Bristol Games HubYear One Report

@BristolGamesHubTalk by @TomasRawlings

Here is Bristol Games Hub...

Where we started...

What we started with...

10 people.One room being renovated.50 people(ish) in Facebook Group.

+ a simple idea: group together people with the same aims – make great games as part of a community.

Where we are now...

Physical space – Whole top floor of 77 Stokes Croft. 35+ Developers based in hub. Growing Digital Space – Facebook group (473

members) & newsletter (445 subscribers) Organised Groups – Unity, Marketing, Board Games. Events – Capacity Gamejams & specialist meetings

e.g. UKIE tax breaks.

What we feel works for Hubs & Devs...

Flexible contracts. Community also. Interrupt-ability (Thanks PM Studio!) See it as wider than just residents. First point of call – connect to community! Good Comms: Newsletter, Twitter, Facebook etc. Also community (did I mention that?)

Community.

How are we connected?...

To Industry – via events like UKIE, Kuju game fund. Google – 'Bristol games' gets us. Dev Community – via Global Game Jam and more. Point of contact – e.g Creative England Education – this! (Plus other links to UWE and wider) City – via projects, other groupings such as Sparkies,

Funk Spaces etc.

How is it working out?...

Growth in connections. Nominated for an award! Sparkies 2014 ( We didn't win though – sad face.)

Interactions between Residents.

Self-organised groups: Unity Developers Group, Board Games Group, Marketing Group, HER Game Collective.

Go Turbo Island Games!...

Where next?...

Ideally? Studio manager as all done as volunteers. Better industry links – push for bigger entities to

visit. Offer them visit lots of companies in one go, we get good access.

Links to education – experimented with this, but more work needed. Needs to be two-way.

Schools & Colleges – as above... Games Conference/Event with wider appeal?

Redefine our vision (We are not an incubator, but not an arts centre...)

Thanks!

@BristolGamesHubTalk by @TomasRawlings