Inspired by predictions of brisk growth in the $1bn (£0.54bn) online gaming market, IBM, Sun Microsystems and other companies normally not associated with dragon-slaying adventures have launched projects recently to handle the complex infrastructure needed to run online games.
IBM is one of the main backers of Butterfly.net, a growing effort to apply grid supercomputing techniques to operating online games. The company is busy adapting other aspects of its "on-demand computing" strategy to running games.
Sun last year formed a Game Technologies Group aimed at expanding the use of Java as a game foundation and promoting Sun hardware and service to run online games.
Then there's database giant Oracle, which adapted its grid-computing technology to host the high-profile "Sims Online" game, and telecom giant Alcatel. They and other companies make it look like the game industry is turning into a new playground for enterprise technology companies.
"The gaming industry is really going through a transition now," said Steve Canepa, vice president of IBM's media and entertainment group. "We think there's a real opportunity for IBM to play a role in that transition."
Revenue from the North American online game market is currently estimated at just short of $1bn, according to research firm IDC, with 20 percent annual growth expected over the next few years. Researcher Themis Group expects the worldwide market will grow to $9bn in 10 years, thanks to rapid growth in Asia.
In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in
Log in or create your ZDNet UK account below
By signing up for this service, you indicate that you agree to our Terms and Conditions and have read and understood our Privacy Policy. Questions about membership? Find the answers in the Membership FAQ
Hey - presume you mean something that builds on Apple's existing TV device? Apple have already had a couple of runs at building Apple TV and it's...
6 hours ago by Andrew Donoghue on Google's TV timing may reveal more to come
Google, Sony, Intel may build TV project www.zdnet.co.uk/news/emerging-tech/2010/03/18/google-sony-intel-may-build-tv-project-40088359/
7 hours ago on Twitter by BVE2011
70,0000 to 90,0000 computers? A very small number considering some of these botnets are in the millions, and there are so many of them operating,...
7 hours ago by ator1940 on Microsoft says it decimated Waledac botnet I agree Roger, and why can't they write secure code? What will happen when they find stolen code in windows? They have a track record of...
7 hours ago by ator1940 on Microsoft lashing out at Linux, open source Do you think it will really take days?
7 hours ago by ator1940 on Microsoft previews Internet Explorer 9 with HTML 5 support
Wonder how many days it will take before somebody codes an exploitive hack for IE9?
19 hours ago by Xwindowsjunkie on Microsoft previews Internet Explorer 9 with HTML 5 support
There are some really good people in Microsoft and I wonder, how embarassing it must be for them to see how the organisation behaves from it's...
1 day ago by roger andre on Microsoft lashing out at Linux, open source
Great new look for ZDNET UK web-site http://bit.ly/9R5eAA to check it out @ZDNetUK #zdnet
1 day ago on Twitter by ajclarke
Microsoft previews Internet Explorer 9 with HTML 5 support - zdnet.co.uk http://bit.ly/9FSh23
1 day ago on Twitter by feedfrog
We were just pondering on when IE will get HTML5 and CSS3 onboard! this is excellent
1 day ago by kencogold on Microsoft previews Internet Explorer 9 with HTML 5 support
RT @suziedaniels: relaunched www.zdnet.co.uk raises the bar yet again! its so fast it makes my eyes bleed.
1 day ago on Twitter by riptari This is brilliant - I borrowed one and straight away saw that a few AP`s were set up to the wrong country. It gives interference levels on each...
1 day ago by Bob Preece on Fluke Networks AirCheck Wi-Fi Tester
http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/networking/2010/03/11/european-parliament-votes-down-acta-treaty-40085614/ (Where does this leave #Debill?)
1 day ago on Twitter by _SimonArnoldme
relaunched www.zdnet.co.uk raises the bar yet again! its so fast it makes my eyes bleed.
1 day ago on Twitter by suziedaniels
Redesign complet pour ZDNet UK et AU, Twitter au centre http://www.zdnet.co.uk/ http://www.zdnet.com.au/
1 day ago on Twitter by eparody
RT @eparody: Redesign complet pour ZDNet UK et AU, Twitter au centre http://www.zdnet.co.uk/ http://www.zdnet.com.au/
1 day ago on Twitter by cdutheilFor multi-store outlets, including retail, banking, grocery, gas, hospitality, convenience stores and others, reducing (or avoiding) the cost of in-store system support and maintenance while maintaining compliance with PCI and other requirements has become a strategic challenge.
Speaker: Dr. Chenxi Wang, Principal Analyst, Security and Risk Management, Forrester Research, Inc. As Enterprises are increasingly connected to the Internet and as hard organizational boundaries are fast disappearing, security professionals are facing fresh challenges in Enterprise computing.
This tutorial is for new MindManager users and teaches you how to get started, by creating maps, reading maps and organizing your information.
Talkback
Belated move. The future of games has been apparent for some time now.
27 Jun 04 17:00 Reply