THE SUCCESS of the inaugural ‘Interactive Futures Games Festival’ in Leamington has been praised by council bosses.
Over 1700 games enthusiasts, students and industry professionals flocked to Silicon Spa – the nickname for the town which is the third largest gaming hub in the UK – for the three-day event.
Some of the industry’s biggest players came together at the Spa Centre for a conference, workshops, talks and exhibition, to showcase the latest developments and career opportunities in one of the world’s fastest growing sectors.
Among the big names taking part were local studios Sega Hardlight, Playground Games, Codemasters, Ubisoft and the Gadget Show’s Jordan Erica Webber.
The event was organised by Warwick District Council and Warwickshire County Council.
Warwick District Council leader Andrew Mobbs said: “I’m extremely proud that we have brought this completely unique event to Leamington and that following the success of last week, Interactive Futures is here to stay. We are very much looking forward to welcoming and inspiring even more creative talent in 2020.”
Alongside the festival was a conference hosted at Leamington College which attracted a wealth of academics from universities as far afield as Istanbul.
Warwickshire College Group president Chris White added: “The games industry plays an increasingly important role in Leamington, and this event showcased not only the potential it has for the local economy, but also how business and the college can collaborate to provide a gateway for students into the industry.”
The festival proved so popular the dates and headline speakers for next year’s event have already been announced.
