Bolton University promotes casual gaming industry
Casual gaming seems to be making a lot of money these days that everybody else wants a piece of the casual gaming pie.
The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) has named the casual games market a rising, lucrative industry currently estimated to be worth EUR 450 million and predicted to rise to EUR 1.5 billion in the US alone in the next two years. This fast-growing sector of the gaming market is now the focus of Bolton University, with its aim to make its surrounding region the “centre for casual games development”
Andrew Williams, academic leader for games at the university, predicts that the move will boost the support for the UK gaming industry, adding that “by focusing on the casual games sector, we will tap into the fastest growing sector of the games market.”
Bolton University is currently launching Casual Games North West, which offers a range of fully-funded business support packages aimed to help games, new media and web companies in Northwest England to secure a niche in the market.
This project, supported by Game Alliance, is expected to enable companies from all over the region to learn about and target the newer markets. According to Senior Lecturer Phil Carlisle, the opportunities made by new platforms and new methods of delivering content makes the present an ideal time for anyone considering entering games development.
Bolton University has been offering computer game design courses since 2002. Starting this month, the university will be establishing interest in CGNW in the North West region by alerting companies and holding a networking event for them in May.
Casual gaming seems to be making a lot of money these days that everybody else wants a piece of the casual gaming pie.
The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) has named the casual games market a rising, lucrative industry currently estimated to be worth EUR 450 million and predicted to rise to EUR 1.5 billion in the US alone in the next two years. This fast-growing sector of the gaming market is now the focus of Bolton University, with its aim to make its surrounding region the “centre for casual games development”
Andrew Williams, academic leader for games at the university, predicts that the move will boost the support for the UK gaming industry, adding that “by focusing on the casual games sector, we will tap into the fastest growing sector of the games market.”
Bolton University is currently launching Casual Games North West, which offers a range of fully-funded business support packages aimed to help games, new media and web companies in Northwest England to secure a niche in the market.
This project, supported by Game Alliance, is expected to enable companies from all over the region to learn about and target the newer markets. According to Senior Lecturer Phil Carlisle, the opportunities made by new platforms and new methods of delivering content makes the present an ideal time for anyone considering entering games development.
Bolton University has been offering computer game design courses since 2002. Starting this month, the university will be establishing interest in CGNW in the North West region by alerting companies and holding a networking event for them in May.