Sweden Game Conference: Retrospective

This is my second year attending the Sweden Game Conference. While the conference is mostly focused on game studios,  the fun part is catching up with studios I met last year at the same conference, and meeting up with other marketing and public relations staff that I normally talk to online.  Held annually in Skövde, the hometown of Hology Interactive’s founder Adam Ringhede, this conference brings together the Swedish games industry, including students, developers, investors, startups, and academics.

This year we attended the Sweden Game Conference wearing our Hology T-shirts and our Uppsala Innovation Center hat, as we were chosen to be part of the UIC BUILD program. We talked to developers and studios to understand the problems they are facing and how we can formulate plans to help others. Also, Skövde is one of the most beautiful cities and just walking around the parks made us feel so refreshed and happy. I wish I had time to get a gelato and sit in the park though.  

Here are some observations I had from the Sweden Game Conference, some of them are opportunities, some are symptoms of the larger industry trends, and how it all affects studios and game developers. 

Diversity of Backgrounds

This year we saw more international students exhibiting and pitching their games at the conference. More students have previous working experience in other industries such as IT and software engineering. This is a good sign as diversity of backgrounds and knowledge can further benefit the industry and maybe even foster cross-industry collaborations. 

Game Variety

The conference showcased a more diverse array of games than ever before. Among the exhibits were fun, Rocket League-inspired driving games versus monsters, a variety of scary games, and cozy party games that appealed to different audiences.

Game Quality

The visual quality of the games has significantly improved, reflecting advancements in technology and creativity. Additionally, the game design ideas presented are more concrete and refined, showcasing the talent and innovation within the industry.

Industry Challenges

Despite the increasing quality and competitiveness of games, studios are encountering challenges with fewer publishers and investors willing to sign on. As a result, many developers are faced with tough decisions about whether to self-publish or optimize their games for other platforms, such as mobile or web, instead of focusing solely on PC or console to generate their own revenue.

If you or your company had packed schedules or could not attend the Sweden Game Conference, but want to talk to us about how to optimize your games for web and mobile or collaborations on optimizing game tech for your studio/company, please reach out to adam@hology.app 

Mentorship and Collaborations

In Skövde, larger studios are actively providing mentorship opportunities, with their staff often willing to assist junior developers from indie game studios. There is also a noticeable increase in attendees' willingness to network and share experiences, fostering a supportive community atmosphere at the conference. To me, this is where Skövde and several other cities like Uppsala in Sweden stand out where people are very supportive of each other and willing to have discussions and share knowledge. 

Since we are part of the UIC program, we will also be pitching soon, stay tuned!