Simply Talented’s Post

Going to Gamesforum in Barcelona next week from 6th to 9th February. DM if you want to catch up, particularly interested in meeting: ➡ Potential publishing partners for our new and future mobile games ➡ Growth & UA Managers (Publishing) to discuss scaling in 2024, especially interested in offerwalls trend ➡ Investors/VCs who plan to invest in small and mid size mobile game studios or ad tech through 2024

Polish gaming is now a billion-euro industry. I traveled to Warsaw to capture its story. Here are the main takeaways: 1️⃣ Massive Growth: Poland's gaming industry revenues reached nearly €1.3 billion in 2022, growing by 250% since 2018. 2️⃣ Global Success: The fantasy RPG "The Witcher 3" has been a monumental success for the country, selling over 50 million copies since its release in 2015. This game has played a pivotal role in establishing Poland as a key player in the global gaming market. 3️⃣ Talent Trickle Down: "The Witcher 3" is a major game, with long-term support from its publisher, CD PROJEKT RED. This has necessitated a significant number of skilled professionals, many of whom later established their own studios, thus contributing to the development of the gaming ecosystem. 4️⃣ Industry Impact: Poland is now home to around 500 game studios, employing the second-largest number of developers in Europe. 5️⃣ Cultural Influence: Polish games, rooted in Central European mythology and culture, not only entertain but also promote Polish heritage and values, enhancing the country’s soft power on the global stage. 6️⃣ Challenges Ahead: Despite its successes, the Polish gaming industry faces financial challenges, particularly in securing funding. The recent global downturn in gaming has made it harder for Polish studios to attract investment. Thank you to Lukasz Rosinski of VARSAV Game Studios S.A., and Matej Hudák 🔜 Gamescom of Grindstone for providing great information for my article, which you can find at Denník N. I am also very grateful to Jakub Dolezel for helping me with contacts and additional information essential for this piece. #GamingIndustry #PolishGaming #TheWitcher3 #TechJournalism #GamingTrends #EUGaming #GameDevelopment

It’s very clear that the past two years have been marked by dramatic changes, including IDFA deprecation, post-COVID normalization, and disgruntled investors—often with good reason—turning their backs on gaming. Everyone at the C-level has been forced to rethink and redesign what and how they’re doing things. As an agency owner, I have the privilege of witnessing much of what goes on behind the scenes among gaming studios of different sizes and maturity. This was the inspiration behind the new series, Navigating Chaos: How to Develop a Successful Strategy for a Mobile Gaming Studio. Throughout the three articles, I aim to challenge my own perspective, as well as those of industry experts from companies like Zynga, Jam City, and Metacore. By the time you’ve finished reading, you’ll have gained insights on how to approach business strategy in the post-IDFA world, specifically within the gaming sector. Read Part 1, Where to Begin When Developing a New Mobile Game: https://lnkd.in/eKgnhAKm Curious to hear your thoughts! Stay tuned for Part 2. #mobilegrowth #mobilegaming #mobilemarketing #mobilegamedevelopment

Happy We got to release this map. I find it very important to paint a clear picture of what the industry looks like, so I would be encouraging the team to release more of the data We've gathered over the years. Of course, it is not 100% accurate. There are one or two studios here and there not on this map. For some, We missed out on capturing their data, for others, We couldn't find concrete data to present them. Either way, this is a work-in-progress that gives a clear picture of most of the major stakeholders. Watch out for updates and more. #gamesindustry #Africangamesindustry #industrymap #videogames

For #gamescapitalberlin, I talked to Annelie Biernat and Carolin Krenzer of Trailmix Games about their newly opened studio in Berlin, what advice they would give to investment-seeking indies, and how they will tackle the key challenge of the industry in 2024. You can read it here: https://lnkd.in/eMM2Cvv6

What does the African Video games Industry landscape look like? This provides a glimpse into the diverse players within the African Video Games industry, spotlighting the startups, innovators, trailblazers, events, organizations, and support networks that are shaping the ecosystem. Despite being a relatively young market with a predominant presence of Indie developers and studios, the industry is evolving, gradually taking form. We are excited about the observed growth in the sector so far and anticipate ongoing development across the continent. Disclaimer: This list is not exhaustive. Mapping was conducted between 2021 and 2023, with priority given to active studios and stakeholders." #gamesindustry #gamedevelopment #africa

Gaming has huge economic potential on the African continent but governments and relevant ministries (if and where they exist are not equipped to regulate or support) are sadly yet to realise this hashtag #gaming #gamedevelopment #africa #policydevelopment #creativeindustries #creativebusiness #creativeeconomy

Calling all WA game industry enthusiasts! Be sure to sign up for all the latest news in the gaming world and to be among the first to celebrate with the team as the new re-brand launches. It’s going to be a big year for the WA gaming insistent and we look forward to hearing all about it. Sign up to the newsletter below ⬇️ #WAGaming #Gaming #GameDevelopment #GamingNews

Last month, Portugal showcased its dynamic game development industry at #GDC, with an impressive delegation and its first-ever pavilion, highlighting a trajectory of remarkable growth and innovation 🚀 🇵🇹 This week we all got tremendous coverage from GamesIndustry.biz, cheers to Diogo Rato with Associação de Produtores de Videojogos Portugueses 📖 💚 "The Portuguese games industry had a big presence at GDC last month, with over 50 delegates from 20 companies attending, 14 companies represented in the country's pavilion (its first ever at the event), and a reception organised at the Consulate General of Portugal welcoming over 100 attendees." We got to spend quality time across the pavilion and the reception with friends from Anybrain, Fortis Games and many more 😎 From the inception of iconic games in the '80s to the bustling scene today, Portugal's journey is marked by a significant increase in studios, a surge in revenue, and a 53% annual growth in industry professionals since 2018. This boom is further supported by the newly opened Gaming Hub in Lisbon, fostering innovation and collaboration 🌆 More key highlights from Portugal 🌟 💸Over €38 million in turnover in 2022, with studios increasing by more than 20% yearly. 📈Notable advancements, including Miniclip’s expansion and international acquisitions, underscore Portugal's role as a tech hub for creative and ambitious projects. We're proud to be part of this thriving community, contributing to its diverse and rich gaming landscape as a software company building the next generation of tools for ambitious game developers. Portugal not only promises quality and innovation but also opens doors to the European market for global talent 🇪🇺 Looking to dive into an ecosystem where game development is nurtured and celebrated? Portugal welcomes you. Let's explore potential synergies and how Didimo, with our Popul8 technology, can play a part in your story 👋 More information here ▶ https://lnkd.in/ea2P5hkZ #GameDevelopment #Portugal #Innovation #Popul8 #Porto #Lisbon

How we spoke with 20+ publishers in less than 4 months: (70% increase - that’s where it’s at) We have been looking for a publisher for 4 months. For our market-tested game Hunter Age of Monsters. (Created under UGI Lab Division) Gaming is all about who you know. It’s cliche. But your network is your net worth. When it came to publishing our own games. Meeting face-to-face was crucial. We now have ongoing conversations with large publishers. And it took sometimes 3-7 meetings. This year we went to Gamescom, PGC & Nordic Game conferences. This allowed us to: - Gain new contacts in the sector - Get more insight on the market - Create partnerships & collabs Now it doesn’t take much. But you have to: - Be proactive - Follow up relentlessly - Look for long-term partnerships (our favorite) With large deals, it never takes 1 meeting. This is why we keep showing up. Even if it takes 1100 KM from Poland to Gamescom :)