The
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
' mainstream video games market, not taking into consideration the serious and casual games, is the sixth largest in Europe. In 2008, the Dutch market took up 3.95% of the entire European market in total sales and 4.19% in software sales.
A significant part of the Netherlands' gaming industry is in
serious game
A serious game or applied game is a game designed for a primary purpose other than pure entertainment. The "serious" adjective is generally prepended to refer to video games used by industries like defense, education, scientific exploration, he ...
s, in which Dutch companies make a significant part of the worldwide industry.
In the Netherlands, an estimated of 4,000 people are working in the games industry, at more than 600 companies.
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
Global means of or referring to a globe and may also refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Global'' (Paul van Dyk album), 2003
* ''Global'' (Bunji Garlin album), 2007
* ''Global'' (Humanoid album), 1989
* ''Global'' (Todd Rundgren album), 2015
* Bruno ...
, 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.
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 Third generation may refer to:
* ''Third Generation'' (album), a 1982 album by Hiroshima
* ''The Third Generation'' (1920 film), an American drama film directed by Henry Kolker
* ''The Third Generation'' (1979 film), a West German black comedy b ...
, 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
Online shopping is a form of electronic commerce which allows consumers to directly buy goods or services from a seller over the Internet using a web browser or a mobile app. Consumers find a product of interest by visiting the website of ...
.
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
The Benelux Union ( nl, Benelux Unie; french: Union Benelux; lb, Benelux-Unioun), also known as simply Benelux, is a politico- economic union and formal international intergovernmental cooperation of three neighboring states in western Europe: ...
, 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
An App Store (or app marketplace) is a type of digital distribution platform for computer software called applications, often in a mobile context. Apps provide a specific set of functions which, by definition, do not include the running of the c ...
and
Google Play
Google Play, also known as the Google Play Store and formerly the Android Market, is a digital distribution service operated and developed by Google. It serves as the official app store for certified devices running on the Android operating sy ...
.
Netherlands in video games
The Netherlands is not often used as a setting for video games, other than certain Dutch games such as ''
A2 Racer'', ''AmsterDoom'' (
NL wiki) and ''
Efteling Tycoon''.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...
, 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
Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"Ne ...
. ''
Resistance: Retribution'' also featured a level in Rotterdam. During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, 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.
In games such as the
''FIFA'' football games and
Olympic video games,
teams or players from the Netherlands are featured. The
TT Circuit Assen
The TT Circuit Assen is a motorsport race track built in 1955 and located in Assen, Netherlands. Host of the Dutch TT, it is popularly referred to as "The Cathedral" of motorcycling by the fans of the sport. The venue has the distinction of hol ...
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
Circuit Zandvoort (), known for sponsorship reasons as CM.com Circuit Zandvoort, and previously known as Circuit Park Zandvoort until 2017, is a motorsport race track located in the dunes north of Zandvoort, the Netherlands, near the North Sea ...
is a
Formula One
Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...
racing track. The track has been featured in its old Formula One-layout in the game ''
Grand Prix Legends
''Grand Prix Legends'' is a computer racing simulator developed by Papyrus Design Group and published in 1998 by Sierra On-Line under the Sierra Sports banner. It simulates the 1967 Grand Prix season.
Gameplay
The game offers several modes in ...
'', and more recently in its current layout in ''
TOCA Race Driver'', ''
TOCA Race Driver 2
''TOCA Race Driver 2'' (''DTM Race Driver 2'' in Germany and ''V8 Supercars Australia 2'' in Australia) is a racing video game developed and published by Codemasters for Xbox, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Mobile and PlayStation Portable ...
'', ''
Race 07
''Race 07'' is a racing simulator computer game from SimBin Studios (later Sector3 Studios). The game is the sequel to the 2006 title '' Race – The Official WTCC Game''. Like the original ''Race'', the title is officially licensed by the World ...
'' and ''
rFactor 2
''rFactor 2'' is a personal computer, computer racing simulator developed by Image Space Incorporated (renamed Studio 397 in 2016, acquired by Motorsport Games in 2021) and released for Microsoft Windows, Windows in 2012. Like its predecessor ''r ...
''.
Recently
Mario Kart Tour
is a 2019 kart racing mobile game, the fourteenth in the franchise in the ''Mario Kart'' series, developed by Nintendo EPD and published by Nintendo for iOS and Android devices. The game was announced in January 2018 and was released on Sept ...
added an
Amsterdam tour track to its roster.
Video game development
Game developers from the Netherlands
Defunct game developers
Game publishers from the Netherlands
Defunct game publishers from the Netherlands
Popular games developed in the Netherlands
* ''
Adam's Venture''
* ''
Age of Wonders
''Age of Wonders'' is a 1999 turn-based strategy game co-developed by Triumph Studios and Epic MegaGames, and published by Gathering of Developers.
''Age of Wonders'' underwent a long production cycle, and was originally developed under the n ...
'' series
* ''
Bang Attack''
* ''Delicious'' series
* ''
Horizon Zero Dawn
''Horizon Zero Dawn'' is a 2017 action role-playing game developed by Guerrilla Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The plot follows Aloy, a young hunter in a world overrun by machines, who sets out to uncover her past. The ...
'' series
* ''
Ibb and Obb''
*
''Killzone'' series
* ''
Moorhuhn''
* ''
Overlord'' series
* ''
Rocket riot''
* ''
Ship Simulator
A maritime simulator or ship simulator is a system that simulates ships and maritime environments for training, research and other purposes. Today, simulator training given by maritime schools and academies is part of the basic training of mari ...
''
* ''
Swords & Soldiers''
* ''
Tarimba & Taromba''
* ''
The Chronicles of Spellborn''
* ''
Toki Tori''
* ''
Worms: Open Warfare 2''
Education
Up until 1998, whoever wanted to work in the gaming industry was best off pursuing a
computer programming
Computer programming is the process of performing a particular computation (or more generally, accomplishing a specific computing result), usually by designing and building an executable computer program. Programming involves tasks such as anal ...
or
graphic design education. In 1998,
Utrecht School of the Arts
The HKU University of the Arts Utrecht ( nl, Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht, HKU) is a performing arts and visual arts educational institution in Utrecht, Netherlands.
Overview
The institution has 680 teachers and staff members. The HKU c ...
offered the first 'pure' game education on the European continent.
Currently there are 11 schools offering specific game educations in the Netherlands.
University of Amsterdam
Since 2013 the
University of Amsterdam
The University of Amsterdam (abbreviated as UvA, nl, Universiteit van Amsterdam) is a public research university located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The UvA is one of two large, publicly funded research universities in the city, the other being ...
offers the first master program focused on game development (Game studies).
Utrecht University
Utrecht University
Utrecht University (UU; nl, Universiteit Utrecht, formerly ''Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht'') is a public research university in Utrecht, Netherlands. Established , it is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands. In 2018, it had an enrollme ...
offers Game technology as a variant of its Computer Science bachelor and a master in Game & Media Technology.
Breda University of Applied Sciences
Breda University of Applied Sciences
Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas), formerly NHTV, is a Dutch vocational university in Breda, Netherlands. BUas caters for more than 7,000 Dutch and international students from over 80 countries. The institute offers professional and ac ...
has been offering a course in game development (Creative Media and Game Technologies), for over 10 years. The 4-year course is entirely focused on practical teaching, working with a variant of Project-Based Learning called "Role-Based Learning". Students work entirely on game development projects, with an assessment based on their behavior and learning within those projects. They also offer a Master in Game Technology.
Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences
Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences offer a major in Creative Media & Game Technologies with a minor Game design and Development for example where students have to create several games within a short amount of time. First, they learn to create a 2D Android game within 6 weeks. Then they learn to create a 3D game within 13 weeks total.
Saxion University of Applied Sciences
Saxion University of Applied Science in Enschede also offers a bachelor's degree in Creative Media and Game Technologies.
Media
Print media
*
Power Unlimited
''Power Unlimited'' is a Dutch multi-format video games magazine. It is the biggest gaming magazine in the Benelux. The first issue was released in June 1993.
History
''Power Unlimited'' started in June 1993 in Bjørn Bruinsma's basement as a ne ...
, since 1993 (oldest active publication)
*
Control
Control may refer to:
Basic meanings Economics and business
* Control (management), an element of management
* Control, an element of management accounting
* Comptroller (or controller), a senior financial officer in an organization
* Controllin ...
, since 2007
Defunct print media
* n3 Nintendo Magazine; 2002–2003
*
GMR; 2006–2008
*
gamesTM; 2008
*
Hoog Spel; 1990–2002
*
amer; 2003–2012
Television and radio
*
Gamekings, since 2002 (television)
*
InsidegamerTV (television)
Defunct television and media
*
GameVille (casual games television show)
* GameForce 1 (defunct television show, 1998-2000)
* GameQuest (defunct television show, 2000-2001)
* 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
Tweakers (formerly called Tweakers.net) is a Dutch technology website featuring news and information about hardware, software, games and the Internet. The name is derived from the verb "tweaking", which is a word geeks use to refer to optimisatio ...
(games section)
*
nl.IGN.com (Dutch)
*
XGN (website)
Defunct online media
*
Gamesen.nl
*
Gamez.nl
*
Bashers.nl
Video game systems
Philips CD-i
The
Philips CD-i
The Compact Disc-Interactive (CD-I, later CD-i) is a digital optical disc data storage format that was mostly developed and marketed by Dutch company Philips. It was created as an extension of CDDA and CD-ROM and specified in the '' Green Book ...
(''Compact Disc Interactive''), first released in 1991, is an interactive multimedia
CD player
A CD player is an electronic device that plays audio compact discs, which are a digital optical disc data storage format. CD players were first sold to consumers in 1982. CDs typically contain recordings of audio material such as music or audio ...
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.
Other Consoles
*
Swinxs
*
Tovertafel
European video game rating
The
(NICAM) is the institute responsible for the software given for review for the European
video game content rating system
A video game content rating system is a Content rating, system used for the classification of video games based on suitability for target audiences. Most of these systems are associated with and/or sponsored by a government, and are sometimes par ...
PEGI
PEGI () or Pan-European Game Information is a European video game content rating system established to help European consumers make informed decisions when buying video games or apps through the use of age recommendations and content descript ...
.
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 game
A casual game is a video game targeted at a mass market audience, as opposed to a hardcore game, which is targeted at hobbyist gamers. Casual games may exhibit any type of gameplay and genre. They generally involve simpler rules, shorter sessio ...
s. After a four-year absence, Amsterdam hosted Casual Connect once more in February 201
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
The Jaarbeurs (; Dutch for 'Yearly Fair') is an exhibition and convention centre in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Noted events include the former Space '86, the Hobby Computer Club Days (''HCC Dagen''), and the Mega Record & CD Fair. The venue is a ...
Utrecht. Since 2015 the event has been rebranded as Firstlook Festival.
In 2013,
Walibi Holland
Walibi Holland (previously called Flevohof, Walibi Flevo, Six Flags Holland and Walibi World) is a theme park in Biddinghuizen, Netherlands.
History
The park was opened in 1971 as 'Flevohof'. It was an educational theme park themed after agricu ...
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
The Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision (Dutch: Nederlands Instituut voor Beeld en Geluid, or short, Beeld en Geluid) is the cultural archive and a museum located in Hilversum. The Institute for Sound and Vision collects, looks after, and ...
. 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
A LAN party is a gathering of people with personal computers or compatible game consoles, where a local area network (LAN) connection is established between the devices using a router or switch, primarily for the purpose of playing multiplayer ...
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.
References
External links
Dutch Game Industry Directory(Database with over 250 entries of both developers and co-developers)
List of games set in Amsterdamat
MobyGames (25+ games, circa 2023)
{{Video games by country