Game Tech Academy x Sweden Game Conference
Game Tech Academy (GTA) was strongly represented at this year’s Sweden Game Conference (SGC) in Skövde.
In close collaboration with the team from Sweden Game Arena/Science Park Skövde, we proudly co-hosted four activities during the conference:
- Panel: Validating games – and with games
- Panel: Funding for games in 2025
- Fireside Chat with Dino Patti
- Game Educators Summit
Less emotion, more feedback: An honest talk on how (not) to validate games
Our very own Uffe W. Koch, business coach at AAU Innovation was joined on stage by three industry professionals – Wim Coveliers, Exec. Producer at Tencent Games; Daniel Ström, Senior Producer at Thunderful; and Jörgen Tharaldsen, CEO at Megapop Games – for an honest panel discussion on how (not) to go about the early and thorough validation of one’s game.
The general sentiment all panelists seemed to agree with was, that game developers/studies need to take validation (more) seriously instead of relying on s few test players and their friend group’s feedback.
Based on his own experience in the industry and from the perspective of a producer, Wim emphasized the importance of taking the emotion out feedback, on the giving and the receiving end.
Building on this, both Jörgen and Daniel shared that their journey so far has taught them how important it is to be honest with yourself – honest with what you’re good (and bad) at.
While Daniel added that he encourages all studios to invest time and money into validation, Jörgen encouraged the audience to embrace failure or in his words: “As you are ready to make the game, get ready to kill the game.”
Finding your way in a new changed and changing landscape
Having travelled all the way from Oslo to Skövde, Jörgen Tharaldsen joined the conference’s expert panel on funding, too.
Alongside Farida Gazizova, Executive Producer at Paradox Interactive & Robert Bäckström, Founder of Aurora Punks, Jörgen shared his insights into where and how to find funding for your game. The panel shared how they have seen the landscape for game funding change over the years and advised the audience to not shy away from alternative sources of funding, like e.g., public-private project collaborations.
Having worked on several projects together with public partners and being experienced in creating games that serve e.g., an educational purpose beyond entertainment, Jörgens insights and contribution to the panel are highly relevant for those looking to secure funding through less traditional channels.
“Success is like going to a spa”
– Fireside chat with Dino Patti, Founder and CEO of Coherence
Being asked how it felt to sell his game company for a sizable sum of money, Dino Patti, who has made the transition from game development to game tech/tool development replied: “Success is like a spa.
It feels nice for a while but what shapes you are the challenges and failures”.
Driven by this desire to grow through overcoming challenges, Dino shared how he and his team developed Coherence’s multiplayer tool, enabling more small and medium-sized studios to create multiplayer games.
Why multiplayer? Because multiplayer games are a great way to connect with others online in a way more interactive way than for example video calls, says Dino.
Dino furthermore shared that he finds it easiest to connect with the games community, as he’s part of it already. Coherence has seen interest from other industries, that are interested in utilizing their technology outside of the realm of entertainment. Making meaningful connections, that translate into fruitful collaboration, however, remains a more complex process than what they know from working with and selling to the games industry.
Reviewing the IGDA Educational Framework
- from a Nordic perspective
Like in the years before, one mayor side event of SGC was again the Game Educator Summit, organized and hosted by GTA-member Per Backlund, chairman of the Council of Swedish Games Researchers (Svenska Spelforskarrådet).
By invitation of GTA, special guest Heather Cole, Co-leader of the IGDA Game Education SIG presented the first revision of the IGDA Educational Framework and led the following workshop.
The summit was attended by game educators from Sweden, Denmark and Finland, including GTA-PhD fellow Andreas Jonasson, GTA-researcher & lecturer Henrik Engström and Dania Academy’s head of IT and games programmes.
The participants discussed the presented framework in a lively, honest and productive atmosphere and suggest changes and adjustments – some minor, some of larger extent.
One major take away was the need to adjust the framework to make it truly internationally applicable and relevant. On a another note, the role and responsibility of academic teaching vice versa the industry and its needs and wants.
Huge thanks to Heather for travelling to little old Skövde!
You can read more about the IGDA Game Education Special Interest Group, the Game Educational Framework and find contact details on their website.
Contact
With questions about Game Tech Academy, please contact Luisa Geitmann-Mügge at luisa.geitmann-mugge@aalborg.dk.
