How the Nordic ecosystem remains a driver of global game trends

• Dubbed a leading games hub, the Nordic region remains a leader in innovation and creativity, and a primary market for many global game companies.
• Attend Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki, October 7th to 8th, to gain more insight into the unique features and evolution of Northern Europe’s mobile gaming home.

More than a decade on from the mobile games pioneered by the likes of Supercell, Rovio and King, what value does the Nordic game sector hold today?

Funding sentiment might be at a low, but innovation is anything but. With consoles becoming more accessible, PC games demonstrating steadfast audiences - especially for indies, AI transforming game development, and transmedia IP on the rise, the games industry feels more open and dynamic than it has been for a long time. 

As Pocket Gamer Connects is gearing up to gather the games industry at the biggest B2B event in the Nordics on October 7th and 8th, we spoke to prominent games experts about the region, broader industry challenges and opportunities, and the importance of high-quality industry networking.

“The Nordic games market is a global leader in innovation and creativity, with Finland hosting the largest gaming industry per capita in Europe, Sweden ranking second in the number of studios, and Denmark driving advances in game technology and design. This concentrated ecosystem consistently produces internationally successful titles and shapes global gaming trends”, says Thoughtfish CEO Christina Barleben.

Headquartered in Berlin, her game studio has developed COALA, its AR/VR technology incorporating real world data into digital experiences. 

“The VR landscape is still growing, and while it's not as widespread now as many tech companies originally assumed, users in the space are begging developers for better experiences”, says Barleben.

With Nordic countries making up “20% or more” of its social media traffic, Thoughtfish reckons attending PGC Helsinki “is a must for us as indie developers”. 

“Setting very high standards”

Not just a leader on paper, the Nordics have proven themselves with some of the world’s most successful games, including Minecraft, Angry Birds, Clash of Clans, Battlefield, Candy Crush Saga, EVE Online, and more. 

“We see a lot of high quality games coming from this region, loads of talented people being concentrated particularly in this region," says Matej Jurcak, the ASO lead/growth partnerships at Slovak game studio Pixel Federation.

As well as “bringing home quite a lot of revenue”, studios from this region “are setting very high standards for the whole mobile gaming sector”, he states. 

Recognising the rough patch the whole games industry is currently going through, Jurcak is not only looking forward to meeting fellow industry peers at PGC Helsinki, but also shares his experiences and talks about “the latest ups and downs and brainstorming possible solutions”. 

As for the main hurdle the industry faces right now, he identifies game launches as a fundamental one. “We have seen quite a lot of game kills or failed launches or games simply not living up to the expectations recently.” 

“Look beyond the old models”

Keeping hopeful despite current headwinds, Quicksave Interactive CEO and co-founder Elina Arponen argues that “there is space for innovation and new teams to create big outcomes, we just need to look beyond the old models of building that no longer work".

Of particular interest, she mentions AI and WebGL/HTML5. “The Nordics remain an innovation base for the game industry, and it is good to see where the trends are going.”

As for Quicksave, the company has recently offered its no-code tool for playable ad production and webshop activation. Arponen highlights the many successful Nordic game companies she’d “love to talk to about their experiences with playables and other web activations.” PGC Helsinki provides a platform to “connect with people, network and exchange insights”, she adds.

Undeniable talent density

Harry Phokou, founder and CEO of Phokou Digital, a LinkedIn specialised marketing and lead-gen agency for game companies, is eyeing the Nordics for more than one reason. 

“Most of my network is in the Nordics. Sweden and Finland are close to my heart as the people, once you get to know them, are some of the most welcoming and supportive you will ever meet.”

He also points out the “trickledown effect” created by companies like King and Supercell. “Although in recent years it is argued that this could be much higher, the talent density is undeniable on a global scale.” 

Describing AI as a double-edged sword, he says it’s the sector’s biggest challenge and opportunity. “Whoever will navigate the change the best, politically and culturally within their organisation, will push through.”

You can gain deeper insight into the Nordic games sector from these speakers and more industry experts, alongside over 1,500 games industry professionals, in Helsinki on October 7th to 8th. Register your ticket today, saving you up to €230, before prices rise at midnight Thursday September 18th.