FlegaNeder-Over-Heembeek
20 juni 2013
Current state of Serious Games in
Flanders
FLEGA presents
by Nico Verplancke (iMinds/FLEGA co-chair)
But first, what is FLEGA?
Official Flemish Games Association
Founded on June 29th 2012 by 6 Flemish game developers and HOWEST with support from iMinds
www.flega.be
What does FLEGA do?FLEGA supports the Flemish games industry as
a whole by creating a beneficial political, economic and cultural climate for videogames
FLEGA groups all Flemish organizations and individuals active in or connected to the Flemish games industryDevelopers, service providers, educational
institutions, researchers, resellers, freelancers, local publishers…
What does FLEGA do?FLEGA defends and proactively promotes the
interests of it’s members
FLEGA advises it’s members and encourages them to share info and knowhow
FLEGA represents it’s members in communication with government, non-gaming businesses, international organizations…
FLEGA Members47 member
organizations23 member users
• For all companies and freelancers boasting official company number (“BTW nr”)
• Right to vote at statutory assembly
• Additional services such as• Free access to FLEGA
events• Free consultancy eg. for
subsidy filings• …
• For all students, enthousiasts… without official company number
• No right to vote
• Services: • Newsletter• Event invites• ...
Today’s topics1. The Flemish gamer
2. The Flemish games industry
3. Serious Games in Flanders
The Flemish gamer
Source: Digimeter 5 Aug-Sep 2012 (vs 2011)
Source: Digimeter 5 Aug-Sep 2012 (vs 2011)
Source: Digimeter 5 Aug-Sep 2012 (vs 2011)
Source: Digimeter 5 Aug-Sep 2012 (vs 2011)
The Flemish games industry
Source: Antwerp Business School & FDC study creative industry
IssuesSmall no. of companies
Eg. 330 companies in The Netherlands Human capital fleeing abroad
Flemish devs unknown to other industries
Not enough collaboration
Limited knowledge about government initiatives
No tax shelter
High salary costs > freelancers
Small Flemish market > international focus
And now... The good news
Incubators!
SupportVAF- Gamefonds
Games 2012-2013 goedgekeurd afgewezen
onontvankelijk
totaal
I. Leerplicht-onderwijs
6 5 1 12
II. Andere Serious Games
8 14 1 23
III. Entertainment Games
9 20 0 29
TOTAAL I+II+III 23 39 2 64
‘New’ Support Organisations
Serious games in Flanders
Serious games in Flanders
Not much research available for our regionMost research focusses on educational games iMinds - MICT (UGent) is conducting new research
on the effectiveness of educational games, first results expected end of 2013 (G@S project – together with Larian, Die Keure and Grin)
Toyota Forklift Simulator
Toyota Forklift Simulator
Developed by GriN, based in Antwerp
Initially for a buyer’s fair in Germany
Big success
Toyota ordered additional units for training purposes
Version 2.0: instructor can design environments and lessons himself using an editor
Next? Stereo 3D, force feedback…
FundelsDeveloped by PlayLane, based in Ghent
First for pc, as of 2011 also on iOS mobile and tablet
Picture books Interactive children’s books (kids aged 3 to 7)Available in more than 130 libraries
AVI-leesboekenDigital reading tools (kids aged 6 to 10)Used in Flemish classrooms
CM Ben de Bever
CM Ben de BeverDeveloped by Bazookas, based in Brugge
For kids aged 10 to 12
Research by UGent in 2011 learns thatKids not only like Ben, they believe what he preachesAlmost all kids (97,5%) like playing the games95% of kids want to play again62% of kids recognize the goal of the game: “Learn
how to best brush your teeth”Games are a great tools in class, especially when
combined with the more traditional approach
The FutureImpressive pipeline (in part due to Game Fund)
of games in development
Support network present...
New gaming companies...
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