Tiga and Theesa

TIGA
The Independent Games Developers Association


TIGA was created in 2001 and has acted to help politicians and policy makers understand the gaming industry. TIGA have 157 members of which around 130 make all or part of a game.



THEESA
The Entertainment Software Association

ESA is the American gaming organisation, this is similar to TIGA as they preform the same tasks of serving bussiness and public affairs needs of companies that publish computer and video games.

PEGI and BBFC
These are the two media rating organisations that are active in the UK. PEGI concentrate more on video games when the BBFC age rate more films and video. However they are still both recognised as reliable companies that rate films and games given voluntarily by the developers.

Manhunt
One game that has caused controversies was Manhunt and Manhunt 2. These games were so violent that they were banned by the BBFC from being sold to the public and needed a lot of editing before they put on the shelves.

ELSPA

The Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association.

Since then, the membership has steadily grown from 12 to nearly 60 companies, including almost all the major companies concerned with the publishing and distribution of interactive leisure and entertainment software in the UK. ELSPA works to protect, promote and provide for the interests of all its members, as well as addressing issues that affect the industry as a whole through:

Industry Promotion
Sales Charts & reports
Conferences & Seminars
IP Crime enforcement
Reviewing proposed Legislation
Content ratings
Research reports
Careers promotion

The Top Selling Games This Week Are:

1. Wii Fit

2.C.O.D : World at War

3.The Lord of the Rings Conquest

4.FIFA 09

5. Wii Play

6.Need For Speed : Undercover

7. Mario and Sonic Olympic Games

8. Guitar Hero World Tour

9.Carnival Funfair Games

10. Dr Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain?

The No.1 game for: ( Week ending 17th Jan 09)

PS3 is : C.O.D World at War

Wii is : Wii Fit

Xbox is : The Lord of the Rings Conquest

DS is : Dr Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain?

PC is : Football Manager 2009

PSP is : FIFA 09

How titles are rated in the UK

In 1993 a voluntary age rating system was set up called the Video Standards Council, this was replaced by The Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE) in 2003 who set up PEGI (Pan European Games Information) Its purpose is to give young people in Europe better protection against unsuitable gaming content and to help parents understand the risks and potential for harm within this environment. Any game showing the PEGI symbol has been tested and passed by the institution and will display a number of these symbols below. Or the BBFC will rate the game ( This is also a voluntary age rating system) based in its violnce, Drug use, Fighting, sex content or horror.

The Videogames Industry - Bioshock PS3

Bioshock PS3

Developers - 2K Boston/ 2K Australia / 2K Marin

Publishers - 2K Games

Platforms - PC, Xbox 360, PS3

Genre - First Person Shooter, Survival Horror.

Rating - BBFC 18+

Set in an alternative history 1960, the game places the player in the role of a plane crash survivor named Jack, who must explore the underwater city of Rapture, and survive attacks by the mutated beings and mechanical drones that populate it. The game incorporates elements found in role-playing and survival horror games.

Companies Listed on the Box

• 2K Games ( Boston, Australia and Marin) DEVELOPER (Development Studio)



• Havok DEVELOPER (Game Engine)



• Bink Video DEVELOPER (Game Engine)



• Unreal DEVELOPER (Game Engine)



• Digital extremes DEVELOPER (Development Studio)



• BBFC RATING BODY



• Blue-ray (Sony) DISTRIBUTORS



• Dolby Digital DEVELOPERS (Sound)



• Sony Entertainment Inc. (PUBLISHERS/DISTRIBUTORS)



• Take Two Interactive (PUBLISHERS)



• PS3 (PLATFORM)

2K Games

2K Games is headquartered in Novato, California and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. They also own Rockstar Games notable for GTA.

Other Games from 2K

• Sid Meier's Civilisation - PC/PS3



• The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion - PC/ Xbox/PS3



• The Da Vinci Code - PC/Xbox/PS2



• The Darkness - Xbox/PS3



• 24 The Game - PS2

All companies are linked in some way for example 2K owns a number of other well know game developers.