The 2020 Board elections for Imirt are coming up and there will be three seats available for nominees to fill (The seats of current board members Robin David O'Keeffe, Peter Lynch, and Keith O'Conor). Being on the board of Imirt means you get to add your voice, steer the agenda, and work alongside other members of our industry to implement the goals of the organisation. As a volunteer-run organisation we look forward to welcoming new faces to the board every year and would like to encourage anyone in the Irish games community to consider running. There is no requirement in terms of years of experience or job role - the most important qualification is that you are passionate about the work of Irish game creators and the potential of Irish games industry. We welcome any and all kinds of nominees and we also welcome everyone who has previously run for the elections to put themselves forward again. To become a nominee you simply need to e-mail contact@imirt.ie expressing your interest in contributing to Imirt by next Friday November 20th. We will then ask for your bio, goals, and optional photo to put on the Imirt website before the election. If you have questions about what is involved in being a board member, feel free to reach out to any of the current board members.
New Government Support for the Irish Games Industry
Minister for Finance, Paschal O'Donohoe, as part of Budget 2021 has announced that the Irish games industry will be presented with a tax break that is aimed to be introduced in 2022. The scheme will be based on the current British tax break which allows companies to claim 20% of the costs of development. This course of action is a reaction to lobbying from Imirt in conjunction with other digital media bodies as well as the positive impact of covid-19 on the games sector in Ireland.
Ireland has some world class game development talent, which will be enabled to grow as a result of this direct support. We have been campaigning for section 481 (or similar initiative) to be extended to game dev for years and are excited to continue working with our gov to provide expert advice and inside data on the market.
Research: How to cost effectively support the growth of the Irish Games Industry
Barry Reid, from Gorilla Post Production, has carried out an excellent piece of research highlighting the potential of the Irish Games Industry, if it receives similar supports to other industry sectors benefiting from tax relief schemes such as Section 481.
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SUMMARY EXTRACT
Since the introduction of the Section 481 tax relief scheme in 1997, direct employment in the Irish Film and TV sector grew from 1,000 to 12,000 between 1997 and 2019. The industry now employs more than Google and Facebook combined. It is estimated that for every euro spent on Section 481 outlays, approximately €3.50 is generated as a net benefit to the economy.
While the TV and Film sectors have enjoyed a period of rapid growth since 2008, the gaming industry in Ireland has been lagging behind by comparison. A report by financial group, Olsberg SPI, in 2017 showed that live action films and television programmes earned €123.3 million in exports to foreign producers. In comparison, export earnings by games companies was just €3.3 million.
A major contributing factor to the relatively slow growth in the sector would point to the lack of Section 481 tax relief, which is vital to the Film and TV industry. Similar tax subsidies are available in other EU countries who support their gaming sectors and have hence experienced significant growth. In addition, many European countries have dedicated games funding to support their indigenous gaming companies, which Ireland does not.
“For the games industry, all project finance is presently private. Given the small scale of the industry such finance is difficult to come by, and is often raised by those working on a project, their friends, and their family.” (Olsberg SPI)
On a global scale, the gaming industry which is valued at $120bn, is now larger than the Film, TV and music industries combined ($65bn). Regrettably, however, it appears that Ireland is set to miss out on the global spoils from the gaming industry. Without adequate support from the government, and a general lack of public investment, the Irish gaming industry is unlikely to grow to the level of the TV and Film industry or compete with its EU neighbours. This represents a large oversight in recent years by successive Irish governments, especially since gaming is a high value export product and the boost to existing jobs in education, software engineering, animation, visual effects, recording, post production, financial and legal services, and hospitality would be substantial.
“While the Irish games sector is presently tiny, given the speed of overall growth in the global games market, there is major growth potential if the right circumstances are available in Ireland.” (Olsberg SPI)
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The full article (The End Game) is available to read here:http://reideconomics.ie/articles.php
Thanks to Barry for sharing this research with us.
Imirt Newsletter Archive
Hopefully, you find our monthly newsletter a useful resource for Irish game development industry news and resources. As the newsletters contains a wide variety of useful links and references, we have created an archive of the previous year’s campaigns. This is a handy resource if you are looking for content that you have missed. It also gives new and potential members an indication of the work that goes on behind the scenes in Imirt. Irish game developers find it a valuable resource to announce and promote upcoming game titles and content.
We are always looking for ‘news’ for our newsletter so don’t be shy, get in contact!
If you like to subscribe to the Imirt newsletter, make sure you are signed up for the current year here
Imirt Irish Game Awards 2019 - Enter Now!
Imirt is happy to announce the fourth Imirt Irish Game Awards, celebrating Irish-made games that were released in 2019!
All entries for the game awards must have been released during the 2019 calendar year. Please see the "eligibility" section in the link for more details.
Please submit your game or game dev tool in as many categories as you see fit. All entries are eligible for the Game of the Year category. Typically, game makers should self-nominate their games. Nominations are open until 31st July 2020.
Important: All entries must be submitted by Imirt members whose membership covers the period of 2020. If you have not renewed your Imirt membership this year, please do so as soon as possible by visiting http://www.imirt.ie/join/ In addition to these awards, your membership helps ensure that Imirt continues to grow and is able to provide a common representative voice for the Irish game maker community.
Visit this link to submit your entries: https://forms.gle/syYKJEhMP9VNnDsJA
We wish the best of luck to all entrants and thank you for another year or amazing Irish games!
Irish Games Published in 2019
2019 was an exciting year for the Irish Game development industry! We are very proud of all those games released in the year and very excited to see a bigger list in 2020!
This list was put together for IMIRT’s 2019 AGM and the games were submitted to us via social media. If your game is not there, please contact IMIRT on Facebook with the same details as below.
ARC Savior - PC - Squid Monkey Studios
Bassline Sinker - PC - The Fitzy Games
Cardpocalypse - Apple Arcade, PC, PS4, XBOX, Nintendo Switch - Gambrinous
Castle Costume - PS4 - Loveridge Designs
Cloudtrail Islands - PC - Wing it Games
Demon Pit - PC, PS4, XBOX, Switch - Psychic Software and DoomCube
Fadó - PC - Fionn Keeley
Inis Solais - PC - Cowabunga Studios
Investor Island - Android & IOS - Tall Team and The Motley Fool
Last Defence - STEAM VR - ODIAK Games
Lego Duplo World - Android & IOS - Story Toys
Milk That Cow - PC / VR - MTC Industries
Mindframe Arena - Android & IOS - Fierce Fun
Paranoia - PC - Black Shamrock
Racing Game - PC - Green Cheese Games
Radiant Offline Battle Arena - Tabletop - Heel Turn Games
VR SuperGun - VR / Online - Kieran Nolan
World War Zed - USA - Tabletop - Dave Kershaw -
Are you a member of IMIRT? Register now and support our community.
Welcome to the New Imirt Board Members!
The results of the 2019 Imirt board elections are in and the newly-elected board members are Brendan Dillon, Ellen Cunningham, Jairo Lopes and Denman Rooke (shown L->R in the image below)!
If you want a reminder of who they are and why they want to be involved with Imirt, check out this page. They will be taking the places of outgoing board members Brenda Romero, Colm Larkin, Olivier Masclef and Elaine Reynolds, who we thank for their work supporting Imirt over the last few years.
Thank you to everyone who voted and ran in the elections. Remember too that Imirt is a volunteer-run, community group so if you want to get more involved in Imirt or you have an idea for an event or an initiative, drop an email to contact@imirt.ie and let us know!
2019 Imirt Board Elections - Call for Nominees
Are you interested in promoting and supporting the Irish games industry? Now is the time to get involved with Imirt by nominating yourself for the board! Drop an email to contact@imirt.ie to say you’re interested.
Longer Version:
The 2019 Board elections for Imirt are coming up and there will be four seats available for nominees to fill (it was three last year). Being on the board of Imirt means you steer the agenda and implement the goals of the organisation.
As a volunteer-run organisation we look forward to welcoming new faces to the board every year and would like to encourage anyone in the Irish games community to consider running. There is no requirement in terms of years of experience or job role - the most important qualification is that you are willing to commit your time and energy to Imirt. It goes without saying that we welcome a diverse range of nominees and we also welcome everyone who has previously run for the elections to put themselves forward again.
To become a nominee you simply need to e-mail contact@imirt.ie expressing an interest (i.e. you self nominate) by September 23rd. We will then ask for your bio, goals, and optional photo to put on the Imirt website in the run up to the elections and of course your membership will need to be up to date.
If you have questions about what is involved in being on the board, feel free to reach out to any of the current board members.
Imirt Irish Games Awards 2018
It's that time of year again! Imirt is happy to announce the third ever Imirt Irish Game Awards for games released in 2018!
Entries have been extended until 24th May 2019.
All entries must have been released during the 2018 calendar year. Please see the "eligibility" section in the link for more details.
Please submit your game or game dev tool in as many categories as you see fit. All entries are eligible for the Game of the Year category.
Best of luck to all entrants, and thank you for another year or amazing Irish games!
Click here to apply
Imirt & Games NI join forces to Run for the Border
As Brexit looms large on the horizon, Imirt and Games NI have arranged a playdate. The goal is to break down borders, on the border.
Run For The Border will kick off at The Spirit Store in Dundalk, Ireland on 19 January 2019, running from 7pm to 11:30pm. The video game communities of both North and South Ireland will come together for an international cross-border clash of clans. It is expected that this will be the largest ever gathering of independent game developers throughout the island of Ireland.
Tickets for the event are available at:
Imirt Eventbrite (from Dublin):
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/run-for-the-border-2019-tickets-48132818556
Dundalk was chosen because it’s a bordertown exactly halfway between Dublin and Belfast. Run for the Border is about meeting in the middle.
Run for the Border is primarily a social event but there will also be some talks and networking. The invitation boasts “a friendly event designed to meet new people, form cross-border collaborations, eat food, drink drink, listen to sage advice from local geniuses, play with each other’s toys… with a few surprises thrown in.” Tickets are selling fast so anyone interested in attending should move quickly.
“There is incredible talent on both sides of the border,” adds Elaine Reynolds, Imirt board member and CEO of Simteractive in Dublin, “Having these two game dev communities so close to each other, yet rarely actively interacting, is something that definitely needs to change.”
“Our two communities don’t get together nearly enough,” says Kevin Beimers of Northern Irish game development studio Italic Pig, and events coordinator for Games NI. “We know one another through social media and occasional visits, and tend to get together at worldwide events, but rarely do a Northern developers travel to Southern events, or vice versa. ”
To open the border to higher attendance and to have as much cross-border collaboration as possible, the event will be receiving generous support from the Creative Europe Desks of both Ireland and UK, in the form of two 50-seater coaches, bringing developers to and from Belfast and Dublin city centres on the day of the event.
“The Creative Europe Desks Ireland and UK (Northern Ireland) are delighted to support Run for the Border,” adds Orla Clancy (Ireland) and Sophie Hayles (UK/NI). “Games companies North and South have successfully accessed the Creative Europe Video Games scheme, and we’re really pleased to be working together to enable a meet up that sees the sectors coming together. Particularly with the uncertainty around Brexit, it’s a pleasure to work with the spirit of creativity, cooperation and collaboration shown by GamesNI and Imirt.”
Tickets for the event are available at:
Imirt Eventbrite (from Dublin):
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/run-for-the-border-2019-tickets-48132818556
Three Irish games companies receive support from Creative EU Media
Congratulations to the three Irish game companies who have been successful in the latest Creative Europe MEDIA Video Games funding round! There were five Irish applicants in total for this round. The three successful applicants are:
Gambrinous (Cardpocalypse)
Isometric Dreams (Sunken Spectre)
Simteractive Ltd (Designer Life)
They received a total of €398,279 in this round. Since 2013, Support for Video Games call has seen Irish games companies granted €833,279 in development support.
The next Video Games Call is now open with a deadline in early 2019. Imirt & the Irish Creative Europe desk will host a Video Games application workshop in January 2019. You can also watch videos from our previous workshops put together by the Creative Europe desk & Imirt in the following youtube playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvdEzVX6Kpej0gy1uc12DQL2UH3Xu4Rma
Imirt Awards & Talks Fri December 14th
Fri Dec 14th 5:00pm - 7:00pm
DIT Aungier Street
** Note: new date of Fri 14th Dec **
Imirt invites you to our next event featuring the presentation of the second annual Imirt Irish Game Awards as well as the opportunity to meet some incredible international guests. The event is in collaboration with the DIT School of Media and Screen Skills Ireland. We would also like to thank Black Shamrock for sponsoring the Imirt Awards.
The event is free but space is limited so please reserve a ticket here:
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/imirt-awards-talks-2018-tickets-53053342977
Jake Birkett
In 2005 Jake Birkett formed Grey Alien Games. 13 years later he has more than ten games under his belt including RPG Card Game, Shadowhand, and casual hits Regency Solitaire and Spooky Bonus for PC/Mac. Jake has experience with every stage of the development process from design and implementation to testing and localisation.
Damian Scattergood
Currently Managing Director of STAR Translation Services, Damian started life as a games developer in the 1980’s. Starting with New Concepts developing simulation games in Carlow he was part of the first wave of game developers in Ireland. Joining Emerald Software in the late 80’s he was responsible for a number of hit Z80 games including MoonWalker for Michael Jackson, Vigilante, and SuperTed the search for spot, on Spectrum and Amstrad platforms. He has written technical articles for the likes of Sinclair User, Crash and Your Sinclair magazines in the 1990’s.
Imirt 2017 Irish Game Awards presentation
Awards for the second annual Imirt Irish Game Awards will be handed out in a short presentation. Many thanks to this year’s awards sponsor, Black Shamrock.
Winners have been previously announced and can be found here.
Imirt AGM: Year’s review & future plans
Welcome the new board of Imirt as we review the last year & talk about our plans for next year.
Many thanks to everyone who has helped Imirt to make this event possible:
Imirt Board Election Results 2018
Congratulations to the three newly-elected board members of Imirt - Keith O'Conor, Peter Lynch and Robin David O'Keeffe! If you want a reminder of who they are and why they want to be involved with Imirt, check out this page.
Thanks to everyone who voted and to everyone who ran in the elections. Thanks also to the outgoing board members, Jen Carey, Stephen Kelly and Alan Duggan, for all their great work on behalf of the Irish game dev community over the past few years.
Remember too that Imirt is a volunteer-run, community group so if you want to get more involved in Imirt or you have an idea for an event or an initiative, drop an email to contact@imirt.ie and let us know!
IMIRT 2017 Game Awards Results
IMIRT: The Irish Game Makers Association are pleased to announce the award winners for the Imirt Game Awards for games released in 2017. We would like to thank everyone who entered the competition and congratulate the winners. We would also like to thank our judges for their time and expertise. Judges were composed of a national and international team. Scores were submitted blind and tabulated by Imirt’s board member Stephen Kelly.
The results for the awards are as follow.
BEST ANALOG GAME
Winner: Weird Fiction: Trouble in Shadywood High by Robin David
Runner up: Exquisite Beast by Turtle Dream Games Ltd
BEST GAME DESIGN
Winner: Eden Isle: Resort Paradise by Simteractive
Runner Up: The Darkside Detective by Spooky Doorway
BEST GAME NARRATIVE
Winner: The Darkside Detective by Spooky Doorway
Runner Up: Weird Fiction: Trouble in Shadywood High by Robin David
BEST GAME ART
Winner: Eden Isle: Resort Paradise by Simteractive
Runner Up: The Darkside Detective by Spooky Doorway
BEST GAME AUDIO
Winner: Gunman Taco Truck by Romero Games Ltd
Runner Up: Eden Isle: Resort Paradise by Simteractive
BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT
Winner: Orbs.it by Psychic Software
Runner Up: My Very Hungry Caterpillar AR by Touch Press (Ireland) Ltd.
GAME OF THE YEAR
Winner: The Darkside Detective by Spooky Doorway
Runner Up: Eden Isle: Resort Paradise by Simteractive
2018 Board elections - call for nominees
The 2018 Board elections for Imirt will happen in September. There will be three seats available for nominees to fill (it was four last year). Being on the board of Imirt means you steer the agenda and implement the goals of the organisation.
As a volunteer-run organisation we look forward to welcoming new faces to the board every year and would like to encourage anyone in the Irish games community to consider running.
To become a nominee you simply need to be a member of Imirt and e-mail contact@imirt.ie expressing an interest (i.e. you self nominate) by August 31st. We will then ask for your bio, goals, and optional photo to put on the Imirt website in the run up to the elections.
Imirt welcomes recommendations to develop Irish games sector
Speaker: Unreal Engine / Epic Games evangelist Sjoerd De Jong
Meet Unreal Engine / Epic Games evangelist Sjoerd De Jong
Thursday May 31st, 6:30pm - DIT School of Media, Aungier St
Unreal Engine / Epic Games evangelist Sjoerd De Jong will be giving a talk where he builds a game from scratch using UE4. You may already know Sjoerd as Hourences if you are familiar with his talks and tutorials. This is a great opportunity to learn some new tricks and is suitable for developers of all levels.
Tickets are free and after the talk we will move to a nearby pub for the opportunity to chat to Sjoerd. Please reserve a ticket here if you want to attend so we have an idea of numbers.
Many thanks to Imirt, DIT School of Media, and Epic Games for making this possible.
Note: if you are in Galway on Wed May 30th you will also find Sjoerd at the Galway Games Development meetup which is happening the day before he speaks in Dublin.
About Sjoerd De Jong
As Evangelist for Epic Games, Sjoerd travels through Europe to talk about and teach Unreal Engine 4. With 19 years of experience in the Unreal Engine, Sjoerd is an expert at a wide range of content creation topics. Throughout his diverse career he has worked in everything ranging from AAA development to running his own indie studio to education. His most recently released game is The Solus Project.
The Imirt Irish Game Awards
It's that time of year again! Imirt is happy to announce the second ever Imirt Irish Game Awards for games released in 2017!
Entries have been extended until 24th February 2018.
All entries must have been released during the 2017 calendar year. Please see the "eligibility" section in the link for more details.
Please submit your game or game dev tool in as many categories as you see fit. All entries are eligible for the Game of the Year category.
Best of luck to all entrants, and thank you for another year or amazing Irish games!
Click here to apply
Imirt Inspire Interview 20: Mat Mortlock
Mat is a video game geek above all else and has an unnatural love for all things games related. Mat is Senior Business Development Coordinator at Digital Development Management, a video game business development agency that prides itself on being Professional, Honourable and above all, looking at ways to help improve the industry for all. Mat is passionate about the industry and the work he does with DDM. This consists mainly of working closely with developers providing them biz dev advice, helping to secure development funding through a varied and comprehensive Publisher Network, and to maximise chances of placing projects through pitch material review and development. Mat joined DDM from Codemasters, where he was the Acquisitions & Development Relations Executive.
Imirt AGM 2017 and funding panel discussion
Thanks again to all our members who attended the Imirt AGM 2017 , and special thanks to the excellent speakers on the games funding panel discussion that followed. We recorded both events so if you missed it you can watch them in the videos below.