Video gaming in the Netherlands

This article is about the video game-market and -culture in the Netherlands.

As of 2008, the game industry in the Netherlands is worth nearly 1 billion Euro. In 2007, the Dutch game industry surpassed the Dutch film industry for the first time in history. The growth of the games industry in the Netherlands is about 50% higher then any other industry in the Netherlands' region. A significant part of the Netherlands's gaming industry is in serious games, in which Dutch companies make a significant part of the worldwide industry.cite web | publisher=GameSpy | url=http://www.gamespy.com/articles/872/872255p1.html | title=The Netherlands Announces Its Growing Role in the Global Games Industry | date=May 7, 2008]

The Netherlands' mainstream video games market, not taking into consideration the serious and casual games, is the 6th largest in Europe. The Dutch market takes up 3.95% of the entire European market in total sales and 4.19% in software sales.cite web | publisher=Gamed.nl | url=http://www.gamed.nl/view/39535 | title=Nieuws: VK grootste gamesmarkt in Europa | date=April 12, 2008]

In the Netherlands, an estimated of 1,500 people are working in game development in the Netherlands, and more than 100 companies are active in the industry.

Consumer availability

Although the first generation of video games were obtained by a select few, video games became first available during the second generation of video games, when a select few Dutch electronic stores carried the earlier systems. With the third generation, more stores started carrying video game related products, a trend that has been setting through ever since.Fact|date=August 2008

In the early 90's, independent video game stores first started to open in the Netherlands, with a fast expansion in the early 2000s. Since 2004, video games have gotten more important for general stores however, which has led to the closing of a number of game stores, and a merger of others.Fact|date=August 2008 Currently, there are about 1.200 stores, of which circa 75 independent, in the Netherlands that carry video games and related items, and numerous online stores.

Distribution

Distribution in the Netherlands is usually done by publishers that cover the entire Benelux, although most of the publishers' offices are located in the Netherlands, and only a few have offices in Belgium. Since not every publisher has a separate office for the Benelux, certain publishers take care of multiple labels, including those of other publishers. Currently, there are only two actual Dutch video game publishers: Lighthouse Interactive and Playlogic Entertainment, although the actual distribution is done via wholesalers.
The game division of publisher Davilex, Davilex Games, was ended in 2005 because it was not profitable enough, and their games were generally not well-received.Fact|date=August 2008
Konami is the only publisher that does not have an office in the Netherlands, or anyone covering their label. The distribution of Konami's games is done via the European office in Germany.

The Netherlands' appearance in video games

The Netherlands is not often used as an originally created setting for video games, other then certain Dutch games such as A2 Racer and Efteling Tycoon. Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, was planned to be a featured city in The Getaway 3, before its development was cancelled.

The Netherlands does however appear at times in several types of simulation games.

;World War II-gamesDuring the second world war, the Netherlands was the location of some of the heaviest battles between the allied forces and Nazi-Germany. Especially Operation Market Garden is a much-used setting for World War II-games. The upcoming game will focus entirely on Operation Market Garden and accurately depicts the Dutch towns and landscape along the operation's route.

;Racing games
* The TT Circuit Assen is by fans considered "The Cathedral" of motorcycling, with the Dutch TT being one of the biggest events in motorbike racing. As such, the track is featured in many of the motorcycling racing games.
* Circuit Park Zandvoort is a former Formula One racing track, which is currently still used for other racing classes. The track has been featured in its old Formula One-layout in the game Grand Prix Legends, and more recently in its current layout in TOCA Race Driver, TOCA Race Driver 2 and RACE 07 - Official WTCC Game. It is also a popular track in the modding community.

;Sports gamesIn most of the international sports games, such as the FIFA football games and olympic video games, teams or players from the Netherlands are featured.

Video game development

Game developers from the Netherlands

Defunct game developers

Populair games from the Netherlands

* Killzone-series
* Age of Wonders-series
* Overlord
* Toki Tori
* Xyanide
* The Chronicles of Spellborn
*
* Project Bang!
* Delicious-series
* Ship Simulator

Education

Up until 2002, whoever wanted to work in the gaming industry was best of pursueing a computer programming or graphic design education. In 2002, Utrecht School of the Arts offered the first 'pure' game education in the Netherlands. Currently there are 9 schools offering specific game educations in the Netherlands, with a 10th starting in late 2008. Most educations are supported directly by Dutch developers, such as Guerilla Games and Playlogic.Fact|date=August 2008

Media

Print media

* Power Unlimited, since 1993
* GMR, since 2006
* gamesTM, since 2008

Defunct print media

* n3 Nintendo Magazine; 2002 - 2003

Television and radio

* GameKings (television)
* Gammo (defunct television show)

European video game rating

The Netherlands Institute for the Classification of Audiovisual Media (NICAM) is the institute responsible for the software given for review for the European video game content rating system PEGI.

Notable people in the Dutch gaming industry

;Henk Rogerswas born in the Netherlands, and was responsible for acquiring the license to Tetris for global distribution onto video game consoles.

;Arjan Brusseestarted his career in video games as the main programmer behind the first demo ever to use 3D imagery on the PC and later both Jazz Jackrabbit games, and is currently head of Guerrilla Games. He is often credited with being the first successful Dutch game developer, sometimes mentioned as "the godfather of Dutch game development".

;Wouter van Oortmerssenis a computer programmer notable for his work in game programming as well as having designed several programming languages. He has worked on Far Cry, and is the creator of a number of open source game engines, and a number of games from his own hand.

;Arno van Wingerdenis the lead programmer of Triumph Studios, one of the first Dutch game developers. He is responsible for the Age of Wonders-series, and the recent console-game Overlord.

;Ruud van de Moosdijkis Vice President of Development, and one of the founders, of the Netherlands' oldest still working game developer, Engine Software.

;Ed Wiggemanswas one of the first editors for Power Unlimited, and is currently head editor of the Netherlands' biggest and longest running game magazine.

External links

Development and distribution

;Dutch developers
* [http://www.coded-illusions.com Coded Illusions]
* [http://www.crazyfootgames.nl CrazyFoot Gamestudio]
* [http://www.engine-software.com/indexFS.html Engine Software]
* [http://www.guerrilla-games.com Guerrilla Games]
* [http://www.playlogicinternational.com Playlogic Entertainment]
* [http://www.tcos.com Spellborn International]
* [http://www.streamline-studios.com Streamline Studios]
* [http://www.team6-games.com Team6 Game Studios]
* [http://www.triumphstudios.com Triumph Studios]
* [http://www.twotribes.com Two Tribes]
* [http://www.tygron.nl Tygron]
* [http://www.vstep.nl VSTEP]
* [http://www.wgames.biz W!Games]
* [http://www.zcfuncraft.com ZC Funcraft]

;Dutch publishing houses
* [http://www.contactdata.nl Contact Data] - among other labels: Activision, LucasArts, Midway
* [http://www.gameworld.nl Gameworld] - among other labels: Playlogic, Ignition Entertainment, VSTEP
* [http://www.global-distributie.com Global Distributie] - among other labels: 505 GAMES, Zoo Digital Publishing, JoWooD

;Belgian publishing houses that cover the Netherlands
* [http://www.atollsoft.nl Atollsoft] - among other labels: Eidos, Sierra
* [http://www.group-nobilis.com Nobilis] - among other labels: Capcom, Nobilis

;Publishers with offices in the Netherlands
* [http://www.nl.atari.com Atari]
* [http://www.codemasters.nl Codemasters]
* [http://www.electronicarts.nl Electronic Arts]
* [http://www.xbox.com/nl-NL Microsoft]
* [http://www.mindscape.nl Mindscape]
* [http://www.nintendo.nl Nintendo]
* [http://nl.playstation.com Sony PlayStation]
* [http://www.take2games.nl Take Two]
* [http://www.thq-games.com/uk THQ] (website in English)
* [http://www.ubisoft.nl Ubisoft] (website in English)
* [http://www.universalmusic.nl Vivendi Universal]

Game education

* [http://www.qantm.nl Qantm]
* [http://www.saxion.nl Saxion Hogescholen]
* [http://www.hku.nl/hku/show/id=92984/sc=fd6570 Hogeshool voor de kunsten Utrecht]
* [http://www.nhtv.nl NHTV]
* [http://www.cs.uu.nl/docs/vakken/gds Universiteit van Utrecht]
* [http://www.glr.nl/oplinfomodule/mediavormgeven/gds_00_a.htm Grafisch Lyceum Rotterdam]
* [http://www.eindhovenseschool.nl Eindhovenseschool]
* [http://www.ma-web.nl Mediacollege Amsterdam]
* [http://intranet1.deltion.nl/portal/page?_pageid=1078,1&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL Deltion]
* [http://www.gamescool.nl Gamescool]

References