Video gaming in the Netherlands

This article is about the video game market, culture and video game industry in the Netherlands.

The Netherlands' mainstream video games market, not taking into consideration the serious and casual games, is the sixth largest in Europe. The Dutch market takes up 3.95% of the entire European market in total sales and 4.19% in software sales.^[1]

A significant part of the Netherlands' gaming industry is in serious games, in which Dutch companies make a significant part of the worldwide industry.^[2]

In the Netherlands, an estimated of 3,000 people are working in the games industry, at more than 330 companies.^[3] Over 45 of the companies are located in the Dutch Game Garden, a government subsidized organization with the aim of promoting and improving the video games industry in the Netherlands.

Consumer availability

In 2007, the Dutch game industry surpassed the Dutch film industry for the first time in history. The growth of the games industry in the Netherlands is about 50% higher than any other industry in the Netherlands' region.

Despite the global financial crisis of 2008–2009, the situation of video gaming in the Netherlands is not all that bad. Both publishers and retailers report that the crisis has certainly not caused a drop in sales, while at times, sales have even improved. ^[4]

History

Although the first generation of video games were obtained by a select few, video games became first available during the second generation of video games, when a select few Dutch electronic stores carried the earlier systems. With the third generation, more stores started carrying video game related products, a trend that has been setting through ever since.

In the early '90s, independent video game stores first started to open in the Netherlands, with a fast expansion in the early 2000s. Since 2004, video games have gotten more important for general stores however, which has led to the closing of a number of game stores, and a merger of others.

Currently, there are about 1,200 stores, of which about 75 independent, in the Netherlands that carry video games and related items, and numerous online stores.

Distribution

Distribution of games on physical media in the Netherlands is usually done by publishers or major distributors such as Micromedia BV in Nijmegen that cover the entire Benelux, although most of the publishers' offices are located in the Netherlands, and only a few have offices in Belgium. Since not every publisher has a separate office for the Benelux, certain publishers take care of multiple labels, including those of other publishers.

The Netherlands also has several publishers for games through digital distribution, such as via web portals and mobile platforms like the App Store and Google Play.

The Netherlands' appearance in video games

The Netherlands is not often used as an originally created setting for video games, other than certain Dutch games such as A2 Racer and Efteling Tycoon. Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, was planned to be a featured city in The Getaway 3, before its development was cancelled. The first internationally successful game to use the Netherlands as a setting is Hitman: Codename 47, which has a level set in Rotterdam. Resistance: Retribution also featured a leven in Rotterdam.

The Netherlands appear at times in several types of simulation games.

World War II games

During the Second World War, the Netherlands was the location of Operation Market Garden, a much-used setting for World War II games. The game Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway focusses entirely on Operation Market Garden and accurately depicts the Dutch towns and landscape along the operation's route.

Racing games

• The TT Circuit Assen is by fans considered "The Cathedral" of motorcycling, with the Dutch TT being one of the biggest events in motorbike racing. As such, the track is featured in many of the motorcycling racing games.
• Circuit Park Zandvoort is a former Formula One racing track, which is currently still used for other racing classes. The track has been featured in its old Formula One-layout in the game Grand Prix Legends, and more recently in its current layout in TOCA Race Driver, TOCA Race Driver 2 and Race 07. It is also a popular track in the modding community.

Sports games

In most of the international sports games, such as the FIFA football games and Olympic video games, teams or players from the Netherlands are featured.

Video game development

Game developers from the Netherlands

Defunct game developers

Game publishers from the Netherlands

Games developed in the Netherlands

• Killzone series
• Age of Wonders
• Overlord
• Swords & Soldiers
• Rocket Riot
• Toki Tori
• The Chronicles of Spellborn
• Worms: Open Warfare 2
• Bang Attack
• Delicious series
• Ship Simulator
• Adam's Venture

Education

Up until 1998, whoever wanted to work in the gaming industry was best off pursuing a computer programming or graphic design education. In 1998, Utrecht School of the Arts offered the first 'pure' game education on the European continent.^[5] Since 2013 the University of Amsterdam offers the first master programme focused on game development (Game studies). Currently there are 11 schools offering specific game educations in the Netherlands.

Media

Print media

• Power Unlimited, since 1993 (oldest active publication)
• Control, since 2007

Defunct print media

• n3 Nintendo Magazine; 2002–2003
• GMR; 2006–2008
• gamesTM; 2008
• Hoog Spel; 1990-2002
• [N]Gamer; 2003-2012

Television and radio

• Gamekings, since 2002 (television)
• InsidegamerTV (television)

Defunct television and media

• GameVille (casual games television show)
• Gammo (defunct television show)
• Power Play (defunct television show)

Online media

• GamersNET.nl
• Insidegamer.nl
• Gamer.nl, since 1999 (oldest active online publication)
• Gamekings.tv
• Tweakers (games section)
• nl.IGN.com (Dutch)
• XGN.nl
• PSX-Sense.nl (PlayStation community)

Defunct online media

• Gamesen.nl
• Gamez.nl
• Bashers.nl

Video game systems

Philips CD-i

The Philips CD-i (Compact Disc Interactive), first released in 1991, is an interactive multimedia CD player developed and marketed by the Dutch electronics manufacturer Royal Philips Electronics N.V. This category of device was created to provide more functionality than an audio CD player or game console, but at a lower price than a personal computer with a CD-ROM drive at the time. Earlier CD-i games included entries in popular Nintendo franchises, such as Hotel Mario, Link: The Faces of Evil, Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon and Zelda's Adventure, although those games were not developed by Nintendo. In addition to games, a lot of educational and multimedia reference titles were produced for the system, such as interactive encyclopedias, museum tours, etc. The CD-i was a commercial failure, selling 1 million units across all manufactures in 7 years, and losing Phillips $1 billion.

digiBlast

The digiBlast portable console was launched by Nikko at the end of 2005 and promised to be a cheap alternative (selling at approximately $117.86) to the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable. Cartridges for games, cartoon (Winx Club, SpongeBob SquarePants) episodes, and music videos were released on the handheld. A cartridge for MP3 playback and a cartridge with a 1.3-megapixel camera were released as add-ons.^[6] However, a shortage of chips around the release date and thereafter resulted in a failed launch and loss of consumer interest.^[7][8]

European video game rating

The Netherlands Institute for the Classification of Audiovisual Media (NICAM) is the institute responsible for the software given for review for the European video game content rating system PEGI.

Video game events in the Netherlands

Between 2005 and 2013, the NLGD Festival of Games was an annual trade show for the national and international video games industry, with an attendance of over 1,500 visitors in 2013.

Between 2005 and 2009, Amsterdam was the host city to Casual Connect Europe, the world's leading trade show for casual games. After a four-year absence, Amsterdam hosted Casual Connect once more in February 2014.

Over the years, there have been 2 large consumer events, until 2007 this was 'Gameplay'. From 2008 the event is organized by Blammo Events and is called Firstlook, the event is held annually in the Jaarbeurs Utrecht. Since 2015 the event has been rebranded as Firstlook Festival.^[9]

In 2013, Walibi Holland hosted the first edition of Game On, which hosted several video game activities in the theme park. Also in 2013, the Retro Game Experience was first hosted as part of the Sound and Vision experience at the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision. Smaller organizations and private collectors also host retro game events on a regular basis.

LAN scene

In the Netherlands, several large and smaller LAN parties and other gaming events are held yearly. In recent years, the 1000+ visitors have declined in popularity, with the scene seeing a shift towards smaller, more sociable events and/or events that offer more than just non-stop gaming. Additional activities include (outdoor) sports events, quizzes and other non-gaming competitions. In addition, small LAN-parties held at home for typically 5-15 visitors, remain popular.

A notable organization is Gameparty.net, a website that functions as a central hub in the Dutch game event scene, who also hosts two large annual events, TheParty and CampZone. Other major LAN-parties and organisations that have organized 1000+ visitor events include Drome, Netgamez, LAN = Life and Regroup. Most of these organizations operate on a non-profit basis, finding sponsors within the computer and gaming world to be able to operate budget-neutral.

Notable people in the Dutch gaming industry

Henk Rogers

Was born in the Netherlands, and was responsible for acquiring the license to Tetris for global distribution onto video game consoles.

Arjan Brussee

Started his career in video games as the main programmer behind the first demo ever to use 3D imagery on the PC and later both Jazz Jackrabbit games, and is currently head of Guerrilla Games.

John Vanderaart

One of the first Dutch video game developers (who is also known as Doctor John or DRJ), released his first games for the Dutch software house Radarsoft in the 1980s. He was one of the first Dutchmen who could earn his living by making computer games.

External links

• Dutch Games Association
• Game Research for Training and Entertainment

References