Game developers helped by start-up advisers.
A virtual reality gaming company from the Midlands is heading to the USA to attend its first Games Development Conference in San Francisco next month.
Viewpoint Games, which is based in Leamington Spa, specialises in developing games for Virtual Reality headsets and released its first game, VR Karts, at the end of 2015.
Thanks to help and support from UK Trade and Investment West Midlands, Viewpoint Games is attending GDC, this is the world’s largest gaming industry conference that attracts more than 26,000 delegates from across the world, in March 2016.
Formed in 2014 by Neil Campbell and Neil Wigfield, Viewpoint Games spent two years developing its virtual reality game, which is now available on Samsung Gear VR, Google Cardboard and will be available for the consumer launch of the Oculus Rift at the end of March.
The pair, who each have more than 16 years’ experience in the computer games industry, hope that by attending the five-day conference they can introduce VR Karts to more industry experts and to make contacts that will enable the company to develop further titles.
Neil Campbell said: “We’re very excited to be going to our first GDC because it will help us to connect with more people in the industry and establish relationships with platform holders, publishers and investors. Support from organisations such as UKTI is invaluable.
“We believe our first game, VR Karts, is a standout title for Virtual Reality and we aim to build on its success to establish Viewpoint Games as a producer of high quality content for the foreseeable future.”
Viewpoint Games received a small grant from Creative England and a start-up loan from Coventry and Warwickshire Reinvestment Trust to help it with the development of the game, while UKTI has supported the company through its Passport to Export programme, which helps new and inexperienced exporters to grow their businesses overseas.
The Leamington company is just one of 50 companies attending GDC as part of a UKTI delegation organised by the international trade team based in Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, delivering on behalf Northern Powerhouse.
Parminder Hayer, UKTI International Trade Adviser at Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber, said: “It’s great that Viewpoint Games is attending the conference in San Francisco because it is the ideal opportunity to meet potential new clients and partners. VR Karts is already doing well on the platforms that it is available on, so if the company can build on that and get even more gamers trying it out, then the possibilities are endless.”
The Games Development Conference takes place in San Francisco between March 14th and 18th.
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