The Backstage of Gaming: Working and Self-Perception of Video Game Developers

The importance of the creative and cultural economy for the modern society and the world of work is now widely researched and recognized. Although there are undoubtedly well-paid positions, for many people, the labour turns out to be poorly paid, insecure, highly competitive and characterized by a considerable degree of self-exploitation. However, one increasingly important sub-sector is neglected in terms of sociological analysis: the gaming world. Although video game developers are confronted with considerable workloads, they are hardly organized collectively. But what concrete working conditions are developers exposed to, and how do they perceive them? Do they have a collective identity, or do they see themselves as individual and isolated workers? Jonas Ferdinand explores these central questions in his dissertation project "The Backstage of Gaming: Work and Self-Perception of Video Game Developers.