Business Phone
051 8439995, 042 35911332
Wellington, New Zealand-March 10, 2016-With a booming gaming and tech industry, the New Zealand Game Developers Association, together with Immigration New Zealand, is launching an all-out campaign at the upcoming Game Developers Conference in San Francisco to inspire the best and brightest gaming minds to grow their careers in New Zealand. More than a dozen New Zealand studios will hosting a recruiting event; an exclusive Kiwi Cocktail Club meet up at 111 Mina on Monday March 14 to connect with game developers interested in exploring career opportunities.
New Zealand’s game development sector is flourishing with sales growing 143% per year over the past two years. Revenue from outside the country topped NZ$72 million in 2013-2014, up from just $16 million in 2011-2012 – it’s expected to top NZ$100 million this year. Foreign revenue accounts for 90% of game developers’ income, with the US, Australia and Europe making up the largest markets. The demand for skilled workers is far outpacing supply, and companies are eagerly looking to American and international talent to fill some of the vacancies.
“We’re creating our own original ideas and IP, not simply taking on outsourced projects from the US and Europe,” says Stephen Knightly, chair of the NZ Game Developers Association. “Our companies tend to have a flatter structure, so workers have the opportunity to directly influence their projects rather than being a cog in a big machine. Additionally, we have a very strong sense of community among our developers, with regular local meetups and two conferences annually.”
“With a great team, game development can be done from anywhere in the world, and New Zealand is one of the most beautiful and forward-thinking places you could find,” said Steven Knightly,chair of the NZ Game Developers Association
Recent developments in the New Zealand industry include DayZ creator Dean Hall opening his new AAA studio Rocketwerkz, and Mini Metro from Dinosaur Polo Club being nominated for four 2016 IGF awards including the Grand Prize.
“There has definitely been an uptick in interest in emigration from the US lately, and New Zealand is certainly a spectacular place to live and work, with plenty of room to breathe and a wide variety of lifestyle options. And New Zealand’s flourishing gaming industry means that there are fantastic career opportunities too,” says Greg Forsythe, national marketing manager for Immigration New Zealand. “We know that moving halfway around the world can be a daunting prospect, but we’re supporting the NZ game industry by making the process as straightforward as possible.”
“The New Zealand government views immigration as an economic enabler, and actively works with sectors of the economy experiencing skills shortages to fill those gaps, and thus grow businesses and the overall economy.”
About New Zealand Game Developers Association
The New Zealand Game Developers Association was formed in 2001 to champion, support and grow video game development in New Zealand. It is a not-for-profit incorporated society. Our members include commercial game development studios, individual developers and artists employed in the industry, self-employed freelancers, indie game developers, teams applying gaming expertise to health and education, gamification designers, retro gaming enthusiasts, students, educators and researchers.
About Immigration New Zealand
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has the role of bringing in the best people New Zealand needs in order to prosper. To do this INZ works to support New Zealand businesses to attract the best people and support new migrants to settle into work; while protecting the integrity and security of the NZ immigration system.
For more information about New Zealand Immigration programs, please visit the company’s site at http://www.immigrationexperts.pk
Contact :
Immigration Experts
Tel: +92 308 5857777
E-mail: wecare@immigrationexperts.pk
