GAMING & ENTERTAINMENT
With so many myths and misconceptions surrounding video games, Mediaplanet sat down with Canadian streamer and content creator, MTasted, to debunk common myths, learn what inspired his love for gaming, and hear how he turned his passion into a profession.
What sparked your interest in playing video games?
I have pictures of me holding an NES controller when I was one! I've always enjoyed gaming over traditional entertainment. I played hockey for 15 years, so I've always been competitive. So when games like Halo came out, and I could play against my friends, it took things to the next level.
How were you introduced to the world of content creation and streaming?
Watching skits and other videos when YouTube first dropped inspired me to create content. But when I realized I could mix my love for gaming and content creation, that is when things took off.
What are common myths and misconceptions when it comes to gaming?
Saying it causes violence or shootings is terrible reporting, and almost every academic study disagrees with the sentiment. It can really improve mental skills and things like hand-eye co-ordination. But, like anything, moderation is important!
Gaming can be highly social and good for making friends. I met my best friend from high school playing Halo 3. So if your kids are doing well in school and getting some exercise, allow them some time to game!
Do you have any advice for aspiring content creators and streamers?
If you want to make money doing it: you will fail. Nobody who gets into it to be famous or make money will succeed. They need to love creating and entertaining. It took me two years to make a dime off of it before I made it my career.
Credit Where Credit Is Due
Learning about the developers who make the games we enjoy hasn’t always been easy. During its infancy, the games industry lacked the now customary practice of including developer credits. Over time, developers began sneaking their names into their work, leading to a shift in industry standards for the inclusion of an official credit roll like what we see at the end of a movie or TV show.
Impact of games industry credits
Credits significantly impact the lives of game creators in many ways. Rather than edifying curiosity or appealing to vanity, credits serve a key role in today’s industry by validating developers’ years of demanding work and career advancement. Credits also open doors for those in the industry, serving as proof of individual contributions to today’s hits which become tomorrow’s classics.
Changing landscape of credits
A leading topic in game credits is deciding how credits are best managed, presented, and updated within a game. Crediting practices may vary drastically from company to company, highlighting ambiguities in accepted policies. In fact, credits standardization is still a work in progress due to the complexities of game development and the relatively young age of the industry. One group that leads the discussion on this topic is the Game Credits Special Interest Group (SIG) of the International Game Developers Association (IGDA). The Game Credits SIG has crafted crediting standards for developers and studios as a reference for consistent and reliable crediting practices. These crediting standards help guide decision-makers on who should receive credits, how to attribute credit to distinct contributors, and more.
Ambiguities and uncertainties related to the crediting process become even more tenuous, considering that credits are rarely a top priority during the volatile process of shipping a game.
Although there is room for improvement, the progress of crediting practices since the industry’s early days paints a bright future for developers. We can learn much from other industries and their crediting standards, with many opportunities to leverage the dynamic nature of video games. Now more than ever, the topic of game credits has received thoughtful consideration and lively discussion. People want to know who helped create their favourite games and what other projects they worked on. The more that people recognize the value and power that credits have, the sooner we will witness an industry-wide adoption of crediting best practices.
Nurturing the Next Generation of Video Game and Esport Innovators
Algoma University’s gaming-focused programming is preparing the booming industry’s future movers and shakers to excel.
Tania Amardeil
The gaming industry is on fire.
Globally, video games and esports (gaming on a competitive level, typically involving organized, multi-player video game competitions) revenue totalled $215.6 billion (USD) in 2021, and this number is expected to grow. Virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and gaming are powerful growth drivers in the global entertainment and media industry, which currently boasts $2.3 trillion (USD) in revenue, according to PwC, with gaming content being the primary contributor to VR revenue.
The rising demand for esports professionals
This growth and innovation presents ample career opportunities. A recent study by PwC noted that by 2030, 23.5 million jobs worldwide will be using AR and VR. In Canada, the video game industry is estimated to create 135,773 direct jobs, 80,507 indirect jobs, and 50,977 induced jobs. The demand for business professionals in various positions within the esports industry is already high and set to continue rising.
Algoma University has become the place to go for young professionals seeking to carve
out a career in gaming and esports. As the fi rst university in Ontario to offer esports programming, Algoma has offerings both from a business perspective— its School of Business and Economics offers a Business of Esports Specialization — as well as from the development side — via its School of Computer Science and Technology, which has specializations in Mobile Software Engineering, Computer Game Technology, and Computer Game Technology/Creative Arts.
State-of-the-art facilities, expanding Brampton campus Algoma’s Business of Esports Specialization, developed in partnership with Amuka Esports, focuses on the business side of the gaming industry, highlighting the school’s unique leadership and insight in this space.
By approaching the industry from a business management and development perspective, the Business of Esports Specialization teaches relevant skills to both esports enthusiasts looking to work in the industry and entrepreneurs who want to develop their own personal brand within the industry.
Algoma University has also integrated computer science and game development
into its gaming and esports programming. The Computer Game Technology specialization in its School of Computer Science and Technology, for example, is considered to be one of the most advanced computer game technology specializations in the world. Students and researchers from all over the world come to learn and grow their skills in Algoma’s state-of-the-art computer labs.
Closing the skills gap
Recently, Algoma University launched the National Centre of Excellence in Brampton, Ont., in partnership with Unity, the world’s leading platform for creating and operating interactive, real-time 3D content. The centre will focus on training and development in realtime 3D platforms, accelerating innovative new education, training, and research opportunities for Algoma students. It will also upskill local talent, helping to close the skills gap in the gaming industry and to build a talent pipeline while also building new partnerships and providing synergies between the university and local school boards, community organizations, and industry.
