2023
Sotamaa, Olli; Tyni, Heikki; Myöhänen, Taina
In: European Journal of Cultural Studies, 2023, ISSN: 1367-5494.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Data analytics, Data work, Data-driven development, Datafication, Game industry, Game production
@article{Sotamaa2023,
title = {‘Even if the Algorithm is a Terrible Workmate, You Just Need to Learn to Live with It’: Perceptions of Data Analytics Among Game Industry Professionals},
author = {Olli Sotamaa and Heikki Tyni and Taina Myöhänen},
url = {https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13675494231168568
https://trepo.tuni.fi/handle/10024/149415},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1177/13675494231168568},
issn = {1367-5494},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-05-13},
urldate = {2023-05-13},
journal = {European Journal of Cultural Studies},
abstract = {The digital game industry has actively integrated data-driven methods into its core processes. This interview-based study shows how game industry professionals perceive the role of data as part of their everyday work. Analysing the data-related notions and negotiations helps to explicate how mainstream data imaginaries are both reproduced and challenged in the different phases and contexts of game making. The analysis is divided into the following themes: data is everywhere, data is messy, data is constructed and data redefines creativity. The qualitative inquiry shows how the meaning of game data cannot be reduced to individual metrics or analytics services, or new positions like data analysts. Data-driven development is based on particular values and assumptions, and it creates new practices, working cultures and conflicting forms of agency.},
keywords = {Data analytics, Data work, Data-driven development, Datafication, Game industry, Game production},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
2022
Sotamaa, Olli
Pelintekemisen kulttuurit Book Section
In: Friman, Usva; Arjoranta, Jonne; Kinnunen, Jani; Heljakka, Katriina; Stenros, Jaakko (Ed.): Pelit kulttuurina, Vastapaino, 2022, ISBN: 978-951-768-965-6.
Links | Tags: Finnish game industry, Game industry, Games
@incollection{Sotamaa2022,
title = {Pelintekemisen kulttuurit},
author = {Olli Sotamaa},
editor = {Usva Friman and Jonne Arjoranta and Jani Kinnunen and Katriina Heljakka and Jaakko Stenros},
url = {https://trepo.tuni.fi/handle/10024/146847},
isbn = {978-951-768-965-6},
year = {2022},
date = {2022-03-31},
urldate = {2022-03-31},
booktitle = {Pelit kulttuurina},
publisher = {Vastapaino},
chapter = {4},
keywords = {Finnish game industry, Game industry, Games},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {incollection}
}
2021
Sotamaa, Olli
Studying Game Development Cultures Journal Article
In: Games and Culture, vol. 16, iss. 7, pp. 835-854, 2021, ISSN: 1555-4120.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Contextual analysis, Game culture, Game development, Game development culture, Game industry
@article{Sotamaa2021b,
title = {Studying Game Development Cultures},
author = {Olli Sotamaa},
url = {https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202104223313
},
doi = {10.1177/15554120211005242},
issn = {1555-4120},
year = {2021},
date = {2021-11-01},
journal = {Games and Culture},
volume = {16},
issue = {7},
pages = {835-854},
abstract = {By analyzing and contextualizing different aspects of the Finnish game development scene, this article provides concrete examples of why we need cultural studies of game development and how game development cultures can be studied. The article follows a three-layer approach, first exploring some of the historical and political developments that have shaped forms of local game production. Second, a focus is placed on working cultures within the industry and attitudes toward crunch time, work–life balance, and workplace regulation. Third, everyday strategies of organizing creative work are analyzed to better understand game studio cultures. The lessons from this empirical study directly contribute to the larger scholarly discussions around game production and creative labor.
},
keywords = {Contextual analysis, Game culture, Game development, Game development culture, Game industry},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Tuominen, Juho; Sotamaa, Olli
“Outlaws to the End” – A Study of the Social and Political Reality of Rockstar Games’ West Journal Article
In: WiderScreen, vol. 24, 2021, ISSN: 1795-6161.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Computer games, Game industry, Ideology critique, Rockstar Games, Video games
@article{Tuominen2021,
title = {“Outlaws to the End” – A Study of the Social and Political Reality of Rockstar Games’ West},
author = {Juho Tuominen and Olli Sotamaa},
url = {https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202108316893},
issn = {1795-6161},
year = {2021},
date = {2021-08-11},
journal = {WiderScreen},
volume = {24},
abstract = {This article examines the relevance and applicability of ideology criticism to the study of video games. The aim is to highlight the sophistication and detail of the experiences video games render for a player. As video games have become highly popular and mainstream, we consider that it is crucial to study the political and ideological realities they offer. In this article we commit a close reading of Rockstar Games’ Red Dead Redemption series from an Althusserian perspective and discover that critical analysis yields interesting insights of the social order designed for the game world. To form a better understanding of ideological underpinnings of these designed systems of play, we also inspect the material conditions under which they were created. We find that ideological and political analysis of a blockbuster game contributes to a better understanding of ways in which games operate and what kind of social and political realities they offer.},
keywords = {Computer games, Game industry, Ideology critique, Rockstar Games, Video games},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Sotamaa, Olli
Game Developers Playing Games: Instrumental Play, Game Talk, and Preserving the Joy of Play Book Section
In: Sotamaa, Olli; Švelch, Jan (Ed.): Game Production Studies, pp. 103-122, Amsterdam University Press, 2021, ISBN: 978-9463725439.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Creative labour, Game industry, Game talk, Instrumental play, Leisure, Playful office
@incollection{Sotamaa2021d,
title = {Game Developers Playing Games: Instrumental Play, Game Talk, and Preserving the Joy of Play},
author = {Olli Sotamaa},
editor = {Olli Sotamaa and Jan Švelch },
url = {https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/47043},
doi = {10.5117/9789463725439_ch05},
isbn = {978-9463725439},
year = {2021},
date = {2021-03-18},
booktitle = {Game Production Studies},
pages = {103-122},
publisher = {Amsterdam University Press},
abstract = {Critical studies of the global game industry have shown how employment in game companies is often advertised as a chance to get paid for playing games. The same love of games that often brings people to the game industry also places them at a disadvantage when negotiating the terms and conditions of work. Drawing from fourteen in-depth interviews conducted with game industry representatives, the chapter traces the different roles and functions playing games has for game developers and how working in a game studio changes their playing habits over time. Developers appear aware of the trade-offs associated with playing games as part of their work and apply various strategies to preserve the joy and relevance of play},
keywords = {Creative labour, Game industry, Game talk, Instrumental play, Leisure, Playful office},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {incollection}
}
Sotamaa, Olli; Švelch, Jan
Introduction: Why Game Production Matters? Book Section
In: Sotamaa, Olli; Švelch, Jan (Ed.): Game Production Studies, pp. 7-28, Amsterdam University Press, 2021, ISBN: 978-9463725439.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Game industry, Game production, Game production studies, Indie, Platform studies, Production studies, Sociology of work
@incollection{Sotamaa2021e,
title = {Introduction: Why Game Production Matters?},
author = {Olli Sotamaa and Jan Švelch},
editor = {Olli Sotamaa and Jan Švelch},
url = {https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/47043},
doi = {10.5117/9789463725439_intro},
isbn = {978-9463725439},
year = {2021},
date = {2021-03-18},
booktitle = {Game Production Studies},
pages = {7-28},
publisher = {Amsterdam University Press},
abstract = {In the introduction, the editors of this collection argue for the importance of game production studies at a point when the public awareness about the production context of video games has, arguably, never been higher. With so many accounts of video game development permeating player and developer communities, the task of game production studies is to uncover the economic, cultural, and political structures that influence the final form of games by applying rigorous research methods. While the field of game studies has developed quickly in the past two decades, the study of the video game industry and different modes of video game production have been mostly dismissed by game studies scholars and requires more attention.},
keywords = {Game industry, Game production, Game production studies, Indie, Platform studies, Production studies, Sociology of work},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {incollection}
}
2020
Alha, Kati
The Rise of Free-to-Play: How the Revenue Model Changed Games and Playing PhD Thesis
2020, ISBN: 978-952-03-1774-4.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Attitudes, Augmented reality, Ethics, Evaluation, Experience, Facebook, Free-to-play, Freemium, Future, Game industry, Grossing, Heuristics, Literature review, Metascore, Mobile gaming, Paying, Playability, Pokémon Go, Reviews, Sales, Social games, Social networks, Virtual goods
@phdthesis{Alha2020,
title = {The Rise of Free-to-Play: How the Revenue Model Changed Games and Playing},
author = {Kati Alha},
url = {http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-03-1774-4
},
isbn = {978-952-03-1774-4},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-12-11},
abstract = {Free-to-play games have permanently transformed the game industry. Offering a game for free and gaining income through voluntary purchases during gameplay have proven to be the most successful way to gain revenue. Due to the model, more people than ever before play games, and the economic significance of games as business has multiplied. Simultaneously, the model has received a backlash for offering inferior, imbalanced game experiences that take advantage of players, manipulating them into playing and paying.
Despite the criticism and changes in game experiences, the research on free-to-play games is still heavily focused on economic aspects, with the goal to maximize revenue and find the best practices by which to implement the model. The voices of players are measured mostly through log data or quantitative surveys, while exploratory, qualitative research has been in the minority. The significance of free-to-play games and their connection to our game culture and society are still lacking critical inspection.
This dissertation takes up the challenge by studying free-to-play games from various perspectives through multiple methods, concentrating on qualitative approaches. The work shows the broad view of how and why free-to-play games have become so successful, how they have transformed games, and what problematic aspects are connected to them. The main claims of this dissertation are connected to: 1) the undervaluation of free-to-play games; 2) the unique challenges between money and gameplay experience; 3) the different framings of fairness and equality; 4) the need for transparency and legislation; and 5) the transformative power of free-to-play games on the consumption and creation of games.
The results show that while free-to-play games are played extensively, they are less valued than other games. This is especially true with mobile or casual free-to-play games and is descriptive of how we appraise and evaluate games. The lack of appreciation is connected to the nature of many free-to-play games, which are often never-ending and slow-paced, and offer challenges that differ from other games. The experiences that these games offer are different from the traditional, meritocratic values we have come to expect from games, and especially allowing advancement with money is in direct conflict with these values. The devaluation is shown in how the games are discussed, how they are reviewed (or not reviewed at all) by game journalists, and how they are studied. The players who engage with these games can also be excluded from gaming communities and gaming identities. At the same time, the challenges of the revenue model have resulted in new, creative solutions that bring diversity into game experiences and offer flexible playing for wider audiences.
The ethical issues connected to free-to-play games do need to be taken seriously. Problems connected to a lack of transparency, problematic playing, a resemblance to gambling, marketing to under-aged players, and privacy issues raise valid concerns. While free-to-play companies need to be especially mindful in giving players enough information and to implement tools to prevent accidental purchases and problematic playing, the industry also needs regulation that comes from outside itself. Thus, to create fair and functional legislation, we need academic and industry expertise in the committees doing the legislative work.
Despite the challenges and undervaluation that free-to-play games encounter, it is an indisputable fact that their impact on the game industry and on game consumption is both formidable and irreversible. They therefore deserve our attention and a critical exploration as a legitimate part of game culture. If you do not know free-to-play games, you do not know games.},
keywords = {Attitudes, Augmented reality, Ethics, Evaluation, Experience, Facebook, Free-to-play, Freemium, Future, Game industry, Grossing, Heuristics, Literature review, Metascore, Mobile gaming, Paying, Playability, Pokémon Go, Reviews, Sales, Social games, Social networks, Virtual goods},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {phdthesis}
}
Despite the criticism and changes in game experiences, the research on free-to-play games is still heavily focused on economic aspects, with the goal to maximize revenue and find the best practices by which to implement the model. The voices of players are measured mostly through log data or quantitative surveys, while exploratory, qualitative research has been in the minority. The significance of free-to-play games and their connection to our game culture and society are still lacking critical inspection.
This dissertation takes up the challenge by studying free-to-play games from various perspectives through multiple methods, concentrating on qualitative approaches. The work shows the broad view of how and why free-to-play games have become so successful, how they have transformed games, and what problematic aspects are connected to them. The main claims of this dissertation are connected to: 1) the undervaluation of free-to-play games; 2) the unique challenges between money and gameplay experience; 3) the different framings of fairness and equality; 4) the need for transparency and legislation; and 5) the transformative power of free-to-play games on the consumption and creation of games.
The results show that while free-to-play games are played extensively, they are less valued than other games. This is especially true with mobile or casual free-to-play games and is descriptive of how we appraise and evaluate games. The lack of appreciation is connected to the nature of many free-to-play games, which are often never-ending and slow-paced, and offer challenges that differ from other games. The experiences that these games offer are different from the traditional, meritocratic values we have come to expect from games, and especially allowing advancement with money is in direct conflict with these values. The devaluation is shown in how the games are discussed, how they are reviewed (or not reviewed at all) by game journalists, and how they are studied. The players who engage with these games can also be excluded from gaming communities and gaming identities. At the same time, the challenges of the revenue model have resulted in new, creative solutions that bring diversity into game experiences and offer flexible playing for wider audiences.
The ethical issues connected to free-to-play games do need to be taken seriously. Problems connected to a lack of transparency, problematic playing, a resemblance to gambling, marketing to under-aged players, and privacy issues raise valid concerns. While free-to-play companies need to be especially mindful in giving players enough information and to implement tools to prevent accidental purchases and problematic playing, the industry also needs regulation that comes from outside itself. Thus, to create fair and functional legislation, we need academic and industry expertise in the committees doing the legislative work.
Despite the challenges and undervaluation that free-to-play games encounter, it is an indisputable fact that their impact on the game industry and on game consumption is both formidable and irreversible. They therefore deserve our attention and a critical exploration as a legitimate part of game culture. If you do not know free-to-play games, you do not know games.
Tyni, Heikki
Games Crowdfunding as a Form of Platformised Cultural Production PhD Thesis
2020, ISBN: 978-952-03-1756-0.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Crowdfunding, Game industry, Game production studies, Platformisation, Production logics
@phdthesis{Tyni2020,
title = {Games Crowdfunding as a Form of Platformised Cultural Production},
author = {Heikki Tyni},
url = {http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-03-1757-7
},
isbn = {978-952-03-1756-0},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-11-13},
abstract = {The recent decade has seen an increasing number of ‘game production studies’, with critical examinations on industry structures, production models and labour issues. This study critically examines an emerging area of independent production of digital games, games crowdfunding. Asking funding directly from ‘backer’ audiences, game developers have been able to sidestep the publishers of the traditional game industry. However, crowdfunding has had a myriad of repercussions for everyday game work, production networks, and how games are received and sold, amongst other things.
Through a mixed-methods approach combining elements from game studies, critical political economy and cultural studies, this dissertation conceptualises games crowdfunding as a production logic that affects every area of game production. In getting rid of the traditional publisher, developers need to acquire a lot of new competencies and shoulder a lot of work previously handled by the publishers. Backers are found to possess several other roles beyond just funding and hold a wide variety of participation motivations beyond just acquiring the crowdfunded game. As projects have become more professional, many backers treat crowdfunding as a form of pre-ordering.
In the discussion, games crowdfunding is contextualised as a form ’platformisation of cultural production’, with game development and economics revolving around a central platform and intermediaries connected to it. The production model is revealed as a site of tension between alternative production opportunities, precarious game work, commercialisation and emerging user opportunities. Further studies are needed to understand the full gamut of games crowdfunding, including small campaigns.
},
keywords = {Crowdfunding, Game industry, Game production studies, Platformisation, Production logics},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {phdthesis}
}
Through a mixed-methods approach combining elements from game studies, critical political economy and cultural studies, this dissertation conceptualises games crowdfunding as a production logic that affects every area of game production. In getting rid of the traditional publisher, developers need to acquire a lot of new competencies and shoulder a lot of work previously handled by the publishers. Backers are found to possess several other roles beyond just funding and hold a wide variety of participation motivations beyond just acquiring the crowdfunded game. As projects have become more professional, many backers treat crowdfunding as a form of pre-ordering.
In the discussion, games crowdfunding is contextualised as a form ’platformisation of cultural production’, with game development and economics revolving around a central platform and intermediaries connected to it. The production model is revealed as a site of tension between alternative production opportunities, precarious game work, commercialisation and emerging user opportunities. Further studies are needed to understand the full gamut of games crowdfunding, including small campaigns.
Sotamaa, Olli
Modes of Independence in the Finnish Game Development Scene Book Section
In: Ruffino, Paolo (Ed.): Independent Videogames: Cultures, Networks, Techniques and Politics, pp. 223-237, Routledge, 2020, ISBN: 9780367336202.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Game culture, Game development, Game industry, Independent games
@incollection{Sotamaa2020b,
title = {Modes of Independence in the Finnish Game Development Scene},
author = {Olli Sotamaa},
editor = {Paolo Ruffino},
url = {http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202012188980},
doi = {10.4324/9780367336219},
isbn = {9780367336202},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-10-08},
booktitle = {Independent Videogames: Cultures, Networks, Techniques and Politics},
pages = {223-237},
publisher = {Routledge},
abstract = {by putting the focus on two games: Nex Machina (2017) and Baba is You (2017/2019). A contextualizing reading of selected games connects them to their relevant cultural and economic framings. Special focus is placed on funding schemes, production networks, and distribution channels that make these games possible in the first place and shape the forms they take. Through the two case studies, this chapter examines how independence and ‘indie’ get particular meanings in a North-European game development scene defined by small domestic market. In the past decades, features like digital distribution, accessible development tools, small teams, and game jams at some point considered central markers of independent game production and have become crucial aspects of almost all game development. The study shows how very different game projects can include different aspects of independence, highlighting the blurred boundaries between top-down corporate game production and bottom-up participatory indie culture. In most cases, the ability to quickly adjust to an ever-changing industry environment is crucial. Long-term sustainability is very difficult to guarantee, and most studios – large and small – are still pretty much one failed project away from insolvency.},
keywords = {Game culture, Game development, Game industry, Independent games},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {incollection}
}
Çatak, Güven; Bostan, Barbaros; Aker, Çakır; Akan, Ecehan; Gemrot, Jakub; Kolek, Lukáš; Barák, Pavel; Jehličková, Lucie; Arjoranta, Jonne; Karhulahti, Matti; Koskimaa, Raine; Lakanen, Antti-Jussi; Varsaluoma, Jukka; Välisalo, Tanja; Mochocki, Michał; Chmielewski, Krzysztof; Schreiber, Paweł
Higher-ed Programmes for Careers in Game Design & Development (2019–2022): GAMEHIGHED Initial Research & Analysis Report Technical Report
2020.
Links | Tags: Digital games, Game design, Game design education, Game industry
@techreport{Çatak2020,
title = {Higher-ed Programmes for Careers in Game Design & Development (2019–2022): GAMEHIGHED Initial Research & Analysis Report},
author = {Güven Çatak and Barbaros Bostan and Çakır Aker and Ecehan Akan and Jakub Gemrot and Lukáš Kolek and Pavel Barák and Lucie Jehličková and Jonne Arjoranta and Matti Karhulahti and Raine Koskimaa and Antti-Jussi Lakanen and Jukka Varsaluoma and Tanja Välisalo and Michał Mochocki and Krzysztof Chmielewski and Paweł Schreiber},
url = {http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:jyu-202004072702},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-04-07},
publisher = {Kazimierz Wielki University},
keywords = {Digital games, Game design, Game design education, Game industry},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {techreport}
}
Komulainen, Lauri; Sotamaa, Olli
IGDA Finland Hubs and Their Role in Local Game Development Proceedings Article
In: Turunen, Markku (Ed.): AcademicMindtrek '20: Proceedings of the 23rd International Conference on Academic Mindtrek January 2020, pp. 92-99, ACM, 2020, ISBN: 978-1-4503-7774-4.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Community of practice, Finland, Game development, Game industry, IGDA
@inproceedings{Komulainen2020,
title = {IGDA Finland Hubs and Their Role in Local Game Development},
author = {Lauri Komulainen and Olli Sotamaa},
editor = {Markku Turunen},
url = {http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202005285778
},
doi = {10.1145/3377290.3377294},
isbn = {978-1-4503-7774-4},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-01-01},
booktitle = {AcademicMindtrek '20: Proceedings of the 23rd International Conference on Academic Mindtrek January 2020},
pages = {92-99},
publisher = {ACM},
abstract = {Game development is often considered to be a community-based industry, where social networks and flow of information are vital to both individual and company development. The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) works to promote and support individual game developers by hosting local monthly gatherings worldwide. This study investigates the effects of the IGDA Finland hubs in Tampere and Kajaani. By interviewing the attendees to the IGDA events in the respective areas we aim to understand how an IGDA hub affects the local game development scene, and how the attendees perceive the uses of the events.
The results show that IGDA Finland events can attract a diverse group of people with variety of motivations. Aggregating different insights and accelerating the flow of information seems important for people in very different positions. At the same time, the felt benefits for individuals seem to vary significantly based on the career phase and the expert role. Overall, IGDA gatherings are importantly connected to modes of learning in communities of practice, as they can initiate different communal processes that then continue outside the immediate meetings.},
keywords = {Community of practice, Finland, Game development, Game industry, IGDA},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
The results show that IGDA Finland events can attract a diverse group of people with variety of motivations. Aggregating different insights and accelerating the flow of information seems important for people in very different positions. At the same time, the felt benefits for individuals seem to vary significantly based on the career phase and the expert role. Overall, IGDA gatherings are importantly connected to modes of learning in communities of practice, as they can initiate different communal processes that then continue outside the immediate meetings.