The Oliver twins were born in the 60s, with most of their childhood and young being inspired by the moon landing, Star Wars, and Space Invaders. In the 80s, as teenagers, they started playing arcade and computer games, which inspired them to try and create their own.
They started to create simple games, and ended up winning the National TV Game competition. They moved on from using a Dragon 32 to coding in BASIC, a programming language, which they used in their early games.
They decided to take a gap year to prove that they could earn a living off of creating games. This was a huge success, as they made 50 games, and half of them became UK best sellers. They also became some of the most prolific 8bit game developers in the world. They also realised by this point that they were limited by the language they had their games in, which was only English. If they put their games into other languages, then their audience would be far larger.
1990
In the 90s, consoles came in, which meant playing games at home was easier than ever. This was the start of the 16bit era, with 3D games now being created. Because consoles used disks, they could easily be copied, meaning games didn't have to be bought. To solve this problem, each console had their own cartridge, which was invented by Nintendo. Companies also started creating their own mascots to advertise their games.
The Oliver twins set up a company in Leamington Spa, with roughing 100 staff to start off with. They worked with clients about creating and licensing games. This gave them the opportunity to develop games for multiple consoles.
2000
In the 00s, Microsoft created its own console as well, and SEGA became multiplatform. Steam was also introduced on the PC, which made computers a viable way to game again. Blitz Games, the twins' company, gained massive investments. They added 'Studios' to their company name after this, as they grew to over 200 people.
They started creating bigger games with bigger teams, and sub-contracting work became more common. New technology appeared as well, like microphones, cameras and the Wii Remote. Because of all the rapid changes, costs increased, margins reduced, and the risks grew. Independent developers all started licensing games, which were sometimes based of films, TV Series, or Toy brands. These were created to further the market of whatever they were originally created about.
2010
In the 10s there was a financial crisis that effected the market. A lot of sequel games were created in this decade, such as Grand Theft Auto V (2013). Digital games started picking up speed, and overtook box games. Apple also entered the market with mobile gaming.
Blitz Games Studios explored different platforms, business models and self-publishing, but also experienced hardships. The Oliver twins were unfortunately forced to close their company in 2013, but they later founded a new business called Radiant Worlds, where they help developers with their games and advise others about the business.
The presentation we were given by Andrew Oliver, one of the Oliver twins, was an amazing way for me to learn more about how the games industry started out, how it developed, and how it will continue to grow.
I also got some amazing advice on how to get a job in the industry, and how to stand out from the crowd. Any opportunity is a good thing, and should be taken for all it's worth. A portfolio is to show off your talent and effort, so having solid, completed work can be important. A wide array can be useful too, as too much of the same thing will make people think that's all you can do.
There's also the task of going to an interview and getting hired. Arriving early and being attentive is always important, as an employer wants someone who wants to be there. Being enthusiastic is a must as well, as it was catch people's attention that you're eager to work for them. Honesty is important, and lying will be noticed.
I learned a lot as well about how the changes in the games industry have affected the markets, the companies and the types of games being created. I also learned that creating a game for an existing brand is easier than creating a new brand, which is unfortunate, since creating a new franchise will always sound like more fun.
Comments