Liverpool hosts Develop:North to unite Northern games leaders and foster talent.
- The summit expanded from Brighton, held at The Spine in Liverpool.
- Discussions ranged from Helldivers II to business strategies.
- A major panel debated the growth of the games market to £187bn.
- Emphasis on the need for education and industry collaboration.
The recent Develop:North summit in Liverpool marked a significant event where leaders and emerging talents within the games industry gathered for insightful discussions. Held at The Spine, Paddington Village, this event, which originally started in Brighton, was instrumental in shifting focus toward the burgeoning games sector in the North, attracting key players like PlayStation Studios and Tencent.
Liverpool City Council’s Cllr Nick Small expressed delight at hosting the summit, highlighting the city’s vibrant games ecosystem, home to renowned companies and indie studios alike. The conference included Liverpool-driven sessions, with prominent speakers from Wushu Studios discussing strategies for building a positive future in game development.
A standout panel, ‘Thrive in ’35’, featured insights from industry leaders such as Alison Lacy and Clemens Wangerin. They discussed the projected growth of the global games market, estimated to surpass £187 billion post-2024. The panel stressed the importance of integrating educational initiatives and embracing new ideas beyond traditional university boundaries to enhance diversity within the industry.
Phil Owen and Tom Owens emphasised the necessity for more local investment, noting the significant contributions of the North, where nearly 80% of game development occurs outside London. The issue of having to seek funding in the South was a point of contention, with calls for more support within Liverpool itself to retain and foster local talent.
The event concluded with discussions around technological advancements in the games sector and their impact on various industries like healthcare. The summit was supported by both Liverpool City Council and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, aiming to solidify Liverpool’s position as a key player in the global games industry.
Develop:North successfully highlighted Liverpool’s role in the dynamic games industry, endorsing the need for collaboration and investment.
