Tag Archive: Philippine Game Development

1. PH Can Be Next Animation and Game Services Outsourcing Hub, Says Industry Groups

   March 26, 2013 9:08 am Leave a Comment

   

   Hopes are high that the Philippines can become the next prime destination for animation and gaming-related development services given the vast talent resources and competitive potential of the Filipino animators and game developers to excel.

   This was according to the industry groups, Animation Council of the Philippines Inc. (ACPI) and Game Developers Association of the Philippines (GDAP) who both have expressed faith about the large potential of the country’s animation and game services sector to bring sustained growth to the information technology and business process outsourcing sector.

   Philippine BPOs often cater to companies abroad who wants to outsource their non-core business functions so that they can focus on their non-voice and creative services. But that trend has changed already as the more experienced companies realize the vast potential and promise of outsourcing even their core services to countries like the Philippines.

   ACPI President Grace Dimaraanan said that the Philippines just need to step up in the area of providing proper training to this industry’s future leaders to lead the next generation of talentforces that can carry the country as the next animation and game development hub of the world.

   In less than a decade, the Philippines is regarded the new call center capital of the world, followed by India and China. Becoming an animation and game services development destination in the near future is not impossible, projected the experts.

   Key to marketing the Filipino talent domestically and internationally, according to Alvin Juban, the president of GDAP, rests in establishing partnership links between animation and game developers. Juban added, “We hope to have our game developers and animators penetrate the global market and take a bigger slice.”

   Juban noted further that animation and game developers will gain skills and training they need to be competitive when immersed in a successful and technologically-adept country like Korea, which holds 15 percent of the $1.5-billion global animation and games development market.

   India seizes the 40% of the total market share while the Philippines ranks at third place with 10%. Even more, an international research firm MarketsandMarkets report predicts that the global animation and gaming market will continue to grow from $122.2 billion in 2010 to $242.93 billion by 2016.

   The gaming and animation sector of both the Philippines and Korea are similar in some ways. Both employ the Western-style animation, having had decades of experience in Western production projects and also some pains. The Korean experience which grew at a staggering high level through the creation of original content, could teach the Philippines about carving out a niche in the global animation suppliers market.

   ACPI and GDAP are said to be working closely with the Information Technology and Business Process Assocation of the Philippines (IBPAP) to drive their respective sectors in penetrating and expanding to the global markets. One of the cited keys is the pursuit of public-private partnership initiatives in several locations to drive the growth of the country’s animation and gaming sector.

   To train Filipino animators and game developers, the IBPAP and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) have forged an agreement with the Korean government. Such training programs got the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) tunder the International Cooperation Program of the Government of Korea o sponsor the initiative.

   Source: (http://www.malaya.com.ph/index.php/business/business-news/26316-prospects-bright-for-gaming-animation-ventures)

2. Bright Future Ahead Philippine Game Development

   February 28, 2013 12:41 pm Leave a Comment

   

   If Filipino video game developers rise to the challenge, the Philippines has the potential to seize the bigger share of the projected US$30 billion the video game development sector in the Asia-Pacific region will likely generate by 2016.

   The country reportedly has earned US$70 million from late 2011 to early 2012 alone based in the latest study conducted by Ovum. Viewing the talent force breakdown, five percent belongs to console game services and another 15 percent specializes on quality assurance (QA), game design consulting and game community support. Around 80 percent focus in mobile and social games development.

   But the country’s Game Development Association has high expectations to the gaming industry of the Philippines. While commending the country’s best two years so far, Alvin Juban, the president of the same group, believes there’s a lot that needs to be done to excel in this sector.

   In an article, Juban said that the country has experienced its best two years of work even there were gaps between projects. He added that “Now, what happens is when you end a project, you receive two, which is a good sign.”

   The Game Development Association of the Philippines said that there are an estimated 3,000 game developers working in the industry who represent around 60 companies.

   While many Filipinos are already outstanding in programming and providing other IT development services, game development is a tough area that requires developers to be excellent and proficient in math and physics.

   Not only good but very good grasp of physics and math concepts will set a high-value game development talent from the rest. Usually these programmers are self-taught and have the drive to study on their own. Currently, there are few schools that offer game design and development courses and De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde is just one.

   But other careers available for game development enthusiasts include Java developers, iOS, Android, C++, PHP and MySQL developers. Actionscript developers are also highly in demand yet very rare to find these days.

   For the more creative-leaning without programming skills, game designing is one career that can be pursued. Neither a programmer nor an artist, but the game designer need to be knowledgeable of video games, game play and writing the game. Game producers and sound engineers are also vital roles needed to produce a video game service.

   The industry has a very low attrition rate, noted Juban, simply because game developers often love playing games, making them stay longer to their jobs. Juban noted that Philippines fiercest rival in the industry is China, next is Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam.