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We’re delighted to be involved in this week’s Interactive Futures  event – a celebration of the talent and creativity of video game studios within the Leamington Spa region. https://interactive-futures.com  Today (February 16th) sees the conference focus on the industry itself and our Business Manager Liz Prince is taking part in a panel session which looks at the Challenges and Opportunities facing UK Development in 2021. The rest of the week, the spotlight will switch to talent and careers in video games, with dedicated sessions lined up for students, schoolchildren and their parents. On Wednesday Liz will chair a panel on Why There’s A Career in Games for Everyone – Even if you don’t like maths or science. And on Thursday she will chair a panel which will uncover What Skills and Qualifications are required for a Career in Games. The video games sector in the Leamington Spa region is the second largest in the UK outside of London and Slough & Heathrow and is home to some of the most respected studios around the world, including Codemasters, Mediatonic, NaturalMotion, Playground Games, SEGA Hardlight, Sumo Digital and more, plus a huge number of indie studios. Interactive Futures is hosted by the Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, Warwickshire Country Council and Warwick District Council.

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Ukie launches Get Smart about PLAY Get Smart about PLAY is a campaign that seeks to encourage parents and care givers to use tools on devices to help manage spend, screen time and access to content. The campaign, which is being fronted by former footballer and TV pundit Rio Ferdinand, will do so with the help of their PLAY code which stands for: P - Play with your kids.Understand what they play and why. L - Learn about family controls. Visit www.askaboutgames.com for simple guides. A - Ask what your kids think. Discuss ground rules before setting restrictions. Y - Set restrictions that work for your family. The aim of the campaign is to empower care givers to manage play in the way that works for their families, as well as demonstrating that as an industry we take our responsibility to all our players seriously. The campaign launched today and there will be activities running throughout the year. Visit www.askaboutgames.com to find out more.

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An exciting diversity mixer is taking place at Develop:Brighton REDI to Game Mixer is an opportunity to celebrate and promote all the Representation, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion initiatives from various diversity groups, internal studio initiatives and charities working with the video games industry. Liz Prince will be there representing Amiqus so make sure you come along and say hello. The REDI to Game Mixer will be held on Wednesday 10th July, 3pm-5pm at the Hilton Brighton Metropole.  The REDI to Game Mixer will be a chance for industry professionals to meet organisations working in this space and share their much needed insight about how games development can be more diverse and inclusive, better representing the gamers we all create content for. There is so much amazing work being done by the various diversity groups, internal studio initiatives and charities to champion the EDI principles. REDI to Game Mixer aims to celebrate, promote and champion these groups, as well as encourage knowledge and skill sharing which will not only improve the industry, but also help it pillar another beacon of inclusion and diversity across the sector. Attendees will be invited to take part in various conversations hosted by a range of groups and organisations. They will also be asked to take part in the ‘Start - Stop - Continue Wall’, where people can post what behaviours need to be started, stopped and continued regarding REDI issues.  These outcomes will provide solid, tangible evidence of good and bad practice which can be fed back to the industry to help embed REDI principles every day, because if you stay REDI, you don’t have to get REDI! Everyone who works in the industry is invited to join the conversation at the REDI to Game Mixer any time between 3pm and 5pm on Wednesday 10th July. The Mixer is being held on the floor above the expo area in the Hilton Brighton Metropole and free refreshments will be provided. Please note that anyone wishing to attend will need to register for a FREE Develop:Brighton Expo Pass.   

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How can we help drive positive change in the gaming industry? One sure-fire way is to showcase the companies leading the way when it comes to employer excellence.That’s why, at Amiqus, we’re extremely proud to be putting our weight behind one of the biggest best practice events in the industry, as headline sponsor of the 2018 Best Places to Work Awards. This year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever and will celebrate everything the gaming sector is doing right when it comes to diversity, corporate social responsibility, leadership, training and employee wellbeing. We need to be shouting about these things and Best Places provides us with the perfect platform. Far more than just an awards ceremony, the Best Places to Work event is focused on enabling improvement and sharing the success formulas of exemplar companies, so that others can learn from them and become better employers. Winners receive a prestigious Best Places badge but runners-up benefit too – they can access a free report on any issues picked up during the judging process, to aid development and improvement. Events like Best Places to Work shine a vital spotlight on our industry – illuminating the incredible work many in the sector are doing to enhance the employee experience. This year’s awards ceremony takes place on Friday, October 12th in London and anyone who’s serious about attracting and retaining talent will be there. Besides anything else, it’s a fantastic opportunity to network. So let’s get together and celebrate the game-changers – because their success is helping the industry thrive.

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We are delighted to have been included as finalists in four of the TIGA Awards categories this year – Best Recruitment Agency, Best Education Initiative & Talent Development, Best Services Provider and the Diversity Award. It’s super exciting to be recognised for not only our core recruitment business but for the pro bono work we’re giving back to the industry. We are incredibly grateful to everyone at TIGA, and the judging panel, for considering us for these shortlist places. It’s such an endorsement of the fantastic team we have here at Amiqus, I can’t thank them enough for making our business what it is, and to our clients for their fantastic support. 2018 has been an incredible year for us so far, with a big focus on our G Into Gaming campaign, aimed at addressing the gender imbalance in the games development sector, where just 20 per cent of staff are women. The initiative has seen us actively target female programmers outside of the industry via a high profile and super-targeted LinkedIn campaign. Promoting video games as a fun, but inclusive, industry sector. We’ve already seen strong results from this work but there’s more to do!Elsewhere, we continue to support early career development and education, speaking to undergrads on relevant courses about how to present themselves to employers, how to demonstrate their portfolios and more. We are again speaking at Staffordshire University and Abertay University next month, providing free advice and guidance to students. It’s great to meet the future of the industry.We’re looking forward to seeing everyone at the TIGA Awards on 1st November. Good luck to everyone who’s been nominated – such fantastic talent. We’ll raise a glass with you all!

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EGX, the UK’s biggest video games event, is just around the corner and we’re delighted to say that we’ll be there!  The event takes place on the 20th to 23rd September at the NEC in Birmingham. Visitors will find the most anticipated console and PC games, including Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, FIFA 19, and Super Mario Party, all playable weeks or months before they’re released.  As well as getting their hands on games prior to release, visitors can look forward to presentations by game designers from world renowned studios, areas dedicated to e-sports, the opportunity to meet and chat with game creators, and that’s just the start! Whether it’s a chat about your career or if you’re a studio thinking about hiring, Liz, Lee, Will and Si will be happy to chat – just pop us a message on Twitter when you’re at the show and we’ll grab the coffee. If you’d like to join us at the show, tickets are still available online. Those unable to attend can watch the official EGX Twitch stream or view the live YouTube stream during the show. We hope to see you there! 

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Get Your Networking Game Face On Female activism has loomed large in the news agenda of late. The #MeToo and #TimesUp campaigns have garnered worldwide attention and, in the year that sees us mark the 100th anniversary of women in the UK winning the right to vote, there is a palpable sense of change in the air. But we’re still a long way from achieving full gender equality and the UK games industry is still challenged with women making up less than 20% of the UK workforce. Achieving a major shift that brings more women into the industry will be dependent upon a range of factors including industry awareness, positive action for change and attraction of women from other fields into our sector. Change, of course, also needs to come from within and by strengthening their professional networks, women in the games industry can open up new opportunities for advancement. Enjoy the Room Networking in an industry that is 80% male can be a daunting task, especially when it come to the workshops, business breakfasts and drinks gatherings that traditionally surround major conferences. But with a few handy tips, launching yourself in to the networking fray needn’t be a nightmare. Yes, you’re entering a room full of people (and probably lots of men) who you may not know but there are some things you can do to make the whole experience less more rewarding. Do your prep; having a confident introduction prepped that concisely explains who you are, what you do and who you work for is invaluable. Not only will it make you feel more relaxed when striking up conversations – knowing you won’t be reaching for words, but it will ensure key information is shared at the outset, if you only have a short time to spend with fellow networkers. Hone your listening skills; people, male and female alike, like to talk about themselves so give them the opportunity. Ask them to talk you though their story - it’s a great way of identifying if you might have something to offer them. Speak with authority; you know your stuff so don’t forget it. Speaking in a confident informed manner leaves a lasting impression. Don’t be afraid to join discussions and express your expert point of view. Learn from the best; female mentors play a crucial role in helping to advance women in the workplace and this applies to the networking arena too. Do you have a female colleague who is always at ease in networking situations and adept at making connections? Ask them how they do it, then adapt their approach to suit your own personality. Above all, it helps to take the pressure off yourself in networking sessions by seeing them as an opportunity to meet like-minded new people and strike up mutually beneficial relationships. It’s less about ‘working the room’ than enjoying it. New Networking Era Of course, things have moved on since the days where networking was limited to standing in a room full of strangers, hoping to make a meaningful connection. A plethora of female-friendly networking options is available now, from events to meet-up groups to messaging apps; all geared to help women in the tech industry collaborate, develop and influence. Doing a brilliant  job of developing supportive networks for women in technology are meet-up groups such as www.girlgeeks.uk, a leading, national professional community ‘where women are inspired, make connections, share expertise and collaborate to encourage personal development’. More role -specific groups include  www.ladiesthatux.com, www.ladiesofcode.com  and, on the AR/VR side, www.unfolduk.org a networking community that powers inclusion in immersive tech. For those of us who prefer to network from our desks, messaging groups and social media offer instant access to like-minded women in technology. These will range from groups like our very own G into Gaming to invite only set-ups such as the Women In Technology Slack Group, a safe, confidential space for women who work in technology to chat and support each other. Make New Connections Today It’s crucial that we all strive to develop our professional networks, no matter what our preferred method might be. Networking helps us to push for progress from within the industry, broadening our own horizons and supporting other women who are seeking to make an impact in games. With strong networks in place women can accelerate change – shifting the balance sooner rather than later. So drum up the courage and stride into that networking session today, it could be the start of something revolutionary.

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Amiqus are proud to announce a recruitment partnership with Curve Digital, the fast-growing UK games publisher and recent winner of 2 MCV awards, Curve have now signed a deal with Gaumont, the oldest film company in the world and producer of Narcos, to produce a video game based on the Golden Globe and Emmy ® award-nominated television series.  Currently in production for season 4, Narcos chronicles the true-life rise to power of drug lords and the explosion of cocaine trafficking in the world. Narcos continues to grow in popularity around the world, with season 3 premiering as the most in-demand digital original in the U.S. and one of the top five worldwide according to Parrot Analytics. Available for viewing on the world’s most popular streaming service, Netflix, the show is currently available in over 130 countries.  “Narcos is a fantastic license for us to work with,” said Curve Digital MD Jason Perkins. “This critically acclaimed show from Gaumont lends itself perfectly to a video game execution and we’re excited and proud to be bringing this to market.” The Narcos game is being developed by Curve Digital’s sister company, Kuju. Head of Studio Brynley Gibson offered: “We’re looking forward to creating a game that matches the fantastic storyline and gritty action of the Netflix series. We’re tremendously excited and have some amazing gameplay elements in the works that will please both fans of the show and gamers.” If you wish to work on your favourite Netflix series get in touch today with either Stig Strand or Kim Hunt at curvestudios@amiqus.com The studio are exclusively partnered with Amiqus and have open roles in Design, Production, Art, Code and Animation at all levels