Showcasing Wales’s Games Industry At Wales Games Development Show

Leading Welsh games companies, industry experts and gaming professionals will gather at the annual Wales Games Development Show in Cardiff in June. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Wales’s thriving games industry will be showcased and celebrated at the event which takes place at Cardiff’s new Tramshed venue on Saturday, June 18. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The show features a packed programme of talks, presentations and hands-on workshops on all aspects of game creation and development. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

There will be a warm welcome to members of the public who can gain an insight into one of Wales’s most exciting and fastest developing creative industries and to take part in a whole host of activities suitable for games makers, players and enthusiasts of all ages and levels of experience. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Highlights include Minecraft and BBC micro:bit workshops, an interactive Game Zone featuring retro console games and an extensive guest speaker programme including respected industry names such as Antony Johnston, creator of video games Dead Space and Shadow of Mordor. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

There will also be a range of one-to-one surgeries with experts on funding, legal and accounts on hand to advise new games companies and start-ups. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The event will also include the Bafta Cymru Awards for Games and Interactive Experience, which celebrate and commend games developers and producers in Wales across a range of disciplines including Gameplay Design, Artistic Achievement, Technical Achievement and Sound & Music. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Huw Marshall, Chair of the Games Wales Group, said: “The Wales Games Development Show is a vital component of the games industry in Wales. It offers a window in to an exciting area of the creative industries in Wales that is growing year on year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The estimated worth of the industry in the UK is £1.7billion and Wales is excellently positioned to benefit from this, creating new jobs and contributing to a new Welsh digital economy”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

More than 400 people attended last year’s Games Development Show held at Cardiff’s City Hall and the organisers hope that this year’s event will be bigger and better than ever before. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

They are particularly keen to get young gamers and games enthusiasts involved and are offering discounted family tickets which can be purchased now through Eventbrite. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Wales Games Development Show is coordinated by Games Wales and is funded and sponsored by the Welsh Government, Creative Europe Desk Wales, University of South Wales as well as Microsoft and games development platform Unity. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​