MOST DESIRABLE
Game O Pedia How VR Gaming Will Help Introverts To Socialize
Cloud Gaming Gaming over the Cloud –The New Realm of this Era
Martin Carlesund CEO
Evolution Gaming
The World Leader in Live Dealer Gaming
Gaming: Shaping the Future of Work
It’sthegamingindustrythatisdrivingmuchofthe
innovationinvideo,VR,ARandcollaborative technologiestoday—somethingthathasimportant effectsonhowwework,especiallywithfar-flung colleagues.
Recentdevelopmentsin4K(UltraHighDefinition)and technologieslikeComputerAssistedDesign(CAD)and ComputerAssistedManufacturing(CAM)hasleveragedthe levelofdetailwhichismadepossiblebythesetools,andit’s nevereasytoimaginetheseamlessresultsthese developmentscanbringintoreality.That’sjustthe beginningofwhatgamescouldofferbusinesses. Technologieslikevirtualreality,multi-userenvironments, andreal-timegameplayareimmersinggamersinwarzones ordistantplanetstoday,butwillbeusedbyorganizationsto buildamorecollaborativeworkforcetomorrow
Thedaysarenotveryfarwhenwewouldbejoininga meetingthatexistsinvirtualspace–aconferenceroom renderedin3-D,completewithalltypesoffacilities.Aswe andourcolleagueswouldjoin,wewouldseeouravatars entertheroomandsitaroundthetable.Thosetypesof meetingswouldbealiveexampleofimmersivesimulation ofanin-personmeeting,createdwiththehelpofmotion sensorsthatwouldtrackphysicalmovementorgloves equippedtocapturehandmovementsandbodylanguage. Gamingisleadingthewayinanotherimportantareaof technology:userengagement.Inthenearfutureextending gameplaywouldbeatoppriorityamonggamedesigners anditwouldbeoneoftheprimewaystoholdpeople’s interestbyfosteringpersonalconnection.
Gamingisthenewwaytochange,sobereadytobeapart ofthischange.
Editor-in-Chief Pooja M. Bansal Ariana Lawrence
Senior Editor
Managing Editor Sagar Bhattacharjee
Co-Editors
Suhel Mashayak
Jecob Thomas
Contributors
Nikita, Ajit, Ananda
Co-designer Alex Noel Visualiser David King
Art & Design Director Amol Kamble
Picture Editor Poonam Mahajan
Art Editor Aparna Vanzul
Business Development Manager Mark Harris Steve Smith
Marketing Manager Karen Holland
Business Development Executive
Research Analyst Jennifer Thomas, Joseph, John, Mary
Circulation Manager Robert
Database Management Steve
Technology Consultant Swapnil Patil
Corporate Ofces: December, 2017
Phone - (614)-602-1754
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Phone - India: 020-69400110, 111, 112
Email: info@insightssuccess.in
Editor’s
The Rise of Gaming Industry
Thosedaysaregonewhenpeopleusedtoplaygameswiththehelpofenormousgamingconsolesattached
withmachinesofdiscretecomponents.Atthattimegamingwasalessentertainingmediumratheritwasa cumbersomeburdentohandleandoperatethoseconsoles.Butnowgaminghasenteredintoawholenewera oftransformationandnowthosemachinesarerustingandfallingapartandwecansensesomethingnewiscoming. Latelytheideaofgamingwithmachinesisbecomingobsolete,andismovingovertothecloud,andthishasproved tobenirvananotonlyforthegamersbutalsoforthegamedevelopers.
Withalltheserapiddevelopments,gamingindustryhastakenapositiveturn,andtherearesomeuniquecompanies whichhavetheirshareintakinggamingexperiencetoanewlevel.Inthissectorconsumerdemandishuge,andsois thecompetition.Numerouscompaniesarestrivinghardtodelivertop-notchsolutionsbasedontheconsumerneeds tomarktheirprominentfootprintsintheindustry
Here,inthisissueofourmagazine,wehavelisted“The10MostDesirableGamingSolutionProviders2017”, whichareprovidingdistinguishedanddiversifiedsolutionstotheirconsumers.
OurcoverstoryisEvolutionGaming,whichistheworldleaderinvideo-streamedLiveDealergaming,working withmoretop-tieroperatorsandbrandstodelivertopnotchservices.
Apartfromthecoverstory,wehavealsolisted24Worldforcreatingresponsiveplatformsandoptimizeproductsto provideastrongtechnologybackboneforsupportingtheever-increasingneedofpresenceonvariousforums. Endorphinaforcreatingthebestonlinegamingexperienceandcutting-edgetechnologytocreategamesthat attractsdiscreteplayers.GamePlanConsultingforbeinga360globalconsultancyspecializedinhelpinggame companiesidentify,strategizeanddelivergreatsolutionstotheirchallenges.GoldenRaceforthesuccessfullaunch ofitspopulardogracinggamingandsellingover8,000licensesofit.KambiSportsSolutionsforproviding premiumsportsbettingservicestolicensedB2Cgamingoperators.KavioClusterforcreatinganenvironmentthat enablesandencouragesbusinessesingamingindustry SBTECHforprovidingaward-winningsportsbetting solutionsandafullrangeofmanagementservicestotheir50partnersworldwide.Sycoforgeforproviding high-qualityuniquegamingexperiencestoitsferventcustomersandWhitepotStudiosLimitedforcreatingextra ordinaryAndroid,iOS,andPCgamesusingUnity.
Wehaveincludedarticles“AugmentedReality,VirtualRealityandeSportsTheBuzzwordsofGaming IndustrywheretheFuturelies”and“GamingovertheCloud–TheNewRealmofthisEra”scriptedbyour editorsintheamazingfoliosofthismagazine.
Wealsohave,“HowVRGamingWillHelpIntrovertstoSocialize”derivedfromthethoughtsofAndreea Vaduva.
So,doflipthepagesofourmagazinetounveiltheprominentcontributionsoftheseGamingSolutionproviders.
Gonearethosedayswhenpeoplewereboundtogo toacasinoiftheywantedtoplayadealergame.In thisrapidlyadvancingtechnologicalworldwe haveadvancedourselvestoanextentwhereardentgamers andtechnologistshavemadeitpossibletobringlivecasino toourownplace.Now,ifyouwanttoplayadealergame, thenjustlogintoyourcomputerandVoila!Youwillbe welcomedtoaspectacularworldoflivedealergaming, whereyoucanplaydealergamesatyourownplace,andat yourownconvenienceandcomfort,withoutvisitingany landbasedcasinos.
Playingatanonlinecasinooffersseveraladvantagesover playinginalandbasedcasino.It’sfarmoreconvenient,as youcanplaywheneveryouwantwithouthavingtoleave yourhome.Youarealsogenerallywelcomedtoaplethora ofbetterchoiceofgames,andonecaneasilygetthesame valueaddedservicesviathebonusesandrewardsthatmost ofthelandbasedcasinosoffer.
Onesuchcompanywhichisaddingrealvaluetothelive dealergamingindustryisEvolutionGaming,whichisthe worldleaderinlivedealergamingandwasfoundedwitha visionoftransformingthegamingworldwithhigh-quality livegamingsolutionsfordiscerningplayers.
MeettheForerunnersofEvolutionGaming
EvolutionGamingwasfoundedin2006byJensvonBahr, Chairman,FredrikOsterberg,ChiefStrategyOfficer andRichardHadida,CreativeDirector.Theyallshareda visionfortransformingthegamingworldwithhigh-quality livegamingsolutionsfordiscerningplayers,andatthetime
ofEvolutionGaming’sinception,allofthemhada commendableexperienceofworkingingamingsector. RichardhadbeendevelopingnascentLiveCasino solutions,andJensandFredrikalsohadconsiderable experienceinthegamingsector Thisfoundingtrioremains withEvolutiontothisday Theirleadershipandthe persistencehasassistedthecompanytotasteenormous successandbeenthereasontobecometheacknowledged leaderinvideo-streamedLiveCasinogamingsolutions sector.Laterin2015,MartinCarlesundjoinedEvolution asGroupCEOwiththeremittofurtherdevelopthe companyandhelpitattainnewheightsinthegaming industry
Initially,EvolutionwaslistedonNasdaqFirstNorth Premier,StockholminMarch2015.Thenon7June2017, EvolutionmovedfromFirstNorthtothemainNasdaq Stockholmmarket,anditwastheachievementwhichwas meanttobecherishedaswellasapplaudedbyall.
Commentingatthattime,Martinsaid: “It was a special feeling to ring the opening bell and affirm that Evolution has grown to become a large cap company since our IPO slightly more than two years ago. The list change is clear proof that the organisation has matured and professionalised during its time in a public environment.”
OfferingWorld-classB2BServicestotheClients
Evolution’skeyfocusisdeliveringtheverybestplayer experience.TheyachievethisnotonlythroughaworldclassportfolioofLiveCasinogamesbutthrougha completeandtotallycomprehensiveworld-classB2Boffer
“Our values deliver value for our licensees”
Martin Carlesund CEO
“We carry out our mission and pursue our vision according to company values applied to all areas of our operations”
fortheirlicensees.
Thattotalofferisbuiltonsixpillars: Operational Excellence; Licensee Customisation; Product Innovation; Maximised Mobile; Land-based Casinos; and Regulated Markets.Thesesixpillarseffectively summarisethekeyattributesthathavebeenfundamental intakingevolutionfromastart-uptoaworldleader
Operational Excellence iscoretoEvolution’sservice. With400+LiveCasinotablesoperatingfromtheirseven Europeanstudios(newstudiosarealsoopeningverysoon inCanadaandGeorgia),theirlicenseesareofferedan unrivalledscale,efficiencyandservicesophistication. Evolutionoffers Licensee Customisation whichmeansthe greatestflexibilitytomeettheneedsofeachlicensee’s brand,marketsandplayers,frommainstreamtoVIP
The Product Innovation pillarisallaboutEvolution’s constantinvestmentinR&Dandrelentlessdesiretopush beyondboundaries.Thishasresultedininnovationssuch astheiraward-winningImmersiveRoulette,Baccarat
ControlSqueezeandDreamCatchermoneywheel,which wasnamed Digital Product of the Year atthelatestGlobal GamingAwards.
Evolutiontakesprideondesigningaward-winninggames thatoffer‘stickability’,while,ofcourse,offeringafull rangeoftimelessclassics—Roulette,Blackjack, Baccarat,pokervariantsetal—butoftenwithamodern twist.TheydeliveritallviathebestHDlivestream, ensuringthefullportfolioisavailableacrossalldevices,in landscapeandportraitviewonmobile,andallbeautifully optimisedforeachscreensizeandoperatingsystem.
Maximised Mobile sumsupourcommitmenttoofferthe largestrangeofmobile-optimisedlivetablesand languagesfortabletandsmartphone,tohelplicensees makethemostoftheveryconsiderablemobile opportunity
The Land-based Casinos pillarcoversnotonly ‘on-premise’livestudioswithintraditionalland-based casinosbutalsotheirDualPlayconvergencesolutions.
Individuallyortogether,eachcanhelptraditionaloperators improvecustomerloyaltyandattractnewdemographics.
ForEvolution, Regulated Markets isprimarilynewand re-regulatingjurisdictions,whichiscentraltotheiroffering forlicensees.Theircommitmentandinvestmentinthisarea hasdeliveredpowerfulfirst-to-marketadvantageforso manyoftheirlicensees,andwillcontinuetodoso.
EmployeesareCentralElementtoEvolution’sSuccess
Employeesinallareasandatalllevelshavebeen absolutelycentraltoEvolution’ssuccess.
Thecompany’sgamepresentersarethefaceofLiveCasino andasEvolutionisaB2Bprovider;theyarethefaceofa multitudeofbrands,aresponsibilitythattheytakevery seriously.Indeed,theirpresentersreceivearguablythebest trainingintheindustrythroughtheEvolutionAcademy. Theirsmilingfacesandprofessionalism,andthe engagementandinteractiontheyachievewithplayers,are vitalfactorsinattractingplayersbacktothetablesagain andagain.
Behindthescenes,ofcourse,Evolutionhasalltheir
operationsstaffensuringthateverythingrunssmoothly. Theirgameintegrityandriskstaffmonitoroperations24/7 toensurethatoperationsrunsecurelyandthatlicensees’ andplayers’interestareprotected.Evolution’sproduct teamsareconstantlyworkingonextendingandimproving theirportfolio.Theirdesigners,meanwhile,makesurethat eachgameUIisintuitiveandeasytouseonalldevices.
ConvertingHurdlesintoOpportunities
TheLiveCasinoindustryisundergoingadrastic transformationphaseandthenumberofLiveCasino providershasincreasedsignificantlyinthelastfewyears asbarrierstoentryhavereduced.Newentrantshavebeen attractedbyotherfactors,too:LiveCasinohasbeenone ofthefastestgrowinggamingsectorsandisforecastto continuetooutpacethegrowthofothergamingverticals. Thesenewentrantsfaceconsiderablechallenges,notleast intheareasofoperationalexcellenceandthescalabilityof theirsolutions.
Also,manyofferonlycommodityLiveCasinosolutionsin anattempttoundercutthemarket.However,thegulf betweenthesebasicsolutionsandthelevelofquality, sophistication,supportandsustainabilityofferedby
“We are the world-leading Live Casino that meets each operator's exact needs”
Evolutionishuge.
Tappingtherightmarketpotentialatright time;Evolutionhasgarnereditselftobea renownedbrandinthegamingindustry,and with400+tablesacrossmultiplestudios, Evolutionisundeniablythemarketleader. Evolutionisalsolookingforwardtoextend itsagreementswithexistinglicensees,attract newlicenseesandseekoutnewmarketsand opportunitiestofurtherstrengthentheir leadingposition.
UpcomingStudios
Evolutioniswellpositionedforcontinued growth.Intheverynearfuture,theywillbe openingtheireighthandninthstudios,in CanadaandGeorgia,respectively Thefirst ofthesenewstudioswilldeliverLive CasinoservicesforBCLC(BritishColumbia LotteryCorporation)initially,beforerolling outservicesforoperatorsinotherCanadian provinces.
Meanwhile,theGeorgiastudioinTbilisiwill serveasEvolutionGaming’sthirdmajor LiveCasinostudioalongsidetheirRigaand Maltastudios.Thiswillgreatlyextendthe company’sservicestoexistingandnew licensees.
Asmentionedearlier,thecompanybelieves thattheywillalsoseecontinuedstrong growthfrommobileandfromtheland-based sector.
Overall,Evolutionwillensurethatthey remainattheforefrontofnewmarkets, whetherthismeansextendingtheirexisting offeringfromthecurrentstudiosorinvesting infurthernewstudiosinnewterritories.
AdvicefortheBuddingStartupsfromthe CEO’sDesk
“Offer a niche solution, something that operators can buy into and which differentiates your offering from ‘me too’ providers,” assertsMartin.
CompanyName
24world 24worldonline.com
Endorphina endorphina.com
EvolutionGaming evolutiongaming.com
Management
MuhammadRahimtoola Director
Luciekadlecova MarketingManager
MartinCarlesund,CEO
JensvonBahr,Chairman
FredrikOsterberg
ChiefStrategyOfficer
RichardHadida CreativeDirector
GameplanConsulting gameplan.com.br
GoldenRace golden-race.com
KambiSportsSolutions kambi.com
KavioCluster kaviocluster.org
SBTECH sbtech.com
Sycoforge sycoforge.com
WhitepotStudiosLimited whitepotstudios.com
AndréFaure CEO
HenriqueMartin CCO
MartinWachter CEO LuzOrtega Marketing&EventsDirector
ChristinaHaralambous ChiefCommunicationsOfficer
TimoYlikangas Ambassadorof KAVIOCluster
Mr.RonZlluf MarketingDirector
MichelaRimensberger CEO
AdamWhiteside Co-founder
VickyPotts Co-founder
Brief
24Worldcreatesresponsiveplatformsandoptimizeproducts toprovideastrongtechnologybackboneforsupportingthe ever-increasingneedofpresenceonvariousforums.
Thecompanyunitesthebestonlinegamingexperienceand cutting-edgetechnologytocreategamesthatattractplayers withnotonlyitsbeautifuldesignandauthenticatmosphere, buttherealthrillofgambling.
EvolutionGamingistheworldleaderinvideo-streamedLive Dealergaming,workingwithmoretop-tieroperatorsand brandstodelivertopnotchservices.
GamePlanConsultingisa360globalconsultancyspecialized inhelpinggamecompaniesidentify,strategizeanddeliver greatsolutionstotheirchallenges.
GoldenRaceisayoung,dynamiccompanyborninthefieldof sportsbettingin2006withthesuccessfullaunchofdogracing, withover8,000licensessold.
KambiisaB2Bproviderofpremiumsportsbettingservicesto licensedB2Cgamingoperators.Theirservicesencompassabroad offeringfromfrontenduserinterfacethroughtooddscompiling, customerintelligenceandriskmanagement,builtonanin-house developedsoftwareplatform
KavioClusterisanenvironmentthatenablesandencourages businessesingamingindustryforbettercompetitivenessin wide,globalmarketswiththehelpofaclusternetwork.
SBTechprovidesaward-winningsportsbettingsolutions andafullrangeofmanagementservicestotheir 50partnersworldwide.
Sycoforgeoutstandsatprovidinghigh-qualityuniquegaming experiencestoitsferventcustomers.
WhitepotStudiosisagamesdevelopmentandcreativemediastudio basedinBelfast,NorthernIreland.TheymakeAndroid,iOS,andPC gamesusingUnityandareatwo-personteamconsistingofAdam WhitesideandVickyPotts.They’recurrentlypartofthe2017intake ofthebusinessacceleratorhubEntrepreneurialSparkprogramme.
Theglobalgamingindustry hasbeenobservingarapid growthoverthelastdecade duetotheincreaseinutilizationof advancedtechnologiesforthe aggregationofgamesandvideoson aglobalscale.Furthermore,proper alignmentofvariousbusiness modelsandplatformsisalso supportinggrowthofthegaming industryacrosstheglobe.
IntherecentpastAsia-Pacifichas beendominatingtheglobalgaming marketduetothepresenceof numerousdevelopingeconomies, andincreasingadoptionofdifferent gamesacrosstheregion.With technologicaladvancementsinthe gamingindustry,companiesare focusingonAugmentedRealityand VirtualRealityenabledgamesand relatedproductshavingimprovedthe globalgamingscenario.
24Worldisonesuchfirmcausing wavesinthegamingindustry.Itisa digitalagencyproficientindesigning anddevelopingcustomizedgames, beitdigital,boardorpervasive.24 WorldhasbeenworkingasaDigital Agencywithclientstomaximize theirpotentialintothetechnology world.Thecompanywaslaunched onanagencymodelbasis,providing holistictechnologysolutionsfor clientsintheirprocessofchange towardsthe‘DigitalAge’.Thefirm hasworkedactivelyinthefinancial,
mediaandFMCGsectorsoverthe years.24Worldhasalsoestablished operationsinJapanandworkedon solutionsforthatparticularmarket sincethelastthreeyears.
Thebrainbehind24World
FounderandDirector,Muhammad Rahimtoolaisastrongbusiness developmentprofessionalwhostudied attheUniversityofWesternAustralia. HeisanexperiencedExecutive Directorwithdemonstratedhistoryof workingintheinformationtechnology andmediaindustry.Heisskilledin DigitalStrategy,Managementand TelevisionProgramming.Leading clientsintotheirjourneytowardsthe DigitalAgeisavitalcomponentofhis visionfor24World.
Muhammadwasinspiredbythefact thatgamingdevicesandstrategyare oneofthemostengagingformsof interactionsavailabletoday.Gamingis akeyareawhichhasallowedfor multiplelevelbrandengagementand thisallowedthefirmtobeableto engagewithcustomersorthepotential marketinadifferentarrangement.
SettingBenchmarkswithRenowned Services
24Worldhasastrongdevelopmental basewhichenablesthegrowthonto creativeandclientservicebased detailing.Theabilitytoconduct
continuousresearchand experimentationfornewerplatforms andtechnologiesisafeatureoftheir workingenvironmentandpractices.
Ithasbeendominantinthe DevelopmentandCreativeservices area,althoughtheyalsoofferDigital Marketing,BrandingandBusiness Managementsupportavenues.
Followingarethecoreservices providedby24World:
GameDesign:Theydesignand developgamesaccordingtothe requirementsoftheircustomers.
ECommerce:Theire-commerce clientbaseincludesdistinguished banks,insurancecompaniesand fashiongurus.
MobileApplication:Theyhavebeen helpingsmallandlargebusinessesto reachouttotheircustomersatthemost predictableofplaces.
DigitalMarketing:Theircampaign planningandPPCmanagementare endorsedtacticsthatdrivetargeted resultsfordesiredobjectivesand challenges.
ContentDistribution:Theyarea YouTubeverifiedpartnersanda reliablecontentdistributionnetwork offeringpublisherseffectivedelivery channels.
SocialMediaMarketing:They believethatbeingsocialmeansmore thanbeingsocial.Ittakesawellthoughtoutplanandaneditorial calendar.
HappyClientsof24World
Thecompanycaterstoawidearrayofclientsincluding UBLBank,NIBBank,AdamjeeInsurance,Jubilee Insurance,EFUInsuranceandmore.Toworkinamarket thathasgrownexponentially,requiresgreatadaptability, andthatisthekeytotheirstandingcommitmentwith projects.Thecompanyandstaffhaveadaptedtokey changesinneedsofthemarketespeciallywiththe advancementintothe‘mobileage’.Clientsbenefitfrom accesstobettertoolsfortechnologyalongwithglobal expertiseofexperiencetohandlematters.
FutureEndeavours
24Worldplanstodiversifyintomultipleproductareas specificallyinsegmentsofvideo,animation,statsall possiblylinkedtogamingoutputs.Theavailabilityof platformssetforthbytechgiantshasallowedplentyof youthpotentialtocomeforward.However,aseriouseffort topolishandacknowledgetalentwillleadtobetterresults withspecificproductsandtheirmaintenance.
Thefirmlaunchedthefirstpublishersportingportalfrom Pakistanearlierin2016cateringtothesportofCricketby thenameof‘ScoreLine’.Thisplatformissettodiversify intomultipleoutputsegmentsbasedoncontentdriven results.
Rahimtoola Founder & Director
24Worldhasusedcharactercreativityeffectivelyinthe ‘dry’financialsector Tocreateengagementforpotential customersandexistingusersthefirmdevelopedthe essentialstepsofLifeInsuranceintoa‘NeedsAnalysis Tool’-thistoolwaslaterreplicatedfortheKenyanmarket andlocalizedaccordinglybytheagencyfortheirneeds.
24Worldrecentlywasawardedthe‘BestEmerging Technology’categoryatthelocalPakistanDigiAwardsfor theirinnovativecasestudiesinthefinancialsector
Characterdevelopmentandstrategyisaneffectivetoolfor communicationwhichfallssomewherebetweentheimpact ofvideoandillustration.Thisiswhere24Worldfeelsthat thecanvasforGamedevelopmentbecomesevermore crucialinemerginghighpopulatedmarketslikePakistan.
BenchmarksCreatedby24WorldinGamingIndustry
Muhammad
WiththeriseofVRadoption
andtheinvolvementofthe gamingindustryin developingcontentforVR,thetopicof socialimpacttakesthestageagain:is VRruining,improvingorignoringour sociallife?
Facebooktookonthechallengeto measuretheimplicationsofsocialVR, statingthatVRcanfacilitatesocial connectionforintroverts.Astatement thatfallsinlinewiththeiracquisition ofOculusVRandhiringRachel Franklin,formerVP/GMforTheSims 4,asHeadofSocialVR.
However,thestudydoesn’tmentionif
therespondentsareself-identifiedas introverts/extrovertsorifthey’ve fallenintooneofthesecategories, followingareliablepsychologicaltest. Anothervariableisthedefinitionof introversion,assomepeopleconfuseit withsocialanxiety Accordingto personalitytheoriesintrovertsneedto rechargetheirbatteriesbysolitary activities,reflectiononone’sselfor spendingtimewithafewclosedones, whileextrovertsrechargetheir batteriesbyspendingtimewithother people,engageinsocialactivitiesand wouldratheravoidalonetime.Few peoplearepurelyoneortheother, usuallyismoreofamatterofdegree, whichcanvaryduringone’slife.
Andreea Vaduva is Community Manager for Black The Fall, the Communisminspired puzzle game developed by Sand Sailor Studio. The Bucharest based indie development studio is working now on a VR title with online and offline social implications.
ABOUTTHEAUTHOR
Thetrickypartoftheintroversion-extraversion categorisationisthattherearesociableintrovertswhogoto partiesandspeaktobigaudiences,followedupbythe necessaryretreattosolitude.Andthereareextrovertswho doverywelladdressinglargeaudiencesandintroducing themselvestoanyone,butstruggleatsocializingatamore intimatelevel.Therefore,regardlessoftheintroversionextraversionbalance,it’ssocialanxietythatpeoplewould liketoovercomeinthequestofforminghealthy relationships.Anxietyisaconstantfearofpresentand, moreoften,futureevents,basedonimaginedscenariosthat couldgowrongandaffectusphysicallyoremotionally. Someofthesescenariosarehealthyandnecessary,but otherscanbebasedonpasteventsoronfearfulchildhood phantasies,thatwouldn’tstandarealitycheck.Thenormal humanresponsetothesescenariosistobuildabehaviour aroundthem,inordertoavoidpainfulsituations.Andthisis whereVRcomesin!
InadditiontotheVRappsdesignedtoovercomevarious phobias(includingfearofpublicspeaking)bybeingplaced inscenariosspecificallydesignedtograduallyconfrontthe userwithhisobjectoffear;therearealsoacoupleofsocial VRgames(suchasRecRoom),thatpeoplehaveplayed. Luckily,someofthemgenerouslysharedtheirthoughtson, inthisRedditthread.Readingthroughthecomments,I’ve noticedthefollowingsituationsontheuncomfortableend ofthesocialspectrum:
1.WhenplayingaVRsocialgame,itisexpectedofusto socialize,whileonthestreetsnoonehassuch expectations.Sowheninthemoodforsomealonetime, exploringasocialVRappincognito,mightnotbethe bestidea.
2.Interactionishappeninginrealtime,whichincreasesthe anxietycomparedtochatandmessaging,whichletsus beincontrolonthetimespentonreplying.Whichonly provesthatVRsocialisingisclosertosocializinginreal life.
3.AlthoughinVRwefeelphysicallysafe,we’reatahigher riskofbeingbullied,thaninreallife.
Ontheotherhand,forthoseofusstrugglingtoimproveour socialskillshavefoundVRsocialgamestobehelpfulin variousways:
1.InVRyoucancontroltheenvironment:joinorleaveas youplease,orevenchangeenvironmentiftheapp allows.Forananxiousperson,controlplaysabigpartin feelingmoresecure.
2.VRactslikeamaskandjustlikeinanytypeof environment,anonlineavataroraliasoffersthechance ofbeingsomeoneelse,whichcanbeacrucialfirststep, forsomeonewhohasnotyetacceptedhis/herown identity
3.Thesesocialappsopenaworldoflikemindedpeople, whichincreasesthechancetosuccessfulsocial interactions,whichleadsmetothenextpoint…
4.AnyrelationshipthatstartsinVRcanthengrowinreal life(someoneconfessedtheygotengagedaftermeeting inasocialVRapp).
5.Themostsociallyanxiouspeopledaretointeractabit, ratherthanshuttingdowncompletely(whichwouldbe standardprocedureinreallife).Oncethisfirststepis madesuccessfully,formingrelationshipsisjustonestep away.
Goingthroughtheupsanddownsofonlinesocial interaction,I’dsaythatthefutureofVR,asatoolto overcomeanxiety,isusergeneratedcontentinVRand customizationofpre-establishedscenarios.Themomentwe willbeabletoputtogetherourscariestandmostexciting phantasiesinVRourselvesandcontrolthem,we’llfear themless.Themomentwerealizethatwecansurvivethe worstscenarios,maybewe’lldareabitmoretoface unknownanduncontrollablesituations,whichwillbring alongnotjustlessanxiety,butalsojoy
G:amePlanConsultingisa 360-globalconsultancy specializedinhelpinggame companiesidentify,strategizeand delivergreatsolutionstotheir challenges.Itisrenownedbyits360 approach,thatnotonlycatersto smallindiestudios,butalsoforsome ofthemajorcorporationslikeBandai Namco,TrionWorlds,InnoGames, Autodeskandevengovernment agencies.GamePlanConsulting’s missionistobethe go-todestinationtoGlobalbusiness intelligenceandcommunications withinthegamingindustry
TheBirthofGamePlanConsulting
AndréFaure,CEOofGamePlan Consultinghasbeenworking exclusivelywithgamesforthelast 20years,alwaysperformingin leadingrolesforcompanieslike Microsoft,EGMMagazine,Tectoy (themosttraditionalgaming companyinBrazil),AeriaGames andlastlyatGamehouse,a RealNetworksdivision.Healways achievedgreatcareerresults,being promotedandinvitedfromcompany tocompany,thusbecominga referenceinthemarket.
Bytheendof2013,hedecidedthatit wastimetostartcreatingand deliveringsolutionstothemarketnot onlyasanexecutivebutalsoasa consultant,byhavingmorefreedomto actanddelivercreativesolutions. Anotherturningpointathiscareerwas thelargedemandhehadtobecomea consultant-since,asareference-he wasbeinginhighdemandedfor severalcompaniestoprovideadvice andsupport.
Workingintheindustryforsolong haveitsbenefits,astoidentifytrends andchanges-thereturnofthePC,the outstandinggrowthofthesmartphone market,theindierevolutionand severalopportunitiesforgaming companieswouldappear Atthesame time,heknewthatthesecomeata priceandthatgamedevelopers,small andbig,aregoodatmakinggames,but astrategic,businessandthevery specializedcommunications componentwouldbemissing. Therefore,hebuiltGamePlantocater tothoseneeds,thusrapidlyachieving greatsuccess.BesidehimisHenrique Martin,GamePlan’sco-founderand ContentChiefOfficer,atech journalist/writerwith20yearsof experienceoncoveringB2BandB2C
consumerelectronicmarkets.
CreativeServiceswithFlexible Approach
Fromthetimeofitsinception, GamePlanwascreatedwithavisionof beingextremelyflexible.Acompany thatworkswithintheboundariesofthe gamesindustryneedstobefast,smart andflexibleenoughtolearnandadapt sincetheindustryissodiverseand innovative.TeamGamePlanisusually severalstepsaheadofotherstryingto deliverthesameservicesandproducts butinaninnovativeway Also, althoughGamePlanhasclear capabilities-BusinessStrategy, IntelligenceandDevelopmentinits businessunit,andPRIntelligence (whichisaverydifferentservicefrom whataPRagencyoffers,becauseis result-oriented),Specializedmarketing solutionsandbrandedcontentfromits communicationsunit,team GamePlan’sfirstapproachisalwaysto deepdiveintotheirpotentialclients’ needs.Theydonotoffertemplates, theyoffersolutions.Inamarketlike gaming,thisiskeytoachieving amazingresults.Also,theyhavejust announcedanewproduct,GamePlan’s FandomManagementFramework,
whichpromisestorevolutionizethewaygaming companiesapproachtheircommunitygrowthand management,movingawayfromthemoreandmore expensiveparadigmofdigitalmarketingcampaigns.
BenefitsforClients
“AtthemomentyoustartworkingwithGamePlan,you aremorethanaclientandyoufeelthatimmediately This isthereasonweareaconsultancy,andnotanagencyor anothersortofbusiness.Weconsiderourselvesliterally partofourclient’steam,andwestrivetohelpthem achievewhattheyneedthemost-resultsandROI,” assertsAndré.“Weareextremelydata-driven,soall solutionsneedtobebasedonrealbenchmarksorvery cleartrends-ourriskisourclient’srisk,sowedon’tplay withthat.Atthesametime,wearewellknownforour creativityandfordeliveringwhereothersfailed.How? Welistenfirstandactlater.Ifyouarecateringforan audience,youhavetolistentotheirneedsbeforethinking aboutyourtacticalstrategy,andwethatwitheverysingle project,shortorlongterm.Ourclientswillhaveclear milestones,cleardeliverablesandaworld-classteamof expertsthatsumdecadesofvideogamemarketexpertise tolandthemahandintothepathofsuccess,”André added.
FutureRoadmapofGamePlan
2017resultedtoaverygoodyearforGamePlan. GamePlanhasarapidlygrowingteamandtheyhavejust announcedtheirfirstpatent-pendingproduct,Gameplan’s FandomManagementFramework,justafewdaysafter YouTubeandFacebookchangedtheiralgorithmstowards moredependencyfromcampaignstocreatereach.“Out frameworkobjectiveisexactlytheoppositeandisbeing developedbyoursocialmediaandBIteamsforovera year Wereallybelieveinthisproductandexpectgreat thingsfromit-wearealreadyimplementingwithsuccess inseveralofourstudioclients.Thisisaclearexampleof ourperspectiveforthefuture:tokeepinnovating,looking closelytowardstherealtrendsoftheindustryandalways beingreadytocaterglobalsolutionstotheindustry. Adaptation,innovationandamazingresults,thisiswhat drivesusforward,”saysAndréwhiletalkingabouttheir successandfutureplans.
www.gameplan.com.br
André Faure CEO
Henrique Martin CCO
Photo credit: Vanessa Serra Photography
Thought Leader
Thegamingindustryis witnessinganinfluxof enthusiasmandcreativityin thebusinessworldunlikeever before.Today,entertaininggames likeCandyCrushSaga,Angrybirds enjoytheprestigeofbeinggreat businessproducts,unheardofin history.However,comingupwith suchideasandprotectingthemis stilladifficulttask.Envisioning greatgamesrequireimaginationand creativitywhichisadifficultfeatto achieve.Moreover,millionsof lucrativegamesarecompetingfor theattentionofaspecificgroupof audienceandmanyatimesloseout justduetolackofrightexposure. Hence,somecountrieslikeSweden andFinlandareprovidingthemuch neededsecureenvironmentfortheir gamerstocarrytheirpassionwith prideanddevelopitintogreat products.Thesecountriesare providingthesafetycushionevery gamingcompanyneedsfortheir gamestoreceivefunding,establisha strongpresenceonlineand collaboratewithindustryleadersina trulyprofessionalmanner
TheCocoonThatNurtures tomorrow’sButterflies
Oneorganizationwhichplaysa pivotalroleincreatingsuchasecure environmentforgamingcompanies inFinlandisKavioCluster.Itisa
regionalGamingIndustryorganization basedinthecityofKajaani,aregionof Kainuu,inNorthernFinland.Todaythe Clusterisavibrantcollaborative communityofnear20independent GameStudios.Inordertounderstand theireffort,itisimportanttolookat thegroundrealityofthegaming industryinFinland.Thegaming industryinFinlandiswitnessingthe riseofmanycreativestartupsbacked byexcellenttechnicaleducationwhich valuescreativity.Theresultsofsuch excellenteducationareapparentin NorthernFinland,whichhoststhe secondmostsuccessfulgaming industryareainFinland.Hence,the KavioClusterisalsoasourceof inspirationalprofessionalgaming educationinFinland.Itaimstomake theFinnishindustrybattlereadyto meetglobalchallengesandprotectsit whentheinnovativeideasareattheir mostvulnerableinitialstages.
TheHistoryandItsWitnesses
Theorganizationhasimplemented theirvisionthroughprovidingan essentialsupportnetworkthrough closedcloudsolutionswhichare almostfreeofchargeduringthe developmentphase.Additionally,the organizationprovidescollaboration anddevelopmentopportunityforthe mostlucrativegamingsegments, whichareeSportsandmobilegaming. Asaresultoftheirlong-established
commitment,Kavio Clustercurrently hostsworld-classleadersingaming, includingCriticalForceOyandVirtual FrontiersOY,CSEEntertainmentOy andmanymore.KavioClustershelps themembercompaniestodevelopand publishtheirgamestoallexisting platformsusingthelatestgaming techniquesandtechnologiesevenfor alternatecontexts.Theorganization continuestoberuninanextremely competitivefashionwithvarious gamingindustryleaderscontributingto thecauseasadailyroutine.Kavio Clusterwasformedwithavisionthat theKainuuregioninFinlandiscapable ofproducinggreatgamingcompanies whichshouldcompetewith world-classcompaniesfromUSA,UK, Japan,China,Indiaandothers.
TheLeadershipThatMakesItAll LookEasy
KavioClusterisaperfectexampleof greatcollaborationofGamingIndustry expertTimoYlikangaswhohasover 20yearsofrelevantexperienceand KainuunEtuOy,whowasinstrumental inbuildingthefoundationofthe organization.Initsinitialstages,the organizationrequiredbringingvarious stakeholdersintheindustrytogetheron acommonplatform.KainuunEtu,a non-profitorganizationhelped establishtrustamongvarious stakeholdersandbridgethegap betweenthemtolaythefoundingbrick
ofKavioCluster Theorganizationhasreceivedan invaluablecontributionfromKainuunEtu(OY),whichhas ledtheorganizationtowinthe“BestEuropeanRegional DevelopmentAgencyoftheyear2016”,prestigiousaward. Thecompanycurrentlyalsohelpsstartupstogetintouch withinvestorsandpublishersandindustryleaders.Industry leadersoftenareavaluablesourceofinsightsforthenovice gamingbusinesseswhichoftenlacktheoutsider-hands-on viewexperienceandperspective.KavioClusteralso providesfundingtocompaniesfromimportantsourcessuch asEUandnationalprojectfunding,whichisanimmense sourceofstrengthforfounderswholackfinancialresources andmotivationtobuildgreatproducts.
TheNextFrontieroftheWorldofOpportunities
Foracreativeindustrylikegaming,theskyisthelimitfor success.Nevertheless,manygamingcompaniesaroundthe worldaresearchingforeffectivesolutionstomonetizetheir games.KavioClusterhelpscompaniesofFinlandtonot onlyunderstandthedifferentchannelsandplatformsfor monetizingtheirwork,butalsoprovidesthemseveral essentialinsightstobesuccessful.
ThenextstepforKAVIOistohelpgamingcompanies launchnewgamingproductsorservicesthatprovides hands-freeexperienceinAnalytics,UserAcquisition, CommunityManagement,ChannelBuildingandMarketing. Inmanyways,KavioCluster’srelationshipwithindustry leadershasrevolutionizedtheindustrywithmore collaborationbetweenimportantstakeholdersandcreation ofstate-of-the-artopportunities.
Theorganizationwillsoonoperationalizeaprofessional investorfundtosupporttheirpartnercompanies.Thenew revenuegenerationopportunitieswillcreateaboostfor Finnishgamingindustrywithmoreopportunitiesandmore growthintheupcomingfuture.Itisimperativetodayfor Finishgamingcompaniestograbthenewopportunities createdtoboostgames,gamingstudios,investorsand publishers.
Timo Ylikangas
Inthismodernageof technologicaladvancementsand stiffcompetition,providingthe bestpossibleservicetothe customersisofprimeconcernfor everyorganization.Timeshave changedandtechnological upgradationtothehighestlevelis theneedofthehourtosurviveand excelamongcompetitors.
Thegamingindustryhasundergone atremendousmetamorphosisover theyears.Ithasachievedremarkable successworldwiderecentlyandhas evolvedfromboardgamesandvideo gamestothemostadvanced technologiesincluding3D replications,virtualrealityand augmentedreality.Gamingservice providershaveevolvedand upgradedinordertocopeupwith thetremendouscompetitionand latestdevelopments.
Sycoforgeisanelitegaming solutionproviderlocatedinZurich, Switzerland.Itaimsatcreating uniquegamingexperiencesforavid gamers.AtSycoforge,an interdisciplinaryteamofengineers, mathematicians,artistsandcreative architectsworktogethertobring forththeultimategamingexperience totheusers. Theteamworks togethertobringtolifetheoriginally curatedgaminguniverse,Arafinn, wherenever-before-heardlanguages
andunitsofmeasurementareused. Since2009,teamSycoforgehasbeen workingonmakingtheArafinn Universeasuccessfulventure.
BeyondCreatingaGame
AfactthatsetsSycoforgeapartfrom itscompetitorsisthatitnotonly creates‘games’,butalsoacomplete andself-containeduniverse.“Arafinn” isauniquefantasyuniversethathasits owngeography,demography, sociology,centuriesofdocumented historywithhugegenealogytreesof themostimportantfamiliesand cultures,originallanguageswithown grammarsandscripturesandsoon. Playerscanalwaysexpecttohavea redthreadthroughallofitsstoriesand games.
Sycoforgeissteadilymovingaheadon itstriumphantjourney,andcreditsits entireteamfortheunparalleled dedicationandhardwork.Theteam hasalwaysbeenconnectedandrelated, andconsiderstheorganizationasa ‘familybusiness’.Alltheteam membersshareafeelingofunityand onenessandthesamevisionwhich theypursuepersistentlywithout thinkingaboutgivingup.
Asagamingsolutionprovider,team Sycoforgefeelsthattechnological advancesprovideendlessopportunities toalmosteveryonetocreatetheirown
game.Ontheotherhand,italsofeels thatthisisalsoachallenge,asit becomesmoredifficulttostandout fromthecrowd.Thecompany considersitasamajoropportunityfor independentorganizationstopersistin amarketthatwasdominatedforalong timebybig-players,andhasbeenmore balancedanddemocratizedinrecent years.
Thecompanygivesimportancetothe principlesofhonestyandauthenticity andstrivestoachievecustomer satisfaction.Italsobelievesinthe policyofmutualgivingandtaking.As independentdevelopers,aswellas gamersthemselves,teamSycoforge knowswhatcustomersexpectofa goodgameandthatdeliveringwhat onehaspromisediskeytocreatea player-basethatreallyenjoys-and thereforekeepsbuying–one’sgames. Theentireteamworkstogetherwith passionanddedicationonatrue-tooriginalworldoffantasy,adventure andaction.Theteamdoesn’t compromiseduetohalf-completed storiesandaimsatdeliveringthefinal productbeforethegivendeadline.
TheDrivingForceofSycoforge
Sycoforgehasbeenguidedonits successfulpathbyfoundingmembers IsmaelWittwerandMichela Rimensberger.Theyfoundedthis organizationwiththeobjectiveof
providingtheultimategamingexperiencetothecustomers andtakeittothenextlevel.
MajorProjects
ThemajorprojectsofSycoforgerevolvearoundthefantasy universeofArafinn.
Arafinn Universe
SycoforgehasbeenworkingonthefabledWorldofArafinn, aself-containedfantasyuniverse,since2009.Thisuniverse hasalsogrownandevolvedovertheyearsandconsistsof 25provinceswith2600citiesandvillagesinhabitedby morethan600families,clansandtribeshavingtheirown politicalorientationsandspeakingtheirownseparate language.Moreover,fourmainlanguagesarespokenacross thelandsnamely-Tirdish,Hildujr,Valdyrish,andOmturu. Eachlanguagehasitsowngrammarandalphabet. Sycoforge hasattemptedtoadddetailsandbreathelifeinto theArafinnUniversebybuildingdifferentunitsofmeasure. Sincesometimethecompanyhasbeenworkingonamajor gamebasedonArafinn,namely:
Arafinn-Return to Nangrim
ThefirstpartoftheArafinnUniversewillbeknownas ‘Arafinn-ReturntoNangrim.’Itwillrevolvearoundthe storyandlegacyofthealmostforgottennationofthe Stonebeardswhousedtoliveintheinhospitablerealmsof theNimborMountains.
‘Arafinn-ReturntoNangrim’isafirst-personfantasy adventurewithRPG-,Survival-andPuzzle-elements.It involvesexploration,research,puzzlesolvinganddefense strategiesinordertouncoverthemysteriesandlegendsof Nangrim.Technicallygeneratedcontentandpuzzles guaranteeadifferentgamingexperienceforeachandevery player.Thefocusofthegameisnotonfighting;rather,the playershouldbepreparedtodefendhimselfagainstvarious dangerslurkingintheshadows.Aplayerhastofallbackon theancientknowledgeoftheStonebeardsinorderto successfullysurviveinthecountlesshallsofNangrim.
FuturePlans
Thecompanyplanstoreleaseaspecialgifttoitsfans aroundChristmastimethatwouldattunethemtotheactual game.Theninthefirstquarterof2018,itisplanningto launchitsKickstartercampaign,whichshouldhelpin speedingupproductionofthegame.
Michela Rimensberger
Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and eSports: The Buzzwords of Gaming Industry where the Future lies
Thegamingindustryhasevolvedtoagreat
extentoveraperiodoftime.Ithaspushed theenvelopeandadoptedcuttingedge technologiesthatlaterbecamemainstream technologieslikestreamingonlinecontent,1080p and4Kgraphics.Intoday’sdynamicworldasone trendends,anotherisalwaysjustaroundthecorner, readytotaketheworldbysurpriseandrightnow thereareplentyofthingstobeexcitedabout.Let’s digalittledeeperintothelatestbuzzofthegaming industry,andhowthingsmightchangegoing forward.
VR(VirtualReality)isonesuchhottopicinthe gamingindustry VRissomethingthatwastalked aboutformanyyearsbeforeitsactualarrival.But whenithitthestreet,itdidnotboomasexpected. However,therehavebeendramaticimprovementsto
boththehardwareandsoftwareinVRsinceitsearly days.VRispoisedtohaveahugeimpactonthe gamingsectorinmanydifferentforms.Onlinegaming sitesarealsoreapinghugebenefitsofVR.WithVR technologyatthecore,itispossibletocreate impressivevirtualgamingexperiencesforcustomers toenjoy
Augmented Reality is the New Fascination for Gaming Industry
AugmentedReality(AR)isanotherformof technologythatissettochangethelandscapeof gaming.Wherevirtualrealitiesprovidegamersa completevirtualworldexperience,ARoverlays virtualdigitalworldonthetopoftherealworldand givesgamerathrillingexperience.Thelatestflagship smartphonesofAppleanddeveloperframeworkslike
Apple’sARKitarebringingARtechnologyintothe mainstreamveryrapidly.Manytechnologyleadersare alreadypresumingthatARcouldbemuchbiggerthan virtualreality,especiallyasARisalreadyprovingto beabighitinsmartphonesasmoreandmorepeople areusingmobilephonesandtabletsforgamingthan Pcs.
Overthelastcoupleofyearsthegamingindustryhas witnessedanincreasedmomentumaroundaugmented reality(AR).Theprimaryreasonseemstobethe overnightsuccessofPokémonGo,alocation-based ARgamewhichwasdownloadedmorethan100 milliontimesinitsfirstmonthoflaunch.Itreportedly earned$10mperdayattheheightofitspopularity, andhasattractedwidespreadattentionandinvestment. Itsabilitytobringpeopletogetherandpromotea powerfulsenseofcommunityistheprimereason behindtheburgeoninggrowth.Mostofthebreakthroughtechnologieshavedonemuchthesame, whetheritisasocialmediainnovationlikeFacebook, Twitter,andInstagramormobileactivitiesinvolving texting,datingorgaming.VRontheotherhand,has farlimitedaccessinthesocialarena.In2017,Game DevelopersConferencewasruledbyvirtualreality ButduetoimmensepopularityofPokémonGo, augmentedrealityhasbecomethenewindustry darling.ItwillbeprematuretosaythatVRhasbeen outoftheracecompletelybutatGDC2017,industry hasseentheemergenceofARasacompelling technologyforgamingandbeyond.
ARbasedgamesworktheirmagicsimplybydropping videogamecharactersintoafamiliarandreal environmentwhichgivesgamersathrillingexperience whileplaying.ARenablesgamingcharactertorun alongreal-worldtabletopsandbounceonsofas.With thenewadvancementsinAR,playerscanscanaroom
withtheirdevicesandcreatea3Dmapofthewalls andfurniture.Gamerscanplacetheirvirtual charactersandobjectsonrealtablesandshelves, whileotherplayerscanviewthesceneandjoinvia theirowndevices.Duetothesefacets,gaming industryisembracingARtechnologysinceitallows gameplayerstoexperienceadigitalgameplayedin arealworldenvironment.
e-Sports- an Idea becoming a Gaming Trend
Theotherideathatisshapingthefutureofgaming industryisofcompetitivegamingcommonlyknown aseSports Theacceptanceofcompetitiveonline gamingisgrowingatanintenserateforboth competitorandviewers.Manybelievethatthe conceptofeSportscouldbleedovertoskill-based casinogaminginthecomingtimes.
Market Forecast
AccordingtorenownedresearchgiantGoldman Sachs,thevirtualandaugmentedrealityindustry willbecome $85 billion market by 2025. Muchof itssharewillbelongtogamingindustry Mostofthesetechnologiesrequirealotof bandwidthtofunctioninahasslefreemanner.With 5Garrivalisjustaroundthecorner,itwillonlygive boosttothesetechnologiesandwillplayapivotal roleinchangingthefaceofgamingtothenextlevel. Itisestimatedthat5Gconnectioncancomfortably reachataspeedofaround10Gbps,whichwillmake mobilegamingexperiencemuchbetterthanearlier.
WiththeadventofAR,VRandeSports,onecan rightlypresumesthesetechnologieswillonlymake gamersexperiencemuchmorecaptivatingonewith lotsofthrillandjoy
Today,gamingindustryis undergoingaphaseofrapid developmentwithrecent innovationsandadvancementsin technologywhichhaveall contributedtotheoverall enhancementofthegaming experience.Withtheintroductionof VRgamingaswellastechnological advancementofgraphicandsound cards,3Dgraphicsacceleratorsand amazinglyfastCPUshasunveileda neweraofgaming.
Growingswiftly,thegaming industryisexpectedtogenerate revenuesuptoUSD90.07billionin 2020.Thoughgamingindustryhas enormouspotentialtogrowand servethemassesbutthereisagap whichneedtobeserved.Whitepot Studiosisonesuchgaming companywhichisreadytotapthe potentialandextractthemaximum benefitsfromitwhileservingthe gameloverswiththebestoftheir choice.
WhitepotStudiosisagame developmentandcreativemedia solutioncompanybasedinBelfast, NorthernIreland.Itisfoundedby twoardentgamelovers,Adam WhitesideandVickyPotts CountingonWhitepot’s achievements;theyinthefirstyear
oftheircompany’sinception successfullyreleasedtheirfirstgame, Tubocity.Asci-fiendlessrunner, Tubocitybecamepopularinnotime andhasbeendownloadedinover35 countrieswithinthefirstquartersince itsrelease.
MeettheDynamicDuoofWhitepot
AdamWhitesideandVickyPottsare jointco-foundersofWhitepotStudios, andarepartnersinlifeaswellas business!BothQueen’sUniversity Belfastgraduatesarethefirstintheir familiestogototheuniversity,thepair foundedstart-upIVEAlabsstraight aftergraduationwithtwocolleagues, whichdevelopedaninteractive Bluetoothbeaconsolutiontoprovide aninteractiveexperiencewithin exhibitionsandmuseums.
IVEAlabssuccessfullyattained fundingfromtheprestigiousIreland FundsBusinessPlanCompetition. AdamWhitesideandVickyPottswere alsothefinalistsintheSantander UniversitiesEntrepreneurshipAwards 2016andsecuredaplaceonInvest NI’sPropelProgramme.Following theirtimewithIVEAlabs,Adamand Vickyremainedteameduptofollow theirpassionsofmakinggamesand havingcreativefreedom;andsetup WhitepotStudioswithhelpfromthe
knowledgegainedfromtheirprevious start-upexperience.WhitepotStudios, thoughearlystage,hassuccessfully launchedtheirfirsttitle,attended Gamescom2017inCologneexhibiting aspartoftheUKIEStand,andhave successfullyattainedfundingfromNI Screen’sAssemblerprogrammefor early-stagegameprototype development.
SomeOutstandingProductsand ServicesbyWhitepot
WhitepotStudiosuniquegoalisto developfun,emergentgamesthatare primarilyplayer-driven–inwhichthe player’sexperienceisshapedbythem andthosetheyinteractwith,andwill bedifferenteachandeverytimethey play.Additionally,atWhitepotthey offercreativemediaservicessuchas gamesforhire,graphicdesign,and websitedesign.
Tubocity:Tubocityisafreemobile gameforiOSandAndroidthatreally testsyourreflexes–seehowfaralong youcanget,andmaybeyou’llgetthe globalhighscore!
WhyAmIInThePast?WhoCares!
ShootTheRomans:Ancientvs. Technologycomestoaheadin“Why amIinthepast?Whocares!Shootthe
Romans,”(WAIITPWCSTR).ItisaWindowsbasedPC gamewhichwasdevelopedusing‘Unity.’
PresentScenarioofGamingIndustryfromAdam’s Viewpoint
The game development scene in Northern Ireland is flourishing and has grown even larger in the past year since we joined. The availability of free, industry-standard development tools like Unity has allowed anyone with a PC, some time, and dedication to develop a game and share it with the world – and that is really, really amazing. The motivation of young people to create things by themselves from scratch to add their own portfolio is incredibly inspiring, and I can’t wait to see what the next generation of developers – those, for example, currently making amazing Minecraft creations at a young age – will be like in 5, 10, or 15 years,assertsAdam.
Adamalsobelievesthat,gamejamsandhackathonsarea hugesocialopportunitywhichisnottobemissed.Local gaminggroupsandorganizationscanarrangegamejam meetupswhichco-incidewithgamejamsrunningallover theworld.Gamejamsallowteamstocollaborateonagiven themewithinaveryshortspaceoftime–andcanproduce somethingamazingandallowpeopletomeetnewfriends, learnnewskills,andsurpriseeventhemselvesatwhatthey canproduceinthespaceof24–72hours!
TurningChallengesintoOpportunities
Joining the local game development community and ensuring we absorbed each and every opportunity of help available has been invaluable in helping us gain new clients and make new relationships. Adam and I knowing each other so well and working so closely together has also been important in ensuring our success – we know exactly how talented the other is and can help each other through stressful crunch periods, and also those periods of celebration where things have gone well. Knowing your co-founder well is incredibly important, assertsVicky.
AtWhitepottheyaimtobeamajorbreakoutcompanyin NorthernIrelandby2019withthereleaseoftheirfirstPC gameearlythatyear
Adam Whiteside, Co-founder Vicky Potts, Co-founder
