MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
The Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg is continuously expanding its lead as Germany’s top digital games industry location. Today, close to 150 companies with approximately 3,000 full-time employees are active in the ‘games value chain’. Hamburg became aware of the computer gaming trend early on and in 2003 started gamecity:Hamburg, a public-private partnership for sector-targeted support. Since the inception of our network the local games industry has grown by 15 per cent on average each year. More than 500 advertised job vacancies impressively illustrate the industry’s potential in Germany’s second-largest city.
Yet further growth critically depends on two factors: international trade relations, and creative talent with innovative business ideas and game concepts. Hamburg has maintained close business ties with Great Britain for more than 400 years – a natural thing for the city considered to be the ‘most British’ in Germany. Thus, it is a logical step for us to collaborate with Develop 100, the most comprehensive gaming industry guide in the UK and the world.
Heavyweights from Hamburg like Bigpoint, Innogames and Gamigo have built operations spanning the globe. And there are more startups waiting in the wings. What unites them all is their need for new business partners and creative minds. 500 open positions in Hamburg present both an opportunity and a risk: It is the opportunity for game designers and programmers from Britain, Europe and overseas to have a flourishing career in Hamburg. And there is the risk of growth being stunted if our rising stars are not successful in recruiting international talent.
gamecity:Hamburg provides the most wide-ranging assistance possible to support the local industry’s internationalisation and recruitment efforts. That is why expanding our network is crucial. With 1,800 stakeholders from 1,000 different companies all over Europe, we are Germany’s No.1 games industry network. We address computer, console and mobile game developers and producers, as well as related industries such as advertising, technical service providers, online agencies, and music and film production enterprises. Our network helps companies to establish cooperation agreements and break into new markets on their own. In addition, we support the local industry by providing a broad range of services including start-up consulting, industry meetings, joint trade show appearances, affordable office space and training programmes such as our Games master’s degree programme offered in cooperation with the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences.
As the prime partner for the games industry in Hamburg, we would like to establish a direct dialogue with you. Please contact us if you are seeking new business partners or are considering a career move to Hamburg. With a population of more than 1.8 million, Hamburg is an international seaport that has much more to offer than just a booming games sector. When the workday is over this city will thrill you with its richly varied arts and music scene, culinary delights and dazzling nightlife.
We look forward to being in touch with you soon.
Stefan Klein (Hamburg@work)
Achim Quinke (Quinke Networks)
Managing Directors of gamecity:Hamburg
Find out more about gamecity:Hamburg at www.gamecity-hamburg.com.
Additional information about the industry
initiative Hamburg@work is provided at
www.hamburg-media.net.
The Develop 100, produced in association with Metacritic and sponsored by gamecity:Hamburg is published today, June 3rd, with Develop magazine’s June edition and MCV’s June 3rd edition.
Click here for a microsite with a list of the 100 and embedded digital edition of the book
Click here for a directory of all the content develop-online.net is posting from the book, including analysis commentary and much more
