As we bid farewell to 2014, it’s clear the game industry is closing out one of the more momentous years in recent history. As we look forward to 2015, it’s good to remember the events, the trends, and — most importantly — the people who defined our industry during those moments.
To that end, Gamasutra staff spent a significant amount of time this month going back and forth about the most memorable aspects of 2014. Which developers made the most indelible impressions on our industry? What were the biggest trends of the year? When all was said and done, which events proved unforgettable?
Succintly summing up such a year seems impossible, but we did our best and published a handful of stories this month that seek to shine a light on the most important aspects of 2014.
On this, the final day of the year, we’ve taken the liberty of collecting those stories in one condensed list, complete with excerpts. If you haven’t had a chance to read them, now’s your shot. Even if you have, take another look now that all is said and done; these forces are sure to shape the way our industry evolves in 2015.
The Top 10 Game Developers of 2014 – Every year, the creation of this list involved a fair amount of back-and-forth among our staff — adding developers, subtracting developers, adding them back in, taking them back out, etc. — until we eventually came down to 10 game developers and studios.
Like our selections from previous years, recognition on this list isn’t necessarily just about who made a good game in 2014, although that does help. But also, these are the developers and studios that left their mark on this year in a meaningful way, shaping the year in game development.
5 events that shook the industry in 2014 – This year saw fresh battles for diversity and more shake-ups at big companies, but the stakes were higher than ever. Major tech companies threw themselves into the game industry, some larger-than-life personalities left it, and too many developers struggled simply to remain.
The 5 trends that defined the game industry in 2014 – This year saw changes that impacted the game business at large, from selling games, to making games, to consuming them. The evolution won’t end here, as these 2014 trends will also affect game development and the industry in the years to come.