A Brisbane video game studio has highlighted an industry trend to move from high end niche market games to cheaper casual games.

Halfbrick studios is globally recognised for one of its iPhone games which is now being developed for a number of other gaming platforms.

Rachel Riley reports.

TRANSCRIPT

The Australian game development industry has been suffering, with seven high profile studios closing in the past six years.

It’s led to a significant shift in the types of games produced, with Brisbane company Halfbrick studios leading the way.

They’ve taken advantage of the real boom of more popular mobile games as they appeal to a much broader demographic.

Will Goddard Programmer, Halfbrick Studios: “In its traditional sense, it had a very hardcore audience, now it’s popularity is exploding more into a casual market.”

With the huge success of their iPhone app Fruit Ninja, Halfbrick Studios are now one of the most well known independent game developers in the world.

They’ve now even branched out from mobile applications with the launch of their Fruit Ninja for Xbox Kinect game and a free Facebook version of the game coming soon.

Despite the success of Halfbrick studios, employment in the video game development industry can be very volatile with only the top five per cent of products making a profit.

Duncan Curtis Halfbrick, Studios Executive Producer: “It is definitely a growing industry but in Australia unfortunately its been a shrinking industry for at least the last three to five years.”

Meanwhile the popularity of professional gaming is also growing, with big money and prizes up for grabs.

James Goddard, Professional Gamer: “As far as e-sports goes, I believe that it is growing rapidly as well. In Korea, we already have people that are professional gamers that are paid $200000 a year just to play the game.”

Rachel Riley, QUT News.