Teesside gaming firms level up at global event

A group of Teesside gaming firms travelled to the flagship Game Developers Conference in San Francisco with support from the Tees Valley Export Fund.

Tanglewood Games, Cardboard Sword, Observer Interactive, Radical Forge and Abacus Bean were among those attending, connecting with major global industry players.

Radical Forge, based in Middlesbrough, has grown to a team of more than 65 since 2017 and boosted its presence at the event by sending a larger delegation with Export Fund support.

Stephen Hey, head of publishing and partnerships at Radical Forge, said: “This meant we could cover more meetings and support our most important pitches with two or three team members.

“This displayed real commitment and made the pitches so much stronger. 

“As well as several key pitches for the company, we also met with new potential clients and partners – not only looking to secure direct funding but also exploring partnerships that would allow Radical Forge to access IP from key media players.

“Among the companies we met were Krafton, Netflix, Microsoft, Mattel, and Amazon Games – a smaller team could not have met that many core players in the industry.”

The Export Fund, supported by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and delivered with the Department for Business and Trade, is designed to help firms grow overseas and explore new markets.

The initiative aligns with the £80 million Tees Valley Investment Zone, which aims to accelerate growth in high-potential sectors including digital and creative industries.

Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen added: “It’s brilliant to see our region’s world-leading gaming sector making waves around the globe.

“We’ve got some incredibly talented and ambitious businesses here in Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool – and this support is all about helping them grow, create jobs and bring investment back into our region.

“By backing firms through our Export Fund and Investment Zone, we’re showing we’re serious about putting our region on the map as a place where digital and creative firms can thrive.”

Middlesbrough mayor Chris Cooke, Tees Valley Combined Authority cabinet member for inward investment, housing and finance, added: “To have our companies growing in confidence, building international connections and showing the strength of Middlesbrough’s digital sector on the world stage is wonderful to see.

“Our creative and gaming industries are a big strength in both our town and the wider region, and it’s important we continue to support them to grow and compete on the global stage.

“Opportunities like this help raise our profile around the world, build on our strengths and attract even more investment.”

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