A three-day gathering for the games industry has opened at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium, bringing developers, publishers, investors and platform specialists together from Wednesday 14 to Friday 16 October.
Game Republic New Horizons is returning for its second year with a broader programme of talks, technical sessions, investment meetings and game showcases. The conference is aimed mainly at people working in games and the wider , with tickets listed at £299 by the organiser.
Major names and practical sessions
Ken Kutaragi, the former chairman and group chief executive of Sony Computer Entertainment who is widely known as the “Father of PlayStation”, is due to appear in conversation with games journalist Chris Dring. Rebecca Lautner, chief business officer at Swedish studio Landfall, is also on the programme, alongside Hakan Abrak, chief executive and co-owner of IO Interactive.
Other sessions range from the making of Star Wars: Galactic Racer with Fuse Games chief executive Matt Webster to a discussion of in games. There are also masterclasses on narrative design and building a Steam store page, talks on international markets, and technical deep dives for studios working on PC and console projects.
The mix matters because the hardest parts of building a game are often not confined to design and coding. Small teams also need to understand finance, publishing, marketing, intellectual property and how to present a project to potential partners. New Horizons has set aside an Investor Zone, run with Games London, where attendees can meet funders and seek specialist advice. Public bodies including the BFI, Arts Council England and Innovate UK are represented in the wider programme.
A platform for unfinished games
On Thursday 15 October, the Indie Stars showcase gives ten selected developers space to unpublished games. The finalists were chosen by a games-media panel, and visitors will vote for a favourite before a cash prize is presented on the main stage. The showcase places early-stage work in front of publishers, investors and platform holders at the same venue as the conference talks.
That direct route from a local or independent project to an industry decision-maker is one of the practical benefits of holding the event in Middlesbrough. Game Republic says last year’s inaugural conference attracted more than 250 developers, studio leaders and creative-industry professionals. More than a third came from outside the region, while the organiser recorded more than 100 meetings through its MeetToMatch system.
Why Middlesbrough is part of the story
The conference is supported by and Middlesbrough Council. The has linked the event to the region’s £160 million for digital and creative industries, while local games businesses Double Eleven and Radical Forge are among the people and organisations involved in the conference’s advisory network.
For Tees Valley developers, students and creative businesses, the value will be measured less by famous names than by what follows: useful introductions, clearer routes to finance and publishing, and opportunities for work to be seen. The organiser says the programme remains subject to change, so attendees should check the New Horizons website before travelling. Directions, accommodation information and the latest session listings are available there.