We had the opportunity to host a few weeks ago. Join Indie, an event dedicated to the Italian video game industry, now in its fourth edition. It is a very important showcase for local developers because it is also organized and sponsored by VGP. Intel, one of the largest technology manufacturers on the planet. For this reason We interviewed Biagio GurrieriTo ask the Field Application Engineer at Intel how this happened and what the future goals are.
Over time Join became a fixed appointment for Italian industry. How has the event grown over the years?
Join is one of the reference events for those who love video games because there is one. different spirit From all other industry events held in Italy. Developers are in the limelight, and their creativity and professionalism are celebrated, giving them time and space to delve into the details of the design and development process and explain themselves. Intel has participated in VGP since the first edition and the evolution has been very rapid.
We started with the first edition in the presence of a few journalists, but with a second day filled with many professionals and students. For the second edition, the pandemic intervened. Together with VGP, we decided that a virtual version could be offered, but it still needed to be available, because the spirit of the event is to share, stop the developers in the aisles and ask them questions, try out the games. The solution: a purely virtual reality thing – they would say it on the metaverse today. Each participant entered the platform with their own avatar, and those with the VR headset were able to have a complete and immersive experience. I had my first talk in VR in front of an avatar audience – perhaps among the first in Italy … and wearing headphones for 3 hours in the heat of June, I had a lot of fun and spirit. The event was festive. I still remember the avatars of very respected journalists who threw themselves into virtual pizzas during a coffee break …
And then the third edition and this year the fourth edition international guests Alternative with the showcase of Italian developers, because protecting and promoting the growth of a local movement is a must, but without closing markets with a long tradition in the video game industry and without incentives. The format was a mixed format with good participation but limited to journalists, industry people and online audiences.
How has the Italian industry grown in recent years?
Compared to the first edition of Join,the industry has grownAs illustrated by the data of the fifth census of Italian game developers carried out by IIDEA, which shows how Italian companies in this sector are now showing significant signs of maturity: 73% of development work currently operating in the market takes 4 years, annual turnover is over 500 thousand Euros, and 20′ The number of companies with more than 10 employees is increasing and one third of the studies are represented by SMEs, while 17% are represented by companies with more than 10 employees and the remaining 83 by SMEs in the 2018 census. % is composed of micro enterprises.
We can add to this data the feelings dictated by the experience gained in recent years, because we discovered it by getting to know and talking to the developers who participated in Join. national and international growth stories, prestigious collaborations and ambitious projects. In 4 years, I have seen giant steps and tangible enthusiasm.
It’s interesting to see an international giant like Intel dealing with small Italian independent productions. What are the potentials the company sees in our country and in the video game industry?
Intel has always supported gaming at all levels. We were among the early supporters of esports, and today we are among the supporters and title sponsors of one of the longest running contexts in the industry: Intel Extreme Masters. And we love gaming because it’s one of those industries that demands from us a constant refresh of the PC experience with better performance, better multitasking for game streaming and recording, and perhaps keeping apps running in the background, better features, better device portability. – Actually, in my talk, I talked about the innovations of processors for twelfth generation Intel Core laptops, and for the first time at the event, gaming PCs for game demos consisted entirely of laptops. Desktop systems like the Intel Core i7-12700H or Core i9 12900HK won’t make you regret it… the index showing how much gaming makes significant changes even on a laptop.
we have to play games raise the bar higher every year and that gives us responsibility as innovators. And the more we push the boundaries of technology, the more the developers give us video game masterpieces that fans can enjoy without compromise on their latest generation PCs – I say on their PC because it’s the game that gives us the most satisfaction and quality. on PC. And we saw some great PC games at Join again this year. Italian developers can certainly have a say in the gaming space and contribute new projects and outstanding games.
Italy is very talented. We see him all over the world, in the teams of our compatriots and the best known and most admired studios; but we see it in the indie scene as well. Creativity and talent are essential and there is no shortage of it. More support from institutions, more recognition and injection of trust can help further leaps in quality, meanwhile with Join we want to provide the industry with one more place to build dialogue between the heroes of this ecosystem. also sheds light on video games from an entrepreneurial and artistic point of view.
Can you tell us how Intel supports game developers, does it have any programs dedicated to them?
You may know more about Intel’s hardware, but we have approximately 19,000 software experts and an extensive history of milestones in open software and industry standards. Not everyone knows this, but we are among the architects of USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and many more standards and the software and API behind them. We supporters of an open ecosystem. Intel technology-based solutions, services and platforms have open tools and this is a huge advantage we can offer. We support a large open ecosystem and work with publishers and developers to optimize PC games. We have a very important software department that is concerned with making the most of current technology.
Intel also welcomes the developer community.Intel Game Development Programis dedicated to development work of all origins and sizes. Developers can sign up for this program and have the resources to optimize their games for the hardware most used by gamers around the world. Additionally, there are performance testing tools, constant updates, guides, and a promotional platform when the game is out. Through the program you can also test your game and Works Great on Intel Graphics certificationif the game is properly optimized.
This year’s games showed an enviable average quality and variety. What is the selection process for projects hosted in Join?
VGP deals with the organization and selection of studies. And as every year, the selection is excellent. Participation is by invitation, but any Italian independent developer is free to apply by contacting the VGP interested in the invitations. We look forward to discovering new creativity.
As we said, the format seems to have found a good degree of maturity: what are the next steps to take? How can the venture be further expanded?
As indie studios are increasingly recognized by fans and professionals, it would be nice to increase the number of games previewed. Also, it would be nice to be back, with – hopefully – easing of the pandemic emergency. devote a day to the public and continuing schools. It is a unique moment to get to know the work of the video game developer in Italy, so creating this opportunity for communication and intimacy with the fan base will be truly invaluable.
Source: Multiplayer
