I've just heard that Transmission Games and RedTribe have closed their doors. By my approximations, that's 100 to 150 staff between them :/ From what I've seen, there's probably only half a dozen advertised jobs in Melbourne at the moment. Here's hoping another studio finds the cash to absorb some of these people, or that some new start-ups form! Tsumea Kotaku Australian gamer [edit]Also, fingers crossed we're not next!

I'll post here the advice I gave on Tsumea:



I think the future is what we make of it.

It’s true that the Australian and Victorian game industry is suffering. It’s been in a poor state for a while now and we’re all now feeling the consequences of it.

I really do feel sorry for the talented individuals who, in the last hours of these studios continued to work at their jobs productively and with professionalism, rather then screaming that it’s doomsday at the top of their lungs.

Some of you talented dudes will indeed find it hard to obtain a new job.

Some will get absorbed into other studios. Some wont.

Some will start their own small studio ventures. Some of these ventures will collapse and fail due to any number of factors. Some will find a level of success that allows them to survive and possibly grow.

Some will leave the industry out of discontent and never look back. Some will leave the industry out of necessity to find a more economically stable profession and career.

You’ll need to decide for yourself what direction your going to head. And maintain pursuing that direction.

In my personal opinion:

If we as a state and country wish to survive in game development. We need to establish a number of small, independent studios that contain staff that are professional and multi-skilled. We need to create fun, interesting and compelling products that clearly demonstrate an intended target market and an ideal to be not only be made with personal touches, but to also be profitable.

We need to take smaller steps then we have in the past. I think too many start-ups have their sights set on consoles and MMOs and far over-scope their abilities. It’s wise to start with a project that you know you have more then enough resources to finish through with. If and when those projects reap rewards then you can grow and expand your project scope to bigger waters.

We cannot compete on an international level for being cheaper then another country any longer. Our dollar is almost on par with the USA. We are no longer in any way cost effective, even for asset creation.

We need to show an ability to create exceptional quality in our development projects no matter how big or small. Quality and understanding of the marketplace is the goals we need to strive for.


Good luck to everyone involved in these turbulent times.

Good luck to all the Kromans who were let go today ;(

Always sad to see a studio collapse. For one of the few industries that still seems to be finding growth and great sales (Modern Warfare 2, as a recent example), it is wracked by instability. I know that is nothing new to the game industry, as studios and even publishers fold all the time, but all the door closings since the economic recession just seems contradictory to what you may be led to believe from seeing the overall numbers of the game industry.

Best of luck to all the developers that lost their jobs.

Yeah, I think it's going to be some other kind of C++ position for me, or possibly Honours. I finish Uni this year and I'm probably going to be one of the more confident graduates entering the market, but it doesn't mean much against so many experienced people being made redundant.

Quote: Original post by jackolantern1
Always sad to see a studio collapse. For one of the few industries that still seems to be finding growth and great sales (Modern Warfare 2, as a recent example), it is wracked by instability. I know that is nothing new to the game industry, as studios and even publishers fold all the time, but all the door closings since the economic recession just seems contradictory to what you may be led to believe from seeing the overall numbers of the game industry.

In fact, I remember reading that game sales in Australia are actually up over this time last year. Doesn't seem to be reflected, though.