Migrated/ing game work: A case study of Korean game expats in Finland

Abstract

The number of immigrant and expatriate game creators is steady on the rise, becoming one of the critical, creative experts in the video game industry. In Finland, 27% of the workforce in Finnish video game companies are coming from abroad. However, despite their growing numbers, little is known about these foreign workers' status and their experiences with cultural interpretations in game production. To fill this gap, in this research I interviewed and observed South Korean game creators who migrated to Finland, focusing on their motivation for relocation and experiences in country-to-country transition. Data revealed three (3) patterns of value clashes and two (2) contextual factors, as well as an indication of alarming obstacles that hinder the bilateral cultural exchange within game production. This paper offers a first in-depth analysis of one of the expatriate groups in Finnish video game industry, extending the existing discussion of game work in the contemporary multicultural society.