by The book “2021 CESA Game White Paper” (6600 yen), which contains the scale and trends of the game market, was released on the 25th. The primary market is the game industry, but the book also includes unique data, so that I will introduce it. This time, it is the development and operation cost of the game software.
The “CESA Game White Paper” has been published annually since 1996 by the Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association (CESA, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo), a game industry group. This time it was postponed from the summer of 2021 due to the spread of the new coronavirus, but it is scheduled to return to the original pace from the next time onwards.
Software development for home video game consoles “over 100 million yen” 37%
Various data are introduced in the magazine, but the most interesting is the development and operation costs of the game software. However, it is challenging to define product and operating costs because they can be interpreted differently. This is because there are cases where development costs are reduced by incorporating the use from the beginning into animation and pachislot and multi-platform. We have released the numbers as a “reference” called “the actual situation of partner companies”.
Regarding the initial development cost of software for home video game consoles, 42% answered that it was “50 million yen or less” for stationary game consoles. 21% answered “more than 50 million yen and less than 100 million yen”. “Over 100 million yen” was 37%. I also wanted data for “more than 1 billion yen”.
The numbers and the “points to keep in mind” are carefully written. The development cost should include remakes and multi-platform titles. Software development for new home video game consoles requires initial costs for research and tends to rise. On the contrary, it is mentioned that if you get used to developing game consoles, you can reduce costs.
The development cost of a smartphone game is “over 1 billion yen.”
There is also data on smartphones, PCs, tablets, and multi-platform game development.
First of all, regarding the development cost of games for smartphones and tablets, “more than 100 million yen and less than 500 million yen” was the most common at 60%, and “more than 500 million yen and less than 1 billion yen” and “more than 1 billion yen” were also answered respectively. There was 10%. On the other hand, “50 million yen or less” is only 20%.
The development cost of PC games was the highest at 47% for “50 million yen or less”. Next is 29% of “more than 100 million yen and less than 500 million yen”. 12% of the respondents answered “more than 1 billion yen”.
Many operating expenses are “30 million yen or more per month.”
Finally, additional development and operation costs for smartphones, PCs, tablets, and multi-platforms.
First of all, regarding games for smartphones and tablets, 45% of the respondents answered the most expensive is “more than 30 million yen a month”. A simple calculation is over 360 million yen on an annual basis. 20% also said that “more than 10 million yen a month and less than 30 million yen”. On the other hand, intelligent management of “less than 3 million yen a month” was 25%.
For PC games, “3 million yen or less per month” was the highest at 67%. On the other hand, “more than 10 million yen a month and less than 30 million yen” was also 33%. On the contrary, “more than 30 million yen a month” was zero.
In the case of multi-platforms (smartphones / PCs, tablets), the most common answer was “more than 30 million yen a month” at 45%. Next is 25% of “3 million yen or less per month”.
Regarding additional development and operating costs, you are polarization between “keeping costs down” and “spending money”.
