LJMU backing new computer games industry forum

Liverpool’s famous computer game industry is to get extra support from experts at Liverpool John Moores University.

The city’s first Game Development Network event gets ‘powered up’ this Friday at the university’s School of Computing and Mathematics.

It unites academics, entrepreneurs and developers looking to share ideas and ‘mutual-wins’ to grow the industry on Merseyside.

The Liverpool City Region has a prosperous video games heritage spawning world-renowned studios such as Psygnosis and blockbuster titles such as Lemmings and Wipeout.

A mix of major Triple-A developers, smaller studios and indies have called the city home and Liverpool is currently the heart of Sony’s European interactive entertainment business.

Another major studio, Lucid Games, employs around 150 people in its Baltic Triangle base and there are a variety of other interactive companies including Milky Tea, Ripstone, Wushu, Draw & Code, Cosmonaut and Avalanche.

Dr Syed Naqvi, programme leader in computer games development at LJMU, said: “Our industry is doing well and LJMU is proud to have educated many of the creative professionals who have driven the sector to success over the years.

“The sector is characterised by rapid change and this creates a challenge to firms both in terms of keeping their processes and their people up to speed.

“This initiative will provide cross-fertilisation of ideas and professional networking opportunities to a range of stakeholders in academia and industry in the Liverpool City Region.”

Students and staff are invited to the first meeting this Friday, January 13 at the LJMU Student Life building and the events will be a regular feature in the industry calendar.

- Liverpool's computer games heritage, including the story of LJMU graduates Psygnosis, is captured in a gallery at Liverpool Museums as part of the Wondrous Place exhibition.