Ukie’s Post

📢 This month, EGDF organized a call with its members to map the state of the European games industry in 2024. The call focused on overcoming current difficult times. 🎮 EGDF president, Hendrik Lesser shared his conclusions of the discussion in this article: https://zurl.co/oF2X "We will keep calm and carry on. We will help each other. We will build the road for growth and success. We will ask difficult questions and stand up when someone tries to use these difficult times to weaken our position in the value chain. Regardless if we have to stand up against key game engine developers, main gatekeeper distribution platforms or the big European telcos. We will be the clear and loud voice of the European industry. " Hendrik Lesser #EuropeanGamesIndustry #GamingIndustry #Insights #EGDF

Some really welcome calls and stakes in the ground from Ukie - The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment in their Video Games Industry Manifesto. Great work Daniel Wood and co. Our work at Into Games has helped shape some of this, and I'm personally very proud to have spearheaded work over the last twelve months to research the need and call for a national games skills fund - some of which you can still read over at GamesIndustry.Biz. It's great to see this become a bigger part of the discourse now, and publicly backed by the UK trade body. Without proper investment in skills at every level we can't solve the huge, growing challenges around diversity, training, leadership, and talent at every level of seniority. The pipeline is broken! A Digital Creativity GCSE will really help equip young people with the tools needed to understand the sector, but without fair, adequate and equitable pathways into and through those roles, we will only perpetuate the challenges and let down thousands of talented young people. I'm looking forward to seeing the sectors response to this, as it won't work unless all orgs commit to making real change. https://lnkd.in/d5bDxXfU

About two weeks ago, we had our annual State of the Industry call with our member associations. As our president Hendrik Lesser sums it up, 2024 will hurt us, but Europe is the place to be during the difficult times. First of all, Europe has talent. Europe has one of the biggest and the best game industry talent pools globally. Europe has one of the strongest and widest professional game education frameworks in the world and Europe is one of the most attractive locations for game industry talent. Secondly, Europe is home to some of the best public game production, R&D and SME funding instruments in the world, and it is now helping many highly promising companies grow. Thirdly, the European game industry is and continues to be an industry of new opportunities and a forerunner of artistic, technological and business innovation. The global game industry is returning on the growth track and markets are starting to grow again. At the same time, many European game developer studios are in better shape than ever to get through the difficult times and explore new market opportunities and disruptions. And, as they say, the difficult times make the best entrepreneurs. Those who can make it now will be able to survive the next 30 years. Fourthly, Europe is a golden opportunity for global game industry investors to find highly promising companies with access to the talent needed for growth. Meanwhile, European investors might be hesitant to invest, but they have more money than before. The true challenge for the European game industry trade associations is to find ways to support struggling game developer studios in fully exploring the opportunities the European digital single market area, our home market, provides us. On the EGDF side, this means that in 2024 we will place our special focus on: - supporting students and start-ups - securing access to public funding  - facilitating access to private funding and co-development deals   - building a strategic approach to growth 

Here is a good overview of the current challenges faced by the European games industry in 2024, followed by a resilient and optimistic outlook for the future. The candid assessment of the difficulties, including market saturation, funding constraints, and geopolitical instability, sets the stage for a sober analysis of the industry's present state. The acknowledgement that the industry witnessed significant growth during the COVID-19 pandemic but is now grappling with a slowdown and potential decline is an important starting point. The challenges highlighted, such as the saturation of game markets, the unmet promises of NFTs and cryptocurrencies, and the difficulties in securing funding, paint a realistic picture of the obstacles that companies in the European games industry are currently facing. Despite these challenges, Hendrik Lesser – European Games Developer Federation (EGDF) President takes a positive stance, emphasizing Europe's unique strengths and opportunities. The recognition that Europe remains a hub for game industry talent, with diverse and attractive locations for both professionals and investors, is encouraging. The emphasis on the global nature of the games industry and the potential for engagement with emerging markets in Asia and Africa underscores a forward-looking and adaptable approach. In conclusion, while Henrik Lesser's optimism provides a robust foundation for the European gaming industry's resilience, it is imperative to underscore the collective role that each stakeholder can play in transforming this positive outlook into tangible action. The forthcoming major European platform presents an unparalleled opportunity for the entire industry to unite, collaborate, and actively contribute to the realization of Henrik's vision. By seizing this moment and collectively manifesting optimism into innovation, we can pave the way for a thriving future. This upcoming significant occasion of Nordic Games 20th anniversary in Malmö serves as a pivotal arena where industry professionals, developers, investors, and enthusiasts alike can join forces, bridging the gap between optimism and action to ensure a prosperous trajectory for the European gaming landscape. #thrive2024 #NG24Spring #NordicGame20Years #DeveloperShowcase #NordicGameExpo #gamedev #gamebiz ✍ Hind Toufga 🔜Hamburg Games Conference

Here are the Games Industry Highlights | Week 12-13 | 2024 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀 🌍 The European Commission has launched an antitrust investigation into Apple, Google, and Meta. Some of the world’s largest tech giants are suspected of non-compliance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Each company may be fined up to 10% of their annual global revenue, or even 20% in the case of repeated infringement. 🌍 Tencent recently released its FY23 financial report, posting weaker-than-expected revenue growth. The Chinese tech giant’s plans to make fewer games based on licensed IPs in favor of in-house productions. 🌍 Capcom becomes Metacritic’s top publisher of 2023, while previous winner Sony drops out of top 10. 2nd place went to Raw Fury with 7 scored titles that have an average Metascore of 79.1. zero games with 85 or higher, showing that consistency can also be key! 🌍 A lot of people spoke out at #GDC24 against the huge amounts of layoffs in the industry and how these are caused by corporate greed: Tarn Adams, Swen Vincke, Alanah Pearce and many more. 🌍 Valve has updated its game sharing features by launching Steam Families. Game libraries will now only be shared between accounts registered in the same region. 🌍 A video game museum for artwork, designs, soundtracks, and interactive elements is opening in Japan in 2027, in development by TECMO KOEI GAMES Co., Ltd. 🌍 Balatro, the poker roguelike by LocalThunk & Playstack has sold over 1 million copies in its first month! 🌍 New Zealand celebrates its games industry with awesome stamps for Dredge, Into the Dead, Mini Metro, Depth, and Bloons TD 6. Mayhaps a cool idea in Belgium too? https://lnkd.in/dFZyuFXp 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗴𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 👉 Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT) opened a call for submissions for an internationalization grant worth €9000. Apply Now! https://shorturl.at/ciPV2 👉 there is a Flanders Game Hub Expert talk today (26/3) at 15:00 by Steve Bromley on the importance of playtesting and how to go about it! https://lnkd.in/ehH5Y6_p 👉 FGH is also organising a roadshow to share real-world use-cases for #AI in #gamedev. The first one is planned for 10 April: https://loom.ly/9XsUjZw 👉 Baldur’s Gate 3 triumphed at the #GameDevelopersChoiceAwards, goig home with 4 awards, including Game Of The Year. 👉 Larian Studios has said that its next game won't be Baldur's Gate 4, nor will there be DLC for BG3. 👉 Thomas Waterzooi's Please, Touch the Artwork 2 is currently ranked the 5th best Steam game of the year (based on ratings) 👉 Outcast - A New Beginning by Appeal Studios is out since March 15th on PC, Xbox and PS5! https://lnkd.in/dYarUPq4 👉 BIG SHOTS, the VR mech game by AlterEyes is partnering with MyDearest株式会社 and will launch on April 18th for #MetaQuest, #PSVR2, #Sidequest, and #SteamVR! https://bigshots-vr.com

Here are the Games Industry Highlights | Week 12-13 | 2024 https://lnkd.in/drFX8PhR 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀 🌍 The European Commission has launched an antitrust investigation into Apple, Google, and Meta. Some of the world’s largest tech giants are suspected of non-compliance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Each company may be fined up to 10% of their annual global revenue, or even 20% in the case of repeated infringement. 🌍 Tencent recently released its FY23 financial report, posting weaker-than-expected revenue growth. The Chinese tech giant’s plans to make fewer games based on licensed IPs in favor of in-house productions. 🌍 Capcom becomes Metacritic’s top publisher of 2023, while previous winner Sony drops out of top 10. 2nd place went to Raw Fury with 7 scored titles that have an average Metascore of 79.1. zero games with 85 or higher, showing that consistency can also be key! 🌍 A lot of people spoke out at #GDC24 against the huge amounts of layoffs in the industry and how these are caused by corporate greed: Tarn Adams, Swen Vincke, Alanah Pearce and many more. 🌍 Valve has updated its game sharing features by launching Steam Families. Game libraries will now only be shared between accounts registered in the same region. 🌍 A video game museum for artwork, designs, soundtracks, and interactive elements is opening in Japan in 2027, in development by TECMO KOEI GAMES Co., Ltd. 🌍 Balatro, the poker roguelike by LocalThunk & Playstack has sold over 1 million copies in its first month! 🌍 New Zealand celebrates its games' industry with awesome stamps for Dredge, Into the Dead, Mini Metro, Depth, and Bloons TD 6. Perhaps a cool idea in Belgium too? https://lnkd.in/dFZyuFXp 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗴𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 👉 Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT) opened a call for submissions for an internationalization grant worth €9000. Apply Now! https://shorturl.at/ciPV2 👉 there is a Flanders Game Hub Expert talk today (26/3) at 15:00 by Steve Bromley on the importance of playtesting and how to go about it! https://lnkd.in/ehH5Y6_p 👉 FGH is also organizing a roadshow to share real-world use-cases for #AI in #gamedev. The first one is planned for 10 April: https://loom.ly/9XsUjZw 👉 Baldur’s Gate 3 triumphed at the #GameDevelopersChoiceAwards, going home with 4 awards, including Game Of The Year. 👉 Larian Studios has said that its next game won't be Baldur's Gate 4, nor will there be DLC for BG3. 👉 Thomas Waterzooi's Please, Touch the Artwork 2 is currently ranked the 5th best Steam game of the year (based on ratings) 👉 Outcast - A New Beginning by Appeal Studios is out since March 15th on PC, Xbox and PS5! https://lnkd.in/dYarUPq4 👉 BIG SHOTS, the VR mech game by AlterEyes is partnering with MyDearest株式会社 and will launch on April 18th for #MetaQuest, #PSVR2, #Sidequest, and #SteamVR! https://bigshots-vr.com

Tomorrow, the best games of the year will be honoured at the German Computer Game Awards (Der Deutsche Computerspielpreis | Der DCP) 🎮🏆 In addition to personalities from the worlds of politics, culture and society, many prominent representatives of the German games industry will be present. Here are the key facts: 🕹 15 categories 🏆 Prize money totalling 800,000 euros 📍 Where? Eisbach Studios in Munich ⏰ When? Starting at 18:30 (6:30 PM), the pre-show begins, broadcast of the award ceremony itself starts at 20:00 (8:00 PM). 📺 Where to watch? You can watch the live stream on our own Twitch channel (link in the comments), on the DCP website or the DCP YouTube channel. The entire broadcast will be in German. The German Computer Game Awards (Deutscher Computerspielpreis, DCP) are endowment awards presented jointly by the public and private sectors, sponsored by the Federal Ministry for Economics Affairs and Climate Action (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz) and game. devcom Marchsreiter Communications #gamesindustry #derDCP #award #gaming #gamingindustry

Today we're proud to launch the Video Games Industry Manifesto, which urges the next government to support the UK games industry in a three-pronged approach: 🎓 Prioritising the skills agenda 💸 Improving access to funding 🧠 Developing smart regulation We estimate that these critical barriers to growth cost the country £133 million in lost GVA annually. The government must work with the games industry to help it reach its full potential - a move that will pay off for the rest of the economy too. Read our recommendations now 👇 https://lnkd.in/eCz-7BKT

games made in Germany The independent Games Department will be abolished and integrated into the Department for Culture and Creative Economy. Through the integration, the new paper is called "Cultural and Creative Economy; Games". Even if existing projects such as the Games Promotion or the German Computer Game Prize are continued, the lack of autonomy threatens to significantly limit the ability to operate for Games projects in the future - especially since May last year the promotion has been suspended and currently both the new Promotion Policy and a solution for the additional 33 Millions of Euro support budget are pending in the budget of the Minister of Culture for 2024. The game association of the German games industry is therefore criticizing the current decision. more about this decision here: https://zurl.co/DjGL