Games development icons headline speakers at Leamington event
Game development icons to share experiences of operating as an indie studio within a local tech hub and how community spirit can drive growth
Delegate tickets NOW ON SALE for Interactive Futures 2020 conference & EXPO
John and Brenda Romero, founders of the BAFTA Award-winning studio Romero Games, have been confirmed as headline speakers at Interactive Futures 2020, which takes place on January 31 and February 1 at the Royal Spa Centre in Leamington.
The two-day conference and expo (www.interactive-futures.com) will once again showcase to the industry and to the general public the rich seam of talent and opportunity within the Leamington Games Hub.
The event will highlight the region’s heritage within the UK video games industry, its talent and creativity, the unrivalled community of indie and major studios, and career opportunities – both for students and for those already working in games and beyond.
To buy tickets for Interactive Futures 2020, click here: https://interactive-futures.com/tickets-2020
John and Brenda will share their experiences of operating a studio in Ireland’s Galway City games hub and how that can be applied to studios operating in Leamington. They will also offer delegates practical advice and insights into technology, production, finance, talent, local government support and the reasons why tech hubs are vital to the games industry.
John Romero is an award-winning game development icon whose work spans over 130 games, 108 of which have been published commercially. He is the "father of first-person shooters" having led the design and contributed to the programming and audio design of the iconic and genre-defining games DOOM, Quake, Heretic and Hexen. John has co-founded eight successful game companies, including id Software.
Brenda Romero is a BAFTA award-winning game designer, artist and Fulbright award recipient who entered the video game industry in 1981. As a designer, she has worked on 47 games and contributed to many seminal titles, including the Wizardry and Jagged Alliance series and titles in the Ghost Recon, Dungeons & Dragons and Def Jam franchises.
Romero Games is currently producing the highly-anticipated upcoming 1920s gangster strategy game Empire of Sin, which will be published by Paradox Interactive in spring 2020.
Interactive Futures 2020 – What’s On
Interactive Futures is being funded by the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), Warwickshire County Council and Warwick District Council, with the support of local industry.
On Friday, January 31, the Interactive Futures conference programme will also highlight key issues relevant to the region and the wider games industry, with topics including Ukie’s Regional Economic Impact Report – and why Leamington is punching above its weight; How to finance your game and studio; and How Leamington became one of the biggest games hubs in the UK.
Saturday, February 1 will see Interactive Futures open its doors to consumers and students to inspire the next generation of talent, with career opportunities the key focus for the day, during which John and Brenda will be on hand to help guide attendees on the best way forward for their professional goals.
Conference topics will include Levelling Up: What skills and qualifications are required for a career in games; How we made it: Young indie developers discuss their careers; Beyond coding: Why there’s a career in games for everyone; and much more.
An EXPO showcasing the best of the Leamington Games Hub will run throughout the two days.
Sarah Windrum, chair of the CWLEP Digital Creative Business Group and board director at the CWLEP, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have John and Brenda Romero as our headline speakers at Interactive Futures 2020. Their knowledge of the business of game development, experience of working in a hub similar to Leamington’s and ability to engage with audiences of all ages will provide delegates with invaluable insight.”
Brenda and John Romero added: “We’re tremendously excited to be involved with Interactive Futures 2020 – events like this are vital to fostering a sense of community within video games development, encouraging growth and attracting new talent to the sector. Our time in the Galway City hub has taught us so much and we look forward to sharing those experiences with delegates.”
To buy tickets for Interactive Futures 2020, click here: https://interactive-futures.com/tickets-2020/
If you are interested in getting involved with the Interactive Futures conference programme, please contact Lisa Carter on 07970 164201 / lisa.carter@mimrammedia.com.
If you would like to exhibit at Interactive Futures or become a commercial partner, contact Darrell Carter on 07967 947076 / darrell.carter@mimrammedia.com.
Caption: Brenda and John Romero who are attending Interactive Futures in Leamington
