Industry websites

Here I will list a whole pile of websites that are useful to the game industry professional. Some I have mentioned before, but putting them all in one place is pretty convenient. This is information overload.

• N4G is a game news aggregator. The stories can be submitted by anyone but are vetted for relevance, commented on and scored for popularity. This gives an excellent news snapshot with the added advantage of measuring the level of public interest.
• MCV is the website of the British video game trade newspaper. Lots of information relevant to everyone in the trade. They will send you a daily digest.
• Gameindustry.biz is the online only competitor to MCV. They will send you a daily newsletter.
• Gamasutra is the American game industry website.
• Gamerankings, like the title says, is an amazing compendium of game information centred around their reviews. An essential tool.
• Metacritic is a more sophisticated game ranking with the individual scores weighted according to their credibility.
• VG Chartz, lots of useful guestimated facts and figures. The site is dragged down by a puerile fanboy forum.
• Some great development blogs. Find out what the people who actually make the games have to say. This is the gold standard for informed industry comment.
• ELSPA is the main UK trade industry organisation. Their main concern is political lobbying which is why the UK government is so good towards the game industry.
• How to get lots of money given to you for moving your video game business to Quebec. This site is much visited by European companies!!
• Popurls is a metasite of metasites so gives you a breathtaking overview of the internet on one page. So informative that it is addictive.
• Geekipedia is Wired magazines’ brilliant guide to our technology age. Essential education for many.
• Develop, the online site for the game development community magazine.
• Improving Game Marketing: The Game Purchase Process From A Consumer’s Point Of View. An interesting paper.
• Fascinating article on game marketing and the press.
• Some incredibly incisive commentary on game marketing and game quality.
• David Perry’s game industry map gives a geographical perspective to the whole industry.
• MMOGCHART is the standard industry reference for what is happening in the MMO world.
• The Chaos Engine, the private forum for game industry development professionals. Absolutely essential reading if you want to know what is going on.
• Videogame journos network. Does exactly what the name says.
• SoftPressRelease.com. Blast your press release out to the waiting press at low cost.
• Games Press, the resource for games journalists.
• A good list of game developers and publishers with links to their websites and product lists.
• Bruceongames. The game industry blog from a marketing and publishing perspective.

There is enough information there for even the keenest budding game industry professional. Please add any great industry sites you may know using comments. Bloggers and journalists feel free to copy this anywhere you want.