First funding for Welsh game firm

By Tom Singleton
BBC News website

Jester won backing from the same fund that helped the new Dylan Thomas film

One of the only companies in Wales which develops and publishes its own computer games has spoken of the home-grown sector facing a skills shortage.

Jester Interactive, which is based at St Asaph, Denbighshire, has just released its latest title, based on superbike racing.

They were the first gaming firm to get Welsh assembly government funding.

Director Clark Evans said: "It's difficult to compete with hotbeds like Liverpool and Manchester."

"The assembly government investment in Jester is fantastic news for us."

"But it requires a tremendous amount of investment to develop a game.

"There aren't a huge amount of people with the right skills in Wales."

I've spoken to companies who've said they'd give people jobs tomorrow if they had the right skills Richard Hebblewhite, North East Wales Institute

Funding

Jester Interactive is supported by Finance Wales, a subsidiary of the Welsh Assembly Government, which provides commercial funding to small and medium-sized businesses.

It dipped into its Creative IP fund to back the game.

It is the same fund that pumped cash into the new Dylan Thomas big-screen film, Edge of Love.

Fund manager, Bethan Cousins explained: "It's the only new media project we support at the moment, but that's because the TV and film industry in Wales is much better developed."

"The fund will invest in new projects as the computer game market in Wales emerges."

The computer games industry is growing in Wales and around the world.

Opportunities

The North East Wales Institute (Newi), has become the latest to university to offer a course related to gaming.

It is starting a computer game development course in September.

The programme director, Richard Hebblewhite, added: "There are all sorts of avenues and opportunities here.

"There are around 140 digital media enterprises in Wales. The divisions between television, film and computer games are breaking down."

"This course is about allowing people to be able to work on all those different platforms."

"I've spoken to companies who've said they'd give people jobs tomorrow if they had the right skills."