Latest news with #NickPoole
The Guardian
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The game developers striving to offer authenticity and inclusion in the face of AI
For anyone looking to gauge the mood of the UK games industry in 2025, there has been only one place to hang out this week: the bar of the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Brighton. It's in this building that the annual Develop conference has been bringing together developers, publishers, students and journalists since 2006 – and during the three days of talks, roundtables and keynotes, it's in the bar that everyone meets and unloads their theories and concerns about the state of the business. This year, after many months of cuts and closures, the mood has been dour. On Tuesday, I spoke to many coders, artists and studio heads who have had games cancelled, staff axed and deals obliterated; several senior developers predicted that the recent savage cuts to staff numbers and game projects will lead to a gaping black hole in the release schedules of many triple-A publishers in late 2026 and 2027. Grand Theft Auto VI was always going to be huge; now it's looking like the only game in town. But there has been optimism at the event, too. An excellent panel discussion entitled Why Cultural Recognition is Crucial to the Future of the Games Industry saw Nick Poole, CEO of the trade body Ukie, welcoming a more positive view of the industry among politicians and policymakers in Westminster. 'Three years ago, understanding of games was scant, but just recently there's been a massive amount of recognition,' he said. 'Suddenly, politicians are talking to us about the educational reach of games; the power of games for young people as a channel of self-expression; we've seen the first games being prescribed on the NHS as a treatment for anxiety and depression – there's a recognition that the cultural echo of games is far greater than the economic proposition.' On the fears surrounding the use of AI, especially large language models, in game development, Cassia Curran, founder of consulting firm Curran Games Agency, had some positive advice: 'The development of AI will mean there's an abundance of content out there,' she said. 'But the way that you can achieve success as a developer will be to lean into the authentic human experience you've lived. AI cannot reproduce your feelings or your culture, and these can be reflected in your games. In the era of AI slop, players will be looking for experiences that feel new and deeply human.' There were also some fascinating stories of the lengths developers have been going to in the quest for authenticity. In the first talk of the day, Jens Andersson and Pete Ward from MachineGames, the creator of the acclaimed adventure Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, talked about travelling to the far north of Sweden to record a bull-whip expert cracking a whip in multiple different ways and locations to ensure Indy's famous accessory sounded right in the game. The team behind the procedurally generated detective adventure Shadows of Doubt created a 1950s-style noir thriller called Claw of the Fathoms, which plays on the TV in the lead character's apartment, simply to give the world an authentic feel. The sheer range of experiences in games and a growing concern with wider representation were the overriding themes all day. Lydia Cooke, a PhD researcher specialising in queer game studies, chaired a heartening roundtable discussion entitled Representation in Games: Beyond the Surface. Cooke talked of barriers to representation in mainstream games, where atypical characters are often seen as a commercial risk. But, at the same time, audience members listed recent games that told interesting stories about marginalised and diverse characters, including the narrative puzzler Unpacking, Lesbian romance Bossgame: The Final Boss is my Heart, gender-neutral dating sim Monster Prom, and absurdist disability allegory To a T from cult game-maker Keita Takahashi. A key conclusion of the session was that identity needn't be a central issue in a game – instead, the very presence in a game of well-drawn diverse characters may be of huge value to players who rarely see themselves represented in the media they consume. Away from the bar, I bumped into some of my favourite independent developers and they told me about the interesting projects they're working on – innovative, charming games built by tiny teams, by any means necessary. For the rest of the conference, there will be talks from legendary Finnish developer Housemarque on surviving 30 years in the business; and from Remedy Entertainment's Sam Lake on his three decades of storytelling. Developers will be sharing a multitude of experiences, from creating a side quest in Marvel's Spider-Man 2 to how they made players cry with indie game Videoverse. In short, the work goes on, people make things and people play them. This is not just an industry controlled by CEOs and shareholders, it is a culture and an art form, and it will continue. Angry Birds is very much the Pac-Man of the mobile gaming world – a franchise that's somehow infinitely renewable in a vast array of genres. The latest incarnation is Angry Birds Bounce, which combines the familiar slingshot-a-bird-to-hit-naughty-pigs gameplay with block-breaking classics such as Breakout and Puzzle Bobble. Simply select your favourite bird, then aim it at the screen to take out as many pigs as possible; each bird has different tactics and abilities, and the challenge ramps up nicely as you unlock new characters. Developer Rovio clearly still has enthusiasm for the series and this compelling little diversion will get you through any commute, dull movie or inescapable meeting. Available on: Apple Arcade Estimated playtime: All the free time you have Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa has defended the price of the Switch 2 console at a recent shareholder Q&A. As reported in he stated that the £395.99 ($449.99) price is 'appropriate for the gaming experience that it offers'. He also defended the controversial use of game-key cards: cartridges that contain no game data, but instead provide a code for the player to download the game. On the subject of Nintendo, if you're a fan of the publisher's games and looking for an article to furiously debate with, IGN has one entitled Every Nintendo 3D Platformer, Ranked. Number four should be higher, that's all I'm going to say. The founder and former president of Arkane Studios, Raphaël Colantonio, has attacked Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass service, which gives players unlimited access to a range of games for a monthly subscription fee. Writing on X in response to the latest round of job cuts at Microsoft, the co-creator of the acclaimed Dishonored series stated: 'Why is no one talking about the elephant in the room? Cough cough (Gamepass).' He went on to call the service, 'an unsustainable model that has been increasingly damaging the industry for a decade'. Read more on VGC. Sign up to Pushing Buttons Keza MacDonald's weekly look at the world of gaming after newsletter promotion 'Close to perfect': readers' favourite games of 2025 so far Studios are rewriting movies steered by Reddit. A dangerous development – or long overdue? | Ben Child Three Ubisoft chiefs found guilty of enabling culture of sexual harassment How to make your old Nintendo Switch games feel new again on Switch 2 This question came to us from reader Jason: 'Someone brought up A Profound Waste of Time today and it made me think that Pushing Buttons might have mentioned a similar new publication … maybe one that you're writing in? Would you let me know of any others so I can spread the word?' This is my absolute favourite subject, so thank you, Jason. Keza and I have contributed to On magazine, a beautiful, design-led video game publication with a second issue out now and a third on the way. I also love the similarly stylish Lock-On from Lost in Cult, as well as the gorgeous zines Devils Blush, Controller Revolt and Heterotopias, which all apply the punk DIY ethos to games, with a handmade look and enthusiastic writing. Forgotten Worlds publishes its own zines and has a really helpful list of independent print publications for video game fans. It's lovely to see so many exciting and carefully curated gaming mags out there in 2025. If you've got a question for Question Block – or anything else to say about the newsletter – hit reply or email us on pushingbuttons@
The Guardian
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The game developers striving to offer authenticity and inclusion in the face of AI
For anyone looking to gauge the mood of the UK games industry in 2025, there has been only one place to hang out this week: the bar of the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Brighton. It's in this building that the annual Develop conference has been bringing together developers, publishers, students and journalists since 2006 – and during the three days of talks, roundtables and keynotes, it's in the bar that everyone meets and unloads their theories and concerns about the state of the business. This year, after many months of cuts and closures, the mood has been dour. On Tuesday, I spoke to many coders, artists and studio heads who have had games cancelled, staff axed and deals obliterated; several senior developers predicted that the recent savage cuts to staff numbers and game projects will lead to a gaping black hole in the release schedules of many triple-A publishers in late 2026 and 2027. Grand Theft Auto VI was always going to be huge; now it's looking like the only game in town. But there has been optimism at the event, too. An excellent panel discussion entitled Why Cultural Recognition is Crucial to the Future of the Games Industry saw Nick Poole, CEO of the trade body Ukie, welcoming a more positive view of the industry among politicians and policymakers in Westminster. 'Three years ago, understanding of games was scant, but just recently there's been a massive amount of recognition,' he said. 'Suddenly, politicians are talking to us about the educational reach of games; the power of games for young people as a channel of self-expression; we've seen the first games being prescribed on the NHS as a treatment for anxiety and depression – there's a recognition that the cultural echo of games is far greater than the economic proposition.' On the fears surrounding the use of AI, especially large language models, in game development, Cassia Curran, founder of consulting firm Curran Games Agency, had some positive advice: 'The development of AI will mean there's an abundance of content out there,' she said. 'But the way that you can achieve success as a developer will be to lean into the authentic human experience you've lived. AI cannot reproduce your feelings or your culture, and these can be reflected in your games. In the era of AI slop, players will be looking for experiences that feel new and deeply human.' There were also some fascinating stories of the lengths developers have been going to in the quest for authenticity. In the first talk of the day, Jens Andersson and Pete Ward from MachineGames, the creator of the acclaimed adventure Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, talked about travelling to the far north of Sweden to record a bull-whip expert cracking a whip in multiple different ways and locations to ensure Indy's famous accessory sounded right in the game. The team behind the procedurally generated detective adventure Shadows of Doubt created a 1950s-style noir thriller called Claw of the Fathoms, which plays on the TV in the lead character's apartment, simply to give the world an authentic feel. The sheer range of experiences in games and a growing concern with wider representation were the overriding themes all day. Lydia Cooke, a PhD researcher specialising in queer game studies, chaired a heartening roundtable discussion entitled Representation in Games: Beyond the Surface. Cooke talked of barriers to representation in mainstream games, where atypical characters are often seen as a commercial risk. But, at the same time, audience members listed recent games that told interesting stories about marginalised and diverse characters, including the narrative puzzler Unpacking, Lesbian romance Bossgame: The Final Boss is my Heart, gender-neutral dating sim Monster Prom, and absurdist disability allegory To a T from cult game-maker Keita Takahashi. A key conclusion of the session was that identity needn't be a central issue in a game – instead, the very presence in a game of well-drawn diverse characters may be of huge value to players who rarely see themselves represented in the media they consume. Away from the bar, I bumped into some of my favourite independent developers and they told me about the interesting projects they're working on – innovative, charming games built by tiny teams, by any means necessary. For the rest of the conference, there will be talks from legendary Finnish developer Housemarque on surviving 30 years in the business; and from Remedy Entertainment's Sam Lake on his three decades of storytelling. Developers will be sharing a multitude of experiences, from creating a side quest in Marvel's Spider-Man 2 to how they made players cry with indie game Videoverse. In short, the work goes on, people make things and people play them. This is not just an industry controlled by CEOs and shareholders, it is a culture and an art form, and it will continue. Angry Birds is very much the Pac-Man of the mobile gaming world – a franchise that's somehow infinitely renewable in a vast array of genres. The latest incarnation is Angry Birds Bounce, which combines the familiar slingshot-a-bird-to-hit-naughty-pigs gameplay with block-breaking classics such as Breakout and Puzzle Bobble. Simply select your favourite bird, then aim it at the screen to take out as many pigs as possible; each bird has different tactics and abilities, and the challenge ramps up nicely as you unlock new characters. Developer Rovio clearly still has enthusiasm for the series and this compelling little diversion will get you through any commute, dull movie or inescapable meeting. Available on: Apple Arcade Estimated playtime: All the free time you have Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa has defended the price of the Switch 2 console at a recent shareholder Q&A. As reported in he stated that the £395.99 ($449.99) price is 'appropriate for the gaming experience that it offers'. He also defended the controversial use of game-key cards: cartridges that contain no game data, but instead provide a code for the player to download the game. On the subject of Nintendo, if you're a fan of the publisher's games and looking for an article to furiously debate with, IGN has one entitled Every Nintendo 3D Platformer, Ranked. Number four should be higher, that's all I'm going to say. The founder and former president of Arkane Studios, Raphaël Colantonio, has attacked Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass service, which gives players unlimited access to a range of games for a monthly subscription fee. Writing on X in response to the latest round of job cuts at Microsoft, the co-creator of the acclaimed Dishonored series stated: 'Why is no one talking about the elephant in the room? Cough cough (Gamepass).' He went on to call the service, 'an unsustainable model that has been increasingly damaging the industry for a decade'. Read more on VGC. Sign up to Pushing Buttons Keza MacDonald's weekly look at the world of gaming after newsletter promotion 'Close to perfect': readers' favourite games of 2025 so far Studios are rewriting movies steered by Reddit. A dangerous development – or long overdue? | Ben Child Three Ubisoft chiefs found guilty of enabling culture of sexual harassment How to make your old Nintendo Switch games feel new again on Switch 2 This question came to us from reader Jason: 'Someone brought up A Profound Waste of Time today and it made me think that Pushing Buttons might have mentioned a similar new publication … maybe one that you're writing in? Would you let me know of any others so I can spread the word?' This is my absolute favourite subject, so thank you, Jason. Keza and I have contributed to On magazine, a beautiful, design-led video game publication with a second issue out now and a third on the way. I also love the similarly stylish Lock-On from Lost in Cult, as well as the gorgeous zines Devils Blush, Controller Revolt and Heterotopias, which all apply the punk DIY ethos to games, with a handmade look and enthusiastic writing. Forgotten Worlds publishes its own zines and has a really helpful list of independent print publications for video game fans. It's lovely to see so many exciting and carefully curated gaming mags out there in 2025. If you've got a question for Question Block – or anything else to say about the newsletter – hit reply or email us on pushingbuttons@
BBC News
04-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Games industry welcomes first generation of pensioner gamers
Companies in the East of England are preparing to welcome the first generation of pensioner gamers, more than half a century after the first home video game hit the market. People who have grown up playing games are hungry for new, more sophisticated games, which has prompted start-ups in places including Norwich to compete with more established companies like Jagex, Ninja Theory and Frontier Developments, all based in Poole, chief executive of Ukie, the trade body representing the UK's gaming industry, said: "It's been the most incredible 50 years."We're about to see the first-ever generation of pensioner gamers.. it's amazing." Part of the recent success is down to what he describes as the "crossover" phenomenon, with TV and film adapting video games like The Last of Us and Fallout."The transformation of the role of games in people's lives as a form of entertainment has been beyond anything we could have imagined 40 years ago," he said."I think the reason is if you love the world and you enjoyed playing it in-game, then you want to spend time watching and living it in other media as well." Rich Newbold is a game director at one of the country's biggest gaming companies, Frontier Developments in began working in the industry in the early 2000s."We've been around for 30 years, growing from a team of people working on a farm in Ely to where we are now," he said."When I joined the company there were only 70 of us. Now, there are about 600."Frontier makes several different types of games including Planet Coaster 2 and Planet Zoo, where players can run their own F1 team, explore space, and build theme parks and his time in the gaming business, he has seen demand grow cites the Covid pandemic as a turning point."Appetites have grown. Video games can bring joy but more than that, they fulfil a need as people prioritise leisure time," he said. Figures from Ukie reflect the boom in estimates 2,400 people worked in the games industry in the East of England in there are more than 3,105, across 160 games industry in the East contributes about £212m to the economy, up from £122m in 2016. Iz Head, 23, is one of those who has entered the competitive industry in that co-founded Moss Monkey in their final year at Norwich University of the Arts, after their mother suggested gaming as a career."The gaming scene is growing massively in Norwich at the moment," they said."I absolutely love it. We're at a point where tonnes of new studios are coming through; tonnes of new games."Their current game, Outclaw, features a spirit cat called Giblet which travels around the world, causing chaos wherever it goes."It's been brilliant to work on, but a lot of hours have been put in applying for grants," they added that there had been periods where they had considered other sources of income such as part-time jobs, but then it would take twice as long to get the game out there. Their story chimes with Mark Backler, founder of Sketchbook Games, also based in Norwich."Gaming can give you a broad, diverse career and while there's a good degree of support for start-ups, more could be done," he said."France and Canada have world-class support and tax relief for the games industry. Any more that could be done would make a huge difference, especially against our main competitors in the US and Japan."His current video game, Lost Words, is based on a book written by Rhianna Pratchett, daughter of Discworld series author Terry Pratchett, and is about a character who uses the fantasy world to deal with Backler believes the growth of the industry could explode as games become more sophisticated."There are lots of different roles that you can do within games," he said."It's not just programming. There's composing the music and making the sound effects."There's writing the story, there's production, there's marketing and as games evolve, you never know, economists might play a part, or even architects." Follow East of England news on X, Instagram and Facebook: BBC Beds, Herts & Bucks, BBC Cambridgeshire, BBC Essex, BBC Norfolk, BBC Northamptonshire or BBC Suffolk.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Xsolla and Ukie Announce Partnership at GDC 2025 to Empower Game Developers in the United Kingdom and Throughout EMEA
Xsolla and Ukie Join Forces at the Game Developers Conference 2025 to Support Game Developers and Drive Industry Innovation in the UK LONDON, March 19, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Xsolla, a global leader in video game commerce, is proud to partner with UK Interactive Entertainment (Ukie), the United Kingdom's industry trade body. This strategic collaboration names Xsolla as Ukie's official monetization partner and exclusive programming sponsor, reinforcing their commitment to providing game developers with the tools, services, and solutions needed to succeed in today's rapidly evolving gaming market. The primary objective of this partnership is to create a new collaboration that delivers an exclusive programme, showcasing Xsolla's unique strengths and capabilities for monetization and commercialization in games. By focusing on commercial excellence, the partnership aims to transform the long-term success of the UK video games industry, fostering sustainable growth and innovation. Additionally, the collaboration seeks to build confidence among government bodies, investors, and key stakeholders, demonstrating the UK's potential as a global leader in the video games sector. To achieve these objectives, Xsolla and Ukie will implement a series of targeted activations across the UK designed to support and empower game developers directly. One key initiative will be a programme of UK-wide activations, including bespoke workshops delivered through Ukie's new Supercharged Sessions. As part of this effort, Ukie will manage and deliver two tailored workshops for Xsolla at two different game hubs across the UK, equipping developers with the knowledge and tools to maximize commercial success. In addition to the UK-based initiatives, the partnership will include a strategic activation at Gamescom, one of the world's largest gaming events. This presence will showcase Xsolla's cutting-edge solutions, strengthen international connections, and reinforce the UK's position as a global leader in game development. Throughout the year, Xsolla and Ukie will explore further opportunities to support the UK games industry through additional activations and community engagements. "We are thrilled to partner with Ukie, a leading voice in the UK games industry," said Chris Meredith, Senior Vice President of Business Development - EMEA at Xsolla. "This collaboration allows us to help UK-based developers unlock new revenue opportunities and streamline the monetization process. At Xsolla, we're committed to providing a seamless, scalable experience for developers, and working with Ukie enables us to extend our support to a vibrant community of gaming professionals." Nick Poole, CEO at Ukie, added: "This partnership with Xsolla is an exciting development for our members. As the video game landscape continues to evolve, developers must have access to the best tools to support their financial growth. With Xsolla's expertise in monetization and global payment solutions, Ukie members are strongly positioned to thrive in domestic and international markets." "In 2025, we are looking to partners in the industry to collaborate and help connect with video game developers of all sizes and from all regions around the world to provide distribution, monetization, and payment solutions to help developers create a successful gaming business," Berkley Egenes, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer at Xsolla. "We remain committed to providing access and bringing opportunities together for the video game industry. We look forward to connecting and building a long-lasting relationship with Ukie and its member companies and individuals in the UK and beyond." Through this collaboration and partnership, Ukie and Xsolla will create custom programming, events, and opportunities for game developers to share the challenges and opportunities facing them in the growing video game industry. A full schedule of activities will be shared through Ukie and Xsolla in 2025 and beyond, as their mission is to bring opportunities together for the gaming industry and to help stimulate the growth of gaming businesses in the UK and Europe. About Xsolla Xsolla is a leading global video game commerce company with a robust and powerful set of tools and services designed specifically for the industry. Since its founding in 2005, Xsolla has helped thousands of game developers and publishers of all sizes fund, market, launch, and monetize their games globally and across multiple platforms. As an innovative leader in game commerce, Xsolla's mission is to solve the inherent complexities of global distribution, marketing, and monetization to help our partners reach more geographies, generate more revenue, and create relationships with gamers worldwide. Headquartered and incorporated in Los Angeles, California, with offices in London, Berlin, Seoul, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, Raleigh, Tokyo, Montreal, and cities around the world. For more information, visit About Ukie Ukie (UK Interactive Entertainment) is the trade body for the UK's games and interactive entertainment industry, representing developers, publishers, service companies, and esports organisations across the sector. Representing over 700 games businesses, Ukie's mission is to supercharge the growth and success of the UK games industry by championing its contribution to culture, society, and the economy on a global stage. Ukie empowers talent by supporting skills development, education, and career pathways to unlock potential. It energises the industry by driving growth, innovation, and sustainability across the sector. And it elevates games by promoting their cultural and economic value both domestically and internationally. Through initiatives such as Raise The Game, Digital Schoolhouse, and Ask About Games, Ukie ensures that everyone, everywhere, benefits from the social, cultural, and educational power of video games and interactive entertainment. For more information, visit View source version on Contacts Media Contact Derrick StembridgeVice President of Global Public Relations, Sign in to access your portfolio
