Iran holds the top place in video games development in the Middle East, Hassan Karimi Quddusi, deputy of Iran Computer and Video Games Foundation said on Thursday.
In a meeting on media and computer games held at the International Exhibition of Press and News Agencies, Quddusi however said “several reforms are necessary for Iran to become one of the largest video games developers in the world. The current status of the computer game industry is not entirely satisfactory.”
Unlike other cultural mediums, the proper institutions and platforms to promote computer games do not exist, MNA quoted him as saying.
It might be difficult to publish magazines but establishing a website isn’t as difficult; despite that there are still no useful websites entirely dedicated to computer games.
Pricing Drawback
“Another drawback is pricing. It is logical to set prices proportional to quality, but the case is not so. For instance if games sold abroad are priced in a range of $1 - $100, they are sold from $1 to $5 in Iran. The pricing system therefore needs major reform,” he stressed.
On the other hand, as direct sales are becoming obsolete and more than 60 percent of computer games are sold online, a platform for digital sales of computer games should also be established.
Present at the meeting was Hadi Kafi, spokesperson of Iran Computer and Video Games Foundation, who said “the time has come for more efficacious products to be created.”
Media is one of the most important platforms for promoting culture. Cinema and other mediums can get their message across the board; unfortunately, is not the case for video games, he noted.
Computer games development has gained ground in Iran in the past decade. “Although video games are one of the most effective mediums for promoting culture, the media does not regard them such.” Thus the video game industry has not advanced as much as it should, he added.
Support
The foundation is affiliated to the ministry of culture and Islamic guidance and aims at supporting local video games development in Iran and enhancing prudent knowledge; holding festivals and exhibitions to increase the enthusiasm in gaming and form communities with active members; attending regional and international exhibitions and presenting the achievements of domestic video games.
Iran with more than 38 million internet users and 20 million gamers is the largest growing video games market in the Middle East. Iranian companies in recent years have improvised the industry and produced a number of high-tech games which have succeeded in the local market as well as participated in some foreign festivals.
