Beyond the big games publishers, small-scale team and even solo games-developers are popping up across the South West with quirky, creative and daring ideas for the next generation of PC, console and mobile games.
Yet, much like someone trying to publish a first novel without publisher backing or funding, taking an indie game from concept to market can be daunting and full of challenges.
“We want to help indie devs to boost their experience, their games and their industry knowledge”
Bristol-based indie games incubator, Games Boosters, is here to change all of that. Following the success of its sister company, Made in Spain Games – Spain’s biggest community of indie games developers – Games Boosters has landed in Bristol’s tech incubator the Engine Shed, to share its expertise with the South West indie-game scene through 6-month incubator programmes.
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We caught up with Games Boosters Co-founder and CEO, Fernando Ortega (pictured above) to find out more about this exciting new programme, why Games Boosters chose to make Bristol the newest hub for indie games and how you can get involved!
Indie incubator
Fernando tells us: “Game Boosters was born because we’ve been working with indie developers for more than five years and we know they need help in funding their studios, marketing and PR, business creation and publishing.”
“Our goal is to help indie game studios to develop video-games without any worries, that’s why we support them with our publishing services and our own game-dev incubator. We want to help indie devs to boost their experience, their games and their industry knowledge.”
“We’re looking for the best talent in game art, design, programming and sound engineering”
With 6-month programmes of focused workshops and expertise on offer, covering everything from funding, marketing and development production to business plans, social media and investors – this incubator could help South West indie game ideas become successful realities.
Fernando tells us: “We’re looking for games with a playable demo. We don’t mind if the game will be released for PC, console or mobile, we work with every platform.”
“We’re working with the best game recruiters in UK in order to promote our incubated games to triple-A studios. We’re always looking for the best talent in game art, design, programming and sound engineering.”
And there’s plenty of proof in the pudding already, as Fernando explains: “We’ve been at Gamescom with a booth with more than ten indie games. We’ve published two games for PC in Steam with over 220k units sold in less than a year. We’ve also published three games for iOS and Android.”
South West inspiration
Games Boosters started up just a year before joining the Engine Shed, but always with an international focus in mind.
“We’ve moved to Bristol because this city has one of the best tech incubators in the world”
Fernando explains: “We’ve moved to Bristol because this city has one of the best tech incubators in the world and the UK is one of the best places to develop games, both historically and by quality of its professionals.”
“Working in the Engine Shed has been a really comfortable experience, everyone within it is really helpful and friendly and it’s being a key resource to our early growth.”
Fernando also tells us about some of the South West business he’s been inspired by so far, explaining: “We’re really impressed by the work of the Yogscast network and Opposable Games.”
Things are moving quickly for Games Boosters, so indie gamers with an idea are encouraged to apply for an opportunity to be boosted with Games Boosters incubator programme. Fernando tells us: “We are closing partnerships with several game-related businesses and we’re now looking for indie game developers to join our pioneering incubation programme.”
Thanks to Fernando for taking the time to chat to us about Games Boosters.
