Northern Ireland Games Industry
This post is a response to the discussion on Matt’s blog post about the Games Industry within Northern Ireland. In particular, I wanted to reply to this point by Liam of WeeManStudios:
“The lack of expert skills and full-time developers in NI is still a major barrier.”
Yesterday I attended the INGAGE event at Belfast Metropolitan College. It was great to see some of the work being done here in Northern Ireland and to see other people who are passionate about making video games. The Games Industry in Northern Ireland is very small but starting to grow.
There is no shortage of talent and full time developers in Northern Ireland! We have a strong developer base supported by two large Universities.
The problem as far as I can see is that InvestNI & local Universities have not supported the Games Industry, therefore there are no established games companies here. Even then, I don’t see the small local games companies encouraging students to specialise in the Games Industry.
I haven’t been to Uni in 4-5 years so things may be changing. The likes of WeeManStudios and DarkWater Studios should have an obligation to go to the IT Depts of Queens, Jordanstown or Coleraine and market themselves to students, or provide internships, summer placements, hold Q&A discussions, video game lectures. Hopefully they are doing this already. The cop out is to post jobs looking for experts with 5+ years experience in this Games engine, that 3D modeling package or Game Console experience because, mostly those skills do not exist here and therefore does not encourage local developers and students to go for unobtainable jobs.
Students go where there are jobs and in NI that is mostly to the large US companies that InvestNI have paid millions in funding and tax breaks to set up shop here.
NI needs a Video Game Strategy for the next 10 years and more initiatives to show students and old timers alike what can be achieved. The Tax breaks announced in the Budget now give us a more level playing field with the likes of Canada but we are already a long way behind other UK regions and we need to act fast.
Local companies are vital but we also need to get closer ties to the likes of Sony, Microsoft, EA and Nintendo. We need to market ourselves as a lower cost center of excellence, in the same way we have done for Financial and Insurance companies in the past. Companies need to realise that we need to be trained but are willing and capable. Most US companies are happy to do this so long as InvestNI pay in part for that training. Look at how quickly Citigroup grew in 2 years. Why can’t that be Sony or EA?
I am very envious of the Dare to Be Digital competition. That is just the sort of thing I would have jumped at as an undergrad wanting to get into the Video Games Industry but not knowing how to. If I had that kind of encouragement, I am certain I would have had a very different career path.
March 27th, 2010 10:52
I guess this is why we try to create collaborations and clusters.
The first thing a CEO of a games company will say is “So, do they have a gaming presence” and if you’d asked 5 years ago I’d have said no. Now we have the beginnings of one. But we need companies like yours and others to help create the presence needed to attract a big name.
March 27th, 2010 14:19
Much as the games industry in NI is in its infancy, so too is the state of games-related education in NI. Developing an accredited course that teaches the technologies and tools required by the games companies takes a lot of time, effort and collaboration between the education establishments and the games industry. The proliferation of games-focused tertiary courses within NI has lagged behind their growth in the UK, Europe and the United States, this is due, in part, to the lack of a local games industry, and the fact that many “traditional” courses already provide a broad range of skills that are applicable to the games industry. While the majority of games companies require direct industry experience as a prerequisite for gaining employment, they typically look for standard and traditional education. The need for “industry experience” is not limited to finding jobs in the games industry either, it occurs across all industries. The key is to provide students with the tools and skills to produce world-class portfolios, along with a broader knowledge of the processes involved in the industry; this is the only thing that will make up for a lack of industry experience. The problem of having to go elsewhere to get a job is not limited to NI either. This is a worldwide phenomena. Getting into the games industry is notoriously difficult and often requires people, both new and established veterans, to relocate in order to guarantee getting a position on a large AAA project. Even with a successful project, there is no guarantee of job security; such is the fickle nature of the games industry. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why bodies like Invest NI do not necessarily court the games industry in the same way that they provide concession to the less creative industries.
I don’t believe you can call the local games companies that post jobs looking for 5+ years experience a “cop out”, as small businesses competing in a global market simply need to have the right people for the job and do not necessarily have the resources to provide training pathways that larger, established companies are capable of doing. However, as the local businesses grow, they do have an obligation to nurture and aid in the development and promotion of local talent, through things like internships, lectures at local education establishments and involving themselves in the development of game-specific courses. We also need local education authorities to provide more assistance for game-related education. Competitions such as Dare and Microsoft’s Imagine Cup have to be applauded for providing an excellent opportunity and experience (I was shocked to hear Brendan McGoran announce that only 1 team has applied for entry to Dare this year!). If you had participated in Dare during your education, there is a large possibility that your career path would have been very different indeed – that you would be working within the games industry . . . somewhere else!
I would agree that NI needs a Video Game Strategy; an industrial and educational roadmap for the future. In order to market ourselves as a low-cost centre of excellence, we need to corral our resources, work together to collectively raise the profile of game development here, and show innovation, skill and professionalism in our product. Perhaps if we shout loud enough, sooner or later somebody of importance and relevance will heed our call.
March 27th, 2010 22:18
Leo, I have worked in a range of industries and Games is by far the most stringent when it comes to specific experience.
I am not saying you can’t look for more experienced developers to fill specific roles. Every successful company needs a core of experience to guide those who do not have it. However, the most experienced developers in many companies are the ones who write the least amount of code. As you already stated, developers in NI have a wide range of skills that are applicable to the Games Industry.
The right person is not necessarily the most experienced. Dedicated, bright, intelligent people who are eager and willing to learn are every bit as important, and are usually quite a bit cheaper.
There is no substitute for on-the-job learning and being thrown in at the deep end.
In terms of education, I agree that Universities have a responsibility to give students a broad grasp of the different disciplines so that they are employable outside of the Games Industry. It would be possible to share years 1&2 with general CS degrees and only specialise in the final year or to offer it as post grad degree.
Of course, to have a successful Games Industry requires more than just programmers. Artists, Designers, 3D Modellers, Musicians, Marketing, Testers all need to work together.
If we collaborate and create a successful cluster as Matt has mentioned, then we can create that core of experience among ourselves and in turn help others who wish to get a foothold in the industry.
November 22nd, 2010 12:14
I’ve been searching to get a job in the gaming industry for a few weeks now and I am stuck on the gaming industry experience ladder I don’t have the necessary 2-5yrs in the gaming industry but I know I have the necessary skill sets to get into it. To be honest I didn’t even know NI had a gaming industry, and never seen any Universities here promote it as a course even 8yrs ago when I was at UCAS stage, the next best thing for me was BA Hons Design.
I think the problem that is faced is NI’s mentality, I have worked for 4yrs as a Design Consultant for a lighting design and what you teach in University is not enough, sure the design process was the key to survive in the industry but working in the industry is key. Companies need not experience but certain skill sets, you get the right person for the job skillfully you can train them in house and let those skill sets reform and mould the industry.
Secondly NI needs to get rid of small country mentality, we lose some of the most talented people, because the industry refuses to invest big. The talent of wee man studios and darkwater is evident and could easy be the next company to bring out a game of MW2, Uncharted 2 etc it needs to take the gamble and take on the giants. We hold ourselves back.
May 23rd, 2011 09:44
hi,can any one help!my son has wanted to be part of the games industry since he was 6,he is almost 15 and his work experiance shall be coming up soon has any one any ideas were he could go,as the school have not a clue…….please help a stressed out mum …….lol