development, supporting talent and their ideas, and providing production infrastructure. Since 2008, gaming has been one of our strategic investment areas. Our aim is to drive the creation of a vibrant, sustainable and commercial industry base.
What has been your biggest achievement so far this year? The twofour54 Gaming Academy in partnership with Ubisoft welcomed its first intake of ten full-time students in March, allowing talented individuals to receive
international standard training to prepare them for a career in the digital gaming industry. We also invested in regional gaming companies Tahadi and Jawaker to create locally relevant gaming content and supported T-break, resulting in a new commercial agreement with IGN Entertainment to introduce IGN Middle East.
Do you have anything big planned for the near future? Digital production company Digital Domain Media Group (DDMG) is establishing an animation, visual effects and motion capture studio and Digital Domain Institute media school at twofour54. Not only does this mark the first time a major Hollywood studio has established a presence in the region, it also links DDMG’s work with major games publishers,
DIRECTORY
boosting the game industry in the region and driving projects that bring the converging world of entertainment, gaming and online content closer together. Production of visual effects and animation in studios will kick off at the beginning of 2013.
Where do you see the company in five years? Our gaming partnerships with Ubisoft, Tahadi and Jawaker will grow – Ubisoft alone will employ upwards of 100 people in the next five years. As young Arabs develop their skills contributing to international games titles, we will increasingly see regionally relevant and produced content coming out of twofour54.
Tell us something no one knows about twofour54. In addition to the 16-month full- time Gaming Academy level design course offered in partnership with Ubisoft, we also offer gaming courses through the SAE Institute in Dubai which we acquired in 2011: a Game Developer Degree course and a