New Zealand Game Developers Association aggressively looking for senior-level talent at GDC

The New Zealand Game Developers Association and several of its member organisations have announced that they’ll be aggressively seeking to recruit senior-level talent at GDC this month, with the country unable to provide the experience talent needed after rapid growth in New Zealand’s video game industry.

The tech industry in New Zealand is currently thriving, with the video games sector seeing a 13 per cent growth in 2016 alone, meaning that many studios have a demand for top level executives that far outstrips the supply.

"Our studios aren’t able to grow as quickly as they would like to because we’re lacking enough skilled people to fill all of the open jobs domestically," says James Everett, NZGDA Chairperson in a press release. "The industry is booming and will earn over NZD$100m this year. Even though there are only a few million New Zealanders, we have 600 professional developers working here, and the industry is very active, with monthly meetups, industry conferences and festivals."

"New Zealand studios emphasize creating their own IP over work for hire contracts," continues Everett, "and 92 percent of our industry is export-driven. Teams are tight-knit and collaborative, which provides the opportunity for everyone to influence project direction. Combined with New Zealand’s exceptional quality of life, this makes it a great place to grow your career."

Studios are looking to interview candidates at GDC, and well-qualified hires could potentially take advantage of a streamlined visa process. The NZGDA encourage anyone interested to look at their website or to contact them directly to hear more about opportunities in New Zealand game development.