good/Change Serious Games 11

12 10/23/

13 Commercial markets Defence Sector (US Dept of Defense $50million 5 year programme of game development for recruit training in 2010 ) Information and communications sector : Advertising. Policy and political communication. Established in the Youth market Corporate Training Sector: Most promising. 2.2m EUR exergame for Macdonald's employees on Nintendo DS) Gamification Market sectors Emerging or promising markets Education Sector: Oldest but "low budget, low tech, poor cousins of the computer game industry. ENGAGE project Health and Wellness Sector: B2C, B2B. clinical trials, cheap. Braintraining. Aging Cultural sector inc Tourism (cf videogames are culture) Science: citizen science Major market: YOUTH IDATE 0-15;15-24;24-55;55- Activism and Games for change: community building and attitude and 13 behaviour change

14 IDATE market estimates 14

15 Organisation of business and production Who make serious games, and who pays for them? 15

16 10/23/

17 3 modes of organisation of production 1. Products 2. Multi-stakeholder Projects 3. Research-led development Dominant role of Key Accounts (commissioners), and sponsors and research funders. Dynamics (according to IDATE) Early s : Experimental period. many small projects, pure-play serious games developers 2011 Project size grown, total projects shrunk. More external interest, executive producers, some markets have developed. serious being dropped. 10/23/

18 Important differences vv entertainment videogames Publishing, Distribution and Platforms Privacy, security more important than videogames Distribution often via private or public procurement processes, considerable different to commercial distribution Technology Video games bring new technology platforms Opportunities for new technology implementation to tackle specific issues Industry, skills and employment Game designs requires specific skills, not widely available outside video game industry (in house development) Challenge to involve game designers and business in serious application Train people in game design to apply this in non-game situations (e.g. gamification) 18

19 Challenges for the future of Serious Games 19

20 Challenge Challenges to Reshaping the game-play for nonleisure applications Supply and integration of skills designers and technology specialists Automating the production processes Persuading reluctant users Shaping Procurement Innovating business models Structuring serious games industry by target sector Developing for all platforms Implementing and Exploiting New technologies Example Potential actions Simplify, using models from casual games design User-centred design with professionals from application domain. Build multi-disciplinary teams Train games design professions for serious game development Integration and customisation of conventional game design tools Provide convincing evidence and demonstrations Convince SME to invest Invest in R&D Build structured local business environments as part of smart specialisation policy Address issues within procurement processes to make serious game adoption easier, and as a tool to support developers Develop specific business models appropriate for each sector and target users Support evolution towards organisation of firms and expertise that meets the needs of users Do not limit develop to the PC an browser, but build serious games for platforms such as mobile phones, tablets, TV and specialised ehealth systems Exploit novel technologies being made available on latest gaming platforms Develop and implement new technologies for specific user needs that are not available on game platforms

21 What could the serious game industry do for DGEI? An ecosystem of supply and support Products Services (training, customisation etc) Tools Research and Development A scientific approach to games that produce serious outcomes Business Models Serious game education can prepare students for wide use of gamebased techniques (e.g. gamification) 21

22 Specific Challenges for DGEI developers Innovation Joining up Intermediaries, developers, end users and researchers Sustainability and impact Funding and sustainability Research and development Marketing and distribution Follow-up 22

23 Current Policy Activity 23

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25 Selected EU Activities Commission has Over 75 Funded Projects Lifelong Learning Programme Framework Programmes Where s the impact? Networking GALA (Games and Learning Alliance) NoE supported by Technology Enhanced Learning Unit, with 31 partners SEGAN (Serious Games Network) Policy support and systemic adoption IMAGINE (Increasing Mainstreaming of Games In Learning Policies[1]) ENGAGE (European Network for Growing Activity in Game-based learning in Education project) Safer Internet programme (DG CNECT) has addressed safety in online games since MEDIA programme only starting to address interactive videogames directly. 25

26 Discuss 26