video game

A video game is an that involves interaction with a to generate visual feedback on a . The word video in video game traditionally referred to a display device. However, with the popular use of the term "video game", it now implies any type of . The to play video games are known as platforms; examples of these are and These platforms range from large to small video games such as previously common, have gradually declined in use.

The used to manipulate video games is called a and varies across platforms. For example, a dedicated console controller might consist of only a button and a . Another may feature a dozen buttons and one or more joysticks. Early personal computer games often needed a for or more commonly, required the user to buy a separate joystick with at least one button. Many modern computer games allow, or even require, the player to use a keyboard and simultaneously.

Video games typically also use other ways of providing interaction and information to the player. Audio is almost universal, using devices, such as . But other feedback may come via as vibration

Development

Main article:

Video game development and authorship, much like any other form of entertainment is frequently a cross disciplinary field. , as employees within this industry are commonly referred, primarily include and . Although, over the years this has expanded to include almost every type of skill that one might see prevalent in any movie or television program including , other technicians; all of which are managed by

In the early days of the industry, it was more common for a single person to manage all of the roles needed to create a video game. As platforms have become more complex and powerful in the type of material they can present, larger teams have been needed to generate all of the art, programming, cinematography, and more. This is not to say that the age of the "one-man shop" is gone as this still occurs in the casual gaming and handheld markets where single screen games are more prevalent due to technical limitations of the target platform (such as cellphones and PDAs).

With the growth of the size of development teams in the industry the problem of cost has become more critical then ever. Development studios need to be able to pay their staff a competitive wage in order to attract and retain the best talent, while publishers are constantly on the look to keep costs down in order to maintain profitability on their investment. Typically, a video game console development team can range in sizes of anywhere from 5 to 50 people, with some teams exceeding 100. The growth of team size combined with greater pressures to get completed projects into the market to begin recouping production costs has led to a greater occurrence of missed deadlines and unfinished products; is the quintessential example of these problems.