What is the state of the games industry? It's a question we're asked regularly not just by colleagues but friends, family, and acquaintances whose knowledge of video games begins and ends at Angry Birds.

The State of Games series is our effort to present a comprehensive, yet concise take on the people who make, sell, and buy video games today. From developers to gamers, indies to AAAs, the editorial staff packaged must-know info into easily digestible features. And for those lovers of Angry Birds, we covered mobile games, too.

We also paired each section with a case study, providing an opportunity for those with first-hand experience in the industry to share their two cents. People like indie game designer Nathan Vella and Epic Games vice president Mark Rein speak to the state of the iPhone and next-gen consoles. We didn't just cover where games are today, but where they are going tomorrow.

This is an in-depth and accessible look at what The Economist says will be "the fastest-growing and most exciting form of mass media over the coming decade." This is Polygon's The State of Games 2012.