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Videogames As Interactive Experiential Products And Their Manner Of Development

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  • F. TED TSCHANG

    (School of Business, Singapore Management University, 469 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 259756, Republic of Singapore, Singapore)

Abstract

This paper is a first attempt to systematically explore the main characteristics of videogames and the particular problems encountered in their development. As an example of an emerging creative industry, videogames are an instance of what we term interactive experiential products. Our study is based on 65 project reports, which were used to examine how the product's interactive nature created certain characteristics in the product's development processes. We find that videogame development displays experiential processes similar to those used in other products which embody "experiential" development processes, such as frequent milestones and testing, multiple design iterations, multifunctional teams and strong project leadership. We also show that there are some subtleties or peculiarities that are specific to games even within these characteristics, such as more complex concurrent development, pipelining and integration issues. Some characteristics are more unique to videogame development, such as "feature creep" and "feature iteration". In general, this results from the complex combination of technology, (creative) game design and (artistic) content within videogames, which causes complexity and uncertainty in the development process. At one extreme, videogames may suffer from not being subject to a full testing cycle until near the end of the project, and given the high uncertainty of consumer's receptivity to the product, this makes for a difficult development situation. While the use of more rational development processes (such as formal software development practices from software engineering) could help with these issues, new thinking can also be done in the future about whether new and more appropriate product development models can be developed to address the needs of videogame development.

Suggested Citation

  • F. Ted Tschang, 2005. "Videogames As Interactive Experiential Products And Their Manner Of Development," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 9(01), pages 103-131.
    • Handle: RePEc:wsi:ijimxx:v:09:y:2005:i:01:n:s1363919605001198
    DOI: 10.1142/S1363919605001198
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Patrycja Klimas & Wojciech Czakon, 2022. "Gaming innovation ecosystem: actors, roles and co-innovation processes," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(7), pages 2213-2259, October.
    2. Peters, Frank, 2018. "The business of video games is a multi-player game : Essays on governance choices and performance in a two-sided market in the cultural industries," Other publications TiSEM 886b3148-4bbb-4ea4-b666-0, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    3. Francesco Izzo & Barbara Masiello, 2015. "Strategie di innovazione nelle imprese creative di servizi," ECONOMIA E DIRITTO DEL TERZIARIO, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2015(1), pages 63-104.
    4. Sven Heidenreich & Franziska Handrich & Tobias Kraemer, 2023. "Flawless victory! Investigating search and experience qualities as antecedent predictors of video game success," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 33(1), pages 1-20, December.
    5. Burger-Helmchen, Thierry, 2009. "Option chain and change management: A structural equation application," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 27(3), pages 176-186, June.
    6. Franziska Handrich & Sven Heidenreich & Tobias Kraemer, 2022. "Innovate or game over? Examining effects of product innovativeness on video game success," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 32(2), pages 987-1002, June.
    7. F. Ted Tschang, 2007. "Balancing the Tensions Between Rationalization and Creativity in the Video Games Industry," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 18(6), pages 989-1005, December.
    8. Czernek-Marszałek Katarzyna & Klimas Patrycja & Wójcik Dagmara, 2023. "Playing with social relationships. Their role among actors in the video game industry," International Journal of Contemporary Management, Sciendo, vol. 59(4), pages 34-57, December.
    9. Patrycja Klimas & Wojciech Czakon, 2018. "Organizational innovativeness and coopetition: a study of video game developers," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 12(2), pages 469-497, March.
    10. Landoni, Paolo & Dell’era, Claudio & Frattini, Federico & Messeni Petruzzelli, Antonio & Verganti, Roberto & Manelli, Luca, 2020. "Business model innovation in cultural and creative industries: Insights from three leading mobile gaming firms," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 92.
    11. Sapsed, Jonathan & Tschang, Feichin Ted, 2014. "Art is long, innovation is short: Lessons from the Renaissance and the digital age," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 127-141.

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