Click here for your e-zine detailing the North East of England as a hub for game development.

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You may already know about game studio clusters in the Guildford, Brighton and Leamington areas of the UK (home to the likes of Lionhead, Relentless and Codemasters respectively), but some are still surprised that the north east of England is a major force in the game development scene.

Over the last two and a half years, business has grown by 35 per cent, with the region now making up ten per cent of the UK videogame industry. An eclectic mix of small independent studios and global big boys share the multiplying business parks of Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesbrough, reaping the rewards of several supportive and well-researched regional development initiatives.

There is also a strong (perhaps even unique) interplay between academia and the development community. Middlesbrough’s Teesside University was an early instigator of game-specific education, adding computer game programming to its curriculum way back in 1998. Now, the area’s three largest higher-education establishments feed dozens of graduates into the game industry every year, relying on local developers for feedback on course content and to ensure relevance for an ever-evolving industry.

What really characterises the area, though, is the sense of community and cooperation that exists between its many studios. Staff move between companies; some companies share resources; everyone is passionate about the north east and its possibilities. But if this passion and confidence is yet to really show up in the modern videogame content coming out of the region, there are enough interesting projects on the go to ensure that development reputation is about to catch up with regional pride. Which is why we chose to meet the key players and work out just what makes such a distinctive community tick.

Click here for your e-zine detailing the North East of England as a hub for game development.