Are regional rivalries a negative force in development?

Speaking with Develop, studios from the Yorkshire area have discussed the notion that regional rivalries are causing frictions as developers share experience.

In today’s latest feature, which brings together key figures in the Yorkshire and Humberside studio community for a revealing roundtable, those involved discuss the successes of the thriving Game Republic initiative, which aims to develop and promote the industry in the region.

"Many people from the Midlands and the North East have come and attended Game Republic events and got a lot out of it. I think you can sense that there is this mood for sharing but it just seems a little frostier," admitted Team 17’s studio director Martyn Brown. "It takes a shift in the people that are in the area. You know, we talk jokingly about the North/South divide, but people are slightly different."

However, the panel also discuss the benefits of close knit developer communities, as Sumo’s studio head Paul Porter explained: "There’s definitely a certain pragmatism in Yorkshire that you do what’s right for everyone rather than what’s necessarily right for you. We’ve all been through bad times, studio closures, and certainly when we started Game Republic it was about trying to use all of our strengths together so we can all carry on in existence doing what we do best.

To read the full feature, click here.`