Video games are enormously popular all over the world. In fact, the video game industry is a multibillion dollar a year machine -- A successful video game, just like a popular music CD, can sell hundreds of thousands or even millions of copies!

You have probably wondered what goes into making a good video game. You may even want to get into the business yourself. Here are some of the questions that you may be wondering about:

  • Where do game ideas come from?
  • How many people are involved in making a game and what do they do?
  • How is a game developed?
  • How does a game get to my local store?


Photo courtesy 3DO
3DO's newest game is called Portal Runner.


To understand the entire process of video game development, we went to the folks at 3DO. 3DO is a major publisher of video games, with several popular titles for the Nintendo 64 and other game consoles, as well as PC and Mac computer systems. In this edition of How Stuff Works, we will follow the development of Portal Runner TM, a new game from 3DO. You will learn about the game's technology, how the idea was developed and how the game will be distributed.