Albert T. Ferrer of GameCareerGuide writes: "With the complexity and cost of contemporary game development, it's easy to assume that making games in a basement is a thing of the past. Yet thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit of industry veterans looking to start their own game companies and a new appreciation for games on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network, there has been a revival of "bedroom" or "garage" game developers, working in cities like Vancouver and Los Angeles, where a growing community of truly independent developers can thrive.
One of the causes of this trend is that major developers such as Electronic Arts are investing in the talent of the surrounding community, producing experienced employees who have been through the rigors of game development cycles. In Vancouver for example, this fostering of talent has seemingly spawned numerous independent game companies who promote a different kind of company philosophy that stresses the importance of the employee's voice, creative freedom, and work-life balance".
