BETA | REGION FOCUS: YORKSHIRE
associated with a boxed product at retail have proven somewhat prohibitive, especially when compared to the commercial viability digital can offer studios. “We’ve only really got Rockstar Leeds that
are big on the whole triple-A disc-based product. The rest of us seem to prefer digital, and I think that’s because a lot of us self-publish,” he says. “As such we can’t really afford manufacturing retail product, so digital is the way to go. Especially with it highly likely that the future will be mostly digitally led.” Clarkson agrees with Gilray’s assertions
that digital and mobile have become more economically viable for smaller studios, and believes it allows developers to have a steady stream of content release throughout the year, rather than pinning their hopes on long and expensive development cycles with scarce release schedules. “The simple fact is that unless your
development is underpinned by a large global publisher it doesn’t necessarily make good business sense to spend a couple of years working on a traditional console title,” he explains. “Smaller developers need to have liquidity in their business, and that means smaller projects with quick turn around times. The volumes that can be achieved on digital and mobile platforms can be significant, and many developers prefer to have three or four revenue streams each year rather than just one.”
Above, top to bottom: Simon Barratt of Four Door Lemon, Just Add Water’s Stewart Gilray, Double Eleven’s Rob Ware, and Game Republic’s Jamie Sefton. Above right: Sumo’s take on Sega Rally
MONEY FOR SOMETHING But being able to develop for digital, mobile and handheld of course doesn’t come free of charge, with funding representing one of the crucial challenges afflicting the region, and developers across the UK. Screen Yorkshire recently announced a £15 million fund for TV, film and games production, of which £7.5m has been provided through an EU initiative, to help the region attract new talent and contracts. A group of unnamed private companies has also pledged to match individual investments, effectively turning it into a £30m funding pool. But despite this and other programs in
place to help studios with game creation and publishing costs, devs still clamour for support from investors and the UK Government, which recently proposed a tax breaks program. Yet even that must overcome a series of obstacles, although the recent extension by the EU of the ‘cultural test’ to 2018 could pave the way for such relief schemes. Double Eleven’s Ware says that whilst the
region’s industry isn’t under too much pressure in general financially, more needs to be done to keep competitive. “As industries go, I think ours is in relatively good shape and the small flexible studios in the region are always well placed to take advantage as the industry evolves,” he says. “That said, greater government support for
the creative digital industries would help keep us on a level playing field with development hotspots elsewhere in the world, so we look forward to seeing the government follow through on its recent pledges.”
48 | MAY 2012
Sefton says that he has looked to help out the studios as part of his role in charge of the industry networking body, but feels it can be hard to convince venture capitalists to invest.
Smaller developers need to have
liquidity in their business, and that means smaller projects with quick turn around times.
Nick Clarkson, Team 17 “I think a lot more can be done – and I’m
trying to do it as well – to educate investors in this region about how great the games industry is,” he says. “Especially angel investors, because VCs tend to want to put £10m in and get £100m out. It tends to be the angel investors that I’d be talking to, to try to get interest in the games companies in our region. “But the best way of supporting companies, and the way we’ve done it at Game Republic, is helping them help themselves. Being there to help companies network and use each others resources if they need, and share information. Really that’s the best way to help companies in this region, and give them the tools they need to succeed.”
EDUCATIONAL LESSONS Another challenge the Yorkshire region surprisingly faces is in training and acquiring local talent, despite its two local Skillset accredited courses at two of its universities, and the nearby Milddlesbrough-based Teesside University. Whilst these programs fill requirements few in the country have been able to achieve, there is a mixed reaction from developers on how effective they have been in developing industry professionals up to an acceptable standard. “I have to be honest here and say no,” Gilray
says in regards to whether he was happy with what local games development courses provide. “Via Game Republic we take part in an event to judge students from the big universities in Yorkshire on their final year work/projects, and I have to say over the past couple of years there have been some students that shouldn’t have been allowed to take part. They only account for a tiny amount, but still. “There seems to be a problem nationwide
with courses where the people leading these courses really have no clue about game development. Yes, some are now appointing industry veterans to help set-up and improve the courses, but it is fair to say that some really do need to address what they are teaching the students. Over the past year we’ve hired five graduates, only one is from a Yorkshire university, and that has been
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