THERE’S a “weird” situation in the game development industry today. Sales of games and consoles have gone up in the last few months but new projects are being held back as the financial crunch is affecting game development firms.

Indirectly, the Philippine game development industry is experiencing the crisis as outsourcing projects are postponed due to banks squeezing credits to companies.

Game Development Association of the Philippines President Gabby Dizon said the entertainment sector, where the game development industry is under, is supposed to be more resistant during these times. More people tend to purchase entertainment-related items that could help them cope with the current economic crunch.

“There are more games being sold during these days but companies are not creating new titles. This would have negative effects on companies offering outsource services,” Dizon said.

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THE online racing game is heating up as game publisher IP E-Games announced its own online casual racing game, Top Speed.

Top Speed uses similar concepts as the hugely popular Mario Kart racing series, where players can do both offensive and defensive driving techniques. There are also items and weapons in the game’s tracks that have both offensive and defensive purposes.

Other features include customization for players’ avatars and their karts, upgrade options for the karts, solo and team-based races, as well as a variety of difficulties for the tracks.

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