Kerr, Aphra and Cawley, Anthony (2011) The spatialisation of the digital games industry: Lessons from Ireland. International Journal of Cultural Policy . pp. 1-21. ISSN 1477-2833

Download (205kB)

Abstract

This article draws on the concept of spatialisation to better understand the development of a digital games industry on the periphery of mainland Europe, on the island of Ireland. Positioning digital games within the cultural and creative industries, we explore how global networks of production in this industry get territorialized, negotiated and shaped by local factors. Drawing upon an industry-wide survey in Ireland we found that employment has grown by 400% in the last decade but that this rate of employment growth and its concentration in large urban areas masks significant ruptures and shifts which more detailed spatial, occupational and social analysis reveals: in particular, how the state, multinational game companies, and physical and human capital interact to shape an industry which is strong in middleware, localisation and support but weak in content development. An understanding of global digital games production networks and of occupational patterns in this industry is, we believe, crucial for national and European cultural policies for the digital games industry and for the cultural and creative industries more generally.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This is a preprint of an article whose final and definitive form has been published in the International Journal of Cultural Policy ©2011 [copyright Taylor & Francis]; the International Journal of Cultural Policy is available online at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/10286632.2011.598515
Keywords:	spatialisation; digital games; cultural and creative industries;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Sociology
Item ID:	2904
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1080/10286632.2011.598515
Depositing User:	Prof. Aphra Kerr
Date Deposited:	20 Dec 2011 15:59
Journal or Publication Title:	International Journal of Cultural Policy
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Refereed:	No
URI:	http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/1...
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

Repository Staff Only(login required)

Item control page

Downloads

Origin of downloads