Gaming
Speakers, assemble! Industry pioneers confirmed as speakers in the first ever Scottish Games Week
![](https://europeangaming.eu/portal/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Speakers-assemble-Industry-pioneers-confirmed-as-speakers-in-the-first-ever-Scottish-Games-Week-.jpg)
Twenty-three industry-leading speakers have been confirmed for the first ever Scottish Games Week, taking place across Scotland between 24 and 28 October – with more to come.
Speakers range from designers, developers and audio engineers, to investors, marketers, and business leaders. Legendary game director, producer and designer David Mullich (Heroes of Might and Magic III, Duck Hunt) and marketing maven Patty Toledo (4Players), will cover a wide variety of disciplines and specialities across the games, tech and creative sectors at three events: More Than Games, the Education Symposium, and the two-day SGW Industry Conference.
David Mullich, Director of the critically acclaimed Heroes of Might and Magic III said: “I’m thrilled to be participating in the first-ever Scottish Games Week and celebrating Scotland’s thriving game industry. It’s an honour to be in a gathering of such an innovative and accomplished game development community.”
Patty Toledo, Marketing Director at 4Players said: “Scotland’s games ecosystem is growing and evolving rapidly. Now is such a great time to get involved and really bring to light the importance games have to not only the creative industries but the tech industries as well.”
More Than Games (24 October) – Glasgow
More Than Games is a first-of-its-kind event, highlighting the transformative potential of the games ecosystem to the wider digital and creative industries. Attendees of More Than Games will be treated to presentations, provocation and panels covering topics from the convergence between games and screen, health, education, inclusion, transmedia and exploring how Scotland can harness the true power of creative media (spoiler: it’s by integrating games) – with speakers including:
- Jamie Bankhead (CEO at Konglomorate Games)
- Mick Cooke (Composer at MakeFire Music)
- HaZ Dulull (Producer/Director at HaZimation)
- John Gordon (CEO at Incentive Games)
- Chris Hainsworth (CFO at The Game CFO)
- Elena Höge (Founder of Yaldi Games)
- Houston Howard (Chief Storyteller at One 3 Creative)
- Neil McPhillips (Head of Games at Blazing Griffin)
- John Thornewill (Co-Founder and CEO at Zappaty)
Education Symposium (25 October) – Edinburgh
The Education Symposium brings together educators, institutions, stakeholders and students across Scotland for a practical hands-on day of workshops, and sessions created to debate, challenge and change the teaching of games skills in Scotland.
The symposium will focus on the ways in which games-related skills are taught and how to ensure Scotland has the talent pipeline it needs for the rapidly evolving global games ecosystem. Those confirmed to participate in the Education Symposium include:
- Brian Baglow (Founder and director of the Scottish Games Network, Lecturer at Edinburgh University and Editor in Chief of PocketGamer.biz)
- Julie Drybrough – chair (Founder and CEO of fuchsia blue)
- Dr Amanda Ford (Lecturer in Computing at West College Scotland)
- William Huber (Head of Centre for Excellence in Game Education at Abertay University)
SGW Industry Conference (27 – 28 October) – Dundee
The SGW Industry Conference is a two-day long event held in Dundee, the beating heart of Scotland’s games community. The conference features founders, pioneers, leaders and innovators from around the world, offering expertise and insight and from the forefront of the global games market.
The key trends from the forefront of games, as well as personal reflection and deep technical understanding are on offer from speakers which range from veteran global Scots, through to up-and-coming studios with their whole future ahead.
No matter your role within the games ecosystem, there’s something for every designer, developer, creator, publisher, educator, academic and organisation within the programme.
Speakers include:
- Mitchell Baxter (Director, Designer at Lazy Monday Games)
- Lisa Bennett (Manager at Dimoso Scotland)
- Craig Chapple (EMEA Mobile Insights Strategies at Sensor Tower)
- Graeme Devine (Creative Technical Officer at QXR Studios)
- Stephen Hey (Consultant at HeyStephenHey)
- Vaughan Holloway (CEO at Primordial Game Studios)
- Simon Meek (Founder of The Secret Experiment)
- David Mullich (Designer and Director of Heroes of Might and Magic III)
- Patty Toledo (Marketing Director at 4Players)
- Brentton White (CEO at North Sea Games)
Brian Baglow, Founder of the Scottish Games Network and Director of Scottish Games Week said: “The global games ecosystem is far larger and extends much further than the games industry. It encompasses education, creative industries, applied games, academia and much, much more. For the first ever Scottish Games Week we wanted to reflect this ecosystem and pull in speakers from around the whole who can offer perspective, insight and experience that will give context for the ongoing evolution of the world of gaming. I am thrilled to have so many wonderful speakers joining us at Scottish Games Week and believe we have a world class programme to offer visitors across every event.”
Tickets on sale for Scottish Games Week now. Early Bird prices are going fast and close on Friday 2 September 2022. Get Yours Now.
Entries are open for the Scottish Games Awards. With 12 categories on offer, covering individuals, organisations and games, there’s an opportunity for everyone to enter. To find out more and apply (free) visit the Scottish Games Awards page.
To find out more about all of the events taking place across Scottish Games Week, visit gamesweek.scot.
Scottish Games Week is being delivered by the Scottish Games Network and is supported by the Scottish Government’s Ecosystem Fund, delivered as part of its Scottish Technology Ecosystem Review (STER) programme.
Gaming
More players, more revenue: mobile games are very popular among Germans
![More players, more revenue – mobile games are very popular among Germans](https://europeangaming.eu/portal/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image002.jpg)
- Revenues from games apps grow in Germany by 4 per cent to over 2.9 billion euros
- Smartphones and tablets attract 300,000 additional players in twelve months
- ‘Mobile games often attract people with little or no experience of playing video games’
Games apps for smartphones and tablets continue to do well in Germany: revenues from mobile games grew by another 4 per cent to 2.9 billion euros within a year. This part of the games market has almost doubled since 2018, when revenues amounted to 1.49 billion euros. These are the figures released today by game – The German Games Industry Association, based on data collected by the market research company data.ai. Not only were games app revenues up, but the number of mobile game players also grew by 300,000 to 24.6 million in the space of a year. The average age of people who play video games on their smartphone in Germany is 40. Women tend to play more on smartphones and tablets (52%) compared to men (48%).
‘Games apps for smartphones and tablets are very popular among Germans,’ says Felix Falk, Managing Director of game. ‘Although we’ve been witnessing the unstoppable rise of the smartphone for almost a decade and a half, this is still an area of the game market that continues to grow. Mobile games often attract people with little or no experience of playing video games. The mobile gaming market has grown hugely over recent years: alongside classic casual games for spare moments, complex games and even esports titles are now also firmly established. This variety is unique and one of the strengths of games apps.’
A closer look at the mobile gaming market in Germany highlights the distinctive features of the sector: around 5 million euros – significantly below 1 per cent of total revenues – is generated by the sale of individual mobile games. Revenues from online gaming services on smartphones and tablets are significantly higher, amounting to 43 million euros or around 1 per cent. 98 per cent and therefore almost the entire revenue from games apps – 2.9 billion euros – is generated with in-app purchases. These include cosmetic enhancements for players’ own avatars along with virtual currencies and loot boxes or large story expansions.
Strong development of the German game market in 2023
The German games market showed significant overall growth again in 2023, with revenues from games, gaming hardware and online gaming services increasing by 6 per cent, to some 9.97 billion euros. This considerable rise follows a revenue increase of just 1 per cent in the preceding year. The largest drivers of this growth include game consoles and related accessories, as well as in-game and in-app purchases. At the same time, sales of gaming PCs and laptops saw clear declines in some areas.
Gaming
Games Lift 2024: These five developer teams will receive the Hamburg incubator funding
![Games Lift 2024: These five developer teams will receive the Hamburg incubator funding](https://europeangaming.eu/portal/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/240723_Games_Lift_Funded_Projects_PM_EN.png)
Five teams have won over the Games Lift awarding committee with their game projects. On September 9, the Games Lift Incubator will start for them as a unique support program in Germany. Included is a one-year workshop and mentoring program with international industry experts and 15,000 euros in financial support, as well as room for collaboration and exchange with the other participating teams. More than 30 experts in game design, product development, pitching, business development, press relations and marketing from the Games Lift network will share their experience with the teams to give their projects a professional start. Starting this year, the program also offers participating teams a joint trip to an international industry event. The Games Lift Incubator is organized and implemented by Gamecity Hamburg on behalf of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.
A total of 21 teams and solo developers applied for the fourth Games Lift Incubator. The decision for the five participating teams was made by the awarding committee, consisting of Kristin von der Wense (Publishing Producer Daedalic Entertainment), Ole Schaper (Managing Director The Sandbox Hamburg (Sviper GmbH)), Heiko Gogolin (Managing Director Rocket Beans Entertainment) and Tobias Graff (Co-Founder, Programmer and CEO Mooneye Studios).
Margarete Schneider, Project Manager at Gamecity Hamburg, on the award committee’s decision: “We are delighted with the large number of applications for our incubator and the high standard of the pitch decks submitted once again. It is particularly pleasing that we are receiving more applications from outside Hamburg, who see the city as an attractive location for starting a new business. The Games Lift Incubator provides gaming start-ups with comprehensive starting support and enables them to forge connections in Hamburg’s diverse games scene.
The five winner projects and teams for Games Lift Incubator 2024:
- ForeFeathers by Team Honeybeak
- Frisia – Cozy Villages by Rouven Cabanis
- Light of Atlantis by Duck ‘n’ Run Games
- Pubcrawler by Triflgard
- Tiny Garden by Tales from the Garden
ForeFeathers by Team Honeybeak is a 3D Puzzle-Platformer where players slip into the role of a penguin, who explores the sky-high ruins of an ancient civilization of birds. Traversing the flying islands with the ancient powers of flight, solving tricky puzzles and keeping the penguin’s friends away from trouble are some main aspects of the game.
In Frisia – Cozy Villages by Rouven Cabanis the player gains control over an uninhabited Northsea island and is tasked with building a functional, yet cozy and beautiful little town. Inspired by the frisian architecture of the Dutch and German Northsea coast, Frisia aims to create a cozy gameplay experience in harmony with simple town-building and strategy game mechanics.
Light of Atlantis by Duck ‘n’ Run Games is a 2D puzzle metroidvania in which players take on the roles of various robots with individual abilities to explore the sunken ruins of Atlantis. By draining and releasing water into the various rooms, the robots shape their environment and improve their chances against different enemies. Light of Atlantis was part of the Gamecity Hamburg prototype funding in 2023 and received in the same year the German Computer Game Award (Deutscher Computerspielpreis) in the category “Best Prototype”.
Pubcrawler by Triflgard is a co-op PC game in which up to four players need to work as a team, to navigate a giant, mechanic, wandering pub through an apocalyptic wasteland. In the process, they must complete a variety of challenging tasks that can only be mastered as a team. Working together efficiently, pleasing the different guests and keeping a cool head even when the giant pubcrawler faces technical issues are the key to a successful journey.
In Tiny Garden by Tales from the Garden players slip into the role of a deity who fills a deserted planet with life. Together with their servants, a group of cute leaf creatures that must be protected from evil spirits, they plant a constantly growing garden. As soon as the garden is fully grown, the evil spirits can be soothed and the player can move on to the next planet in help.
Gaming
MainStreaming Announces Appointment of Nicola Micali as Chief Customer Officer
![](https://europeangaming.eu/portal/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/9-8.jpg)
MainStreaming, an iMDP INTELLIGENT MEDIA DELIVERY COMPANY, which is redefining the CDN market with its innovative Edge Network services, announced the appointment of Nicola Micali as its new Chief Customer Officer (CCO).
With a track record of improving processes and efficiency and creating go-to-market strategies, Harvard alumnus and former Akamaite, Nicola Micali joins MainStreaming with the goal of solidifying a customer-centric organisation that prioritises long-term relationships, customer experience (CX) and satisfaction, ensuring MainStreaming’s continued business growth and market leadership.
Nicola brings a wide range of professional experience as a Leader of Customer Success & Professional Services at Akamai for over 10 years, where he was responsible for services and overall revenue. He developed the services strategy for the Americas’ media & entertainment, gaming and partners verticals exceeding all revenue targets year after year. Nicola’s expertise in leading technical customer-facing teams has resulted in higher customer satisfaction and successful worldwide streaming events.
With a Master’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Harvard, Micali’s educational background further enhances his capability to lead and innovate in the Edge video technology sector. As Nicola steps in as CCO, he will play a pivotal role in guiding the entire customer lifecycle journey. His expertise in customer success positions him perfectly to lead MainStreaming’s efforts in providing world-class service to a global clientele.
MainStreaming’s CEO, Antonio G. Corrado, said: “QoS for our customers and QoE for end users are at the core of our streaming business. It is the best proxy for customer satisfaction for us. We are happy to welcome Nicola Micali, who demonstrates his expertise in customer success. Together, we are set to strengthen our commitment to being a customer satisfaction-oriented company, leveraging our world-class services directed to broadcast-quality standards that are requested by industry players.”
MainStreaming’s video delivery technology is meticulously developed in-house, offered as managed private Edge Network to help broadcasters, OTT TVs and content owners overcome the toughest challenges of live streaming at scale, addressing the limitations of classic CDN and enabling new application solutions on the Edge.
“I am honored to join a team that is on a mission to write a new chapter in video streaming delivery, setting new standards, and paving the way for the future of TV. I am ready to contribute to MainStreaming’s innovative approach and customer-centric philosophy. Together, we are set to revolutionize how the streaming industry approaches Edge Network architecture for live streaming, emphasizing a more distributed, ultra-low-latency, energy-efficient, and globally scalable design,” Nicola Micali said.
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