IGDA Announces 2005 Financials, Plans

The not-for-profit IGDA (International Game Developers Association), which provides community support for game developers through a multitude of local IGDA chapters, as well as SIGs (special interest groups) on topics ranging from casual game to sex in game, and advocates on topics such as 'quality of life' for game professionals, has released its 2005 Annual Report. The Association, which also administers voting and helps pick special award recipients for the Game Developers Choice Awards, to be held at GDC next week in San Jose, released a statement from Chairperson Bob Bates alongside the report which revealed both current financials and plans for the entity, which has just over 9,500 paying members. According to Bates, after polling its members earlier this year, the IGDA "changed our mission statement to add 'career advancement' to our traditional focus on community and advocacy", and intends to continue to evolve in 2006, explaining that the year "...will see an overhaul to our website, forums, and SIGs that will allow members to communicate with their professional peers more easily than ever before. We have begun an employment contract certification project as part of our ongoing Quality of Life efforts." However, the report, which is available in full on the IGDA website, did note a small financial loss for 2005 for the IGDA: "Despite strong support from the community, the IGDA suffered a $48k loss for 2005. This is largely due to a combination of the reduced membership fee and unexpected expenses related to the IGDA's move to self-management at the start of 2005." Nonetheless, it was noted: "Past cash reserves [currently at $144,000, according to accounts filed as part of the annual report] enabled the IGDA the weather the temporary storm and plan for a more pragmatic budget for 2006 (which is already being surpassed given overwhelming membership growth during the first quarter of 2006)."