Some may question how valid the gaming industry is and if a gaming specialization really has a place in both the academic and professional world. The questions and answers below should help to eliminate any concerns on the validity of a gaming specialization. If these questions and answers do not address questions you may have, please email .
Is gaming a real industry?
- In 2004, according to the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), gaming in the U.S. brought in more than seven billion dollars in sales. This number has doubled in the last ten years.
- ESA's research also revealed that 69% U.S. heads of households play games.
- According to IDC, gaming was a 26.6 billion dollar worldwide industry in 2006.
- No one can deny that movies and Hollywood is a strong entertainment industry. According to the Motion Picture Association of America, the U.S. box office for 2005 was $8.99 billion. Gaming is also an entertainment industry that is clearly keeping up with the movie industry.
- ID Software is located in Mesquite, Texas. Their games include Doom and Quake.
- Dallas, Texas is the home of Gearbox Software. A couple of their games are Half-Life and Counter Strike.
- There are over 70 gaming studios in Texas.
- Texas' gaming industry is fully supported by the Texas Film Commission.
- Based on a Game Developer 2008 magazine survey, the average American game industry salary is nearly $79,000, up 7% from 2007.
- A related article from NPR, entitled "When Play Means Pay: Video Game Jobs On The Rise."
- A gaming specialization is still a fully accredited Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. A graduate with a gaming specialization is not limited to just the gaming industry, but has all computer science job opportunities available to him/her.
