The Revolution Casual Game Development

by a New Generation of Iranian Game Developers

Present by: Ahmad AhmadiCommercial Marketing DirectorIRAN Video Games Foundation

Ahmadi@ircg.irwww.ircg.ir

Welcome to Iran!

• Iran's population is 75 million

• One of the Youngest countries in the world.

• 37 million Internet users

• Women Includes 42% of Total Internet Users

• 46 million mobile users.

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Among top 15 high internet users

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#1 Internet Users in Middle East

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Iran’s Game Development Community

• Leader Of Game industry in Middle East

• More than 20 million Gamers(28% of Population)

• 40 million hours per day playing time

• 95 active game developer studios

• Largest market and the highest numbers of studios in the Middle East.

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Iran Computer/Video Games Foundation

• Non Governmental Organization

• Was established on 2007

• Directly / indirectly supports game studios and indie developers

• Established The First Games Development Institute providing academic frameworks

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From 2007 supported Iranian games, and almost 60 games were produced like: Garshasb, Mirmahna, Mitra planet, Age of Pahlevans, Asmandez, Nader’s Blade, …

Main Objectives of Video Games Foundation;

• Supporting game development in Iran.

• Establish and Organize the first Game Rating system (ESRA) between Islamic Countries (2007)

• Enhancing video game development knowledge in Iran.

• Establishes The First Games Education Institute (2011)

• Holding Local festivals and Int’l Tehran Game exhibition

• Attending in Global festivals, regional and International exhibitions for presenting the achievements of Iran in video games.

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ESRA

• Entertainment Software Rating Association (ESRA)

• Was established in 2007 by Iran Video Games Foundation which is a self-regulatory organization

• Is in charge of age and content ratings

• Its Plan is to achieve a place where it can be able to define the best age for each Video game.

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Promoting Casual Game Development

Iran Video Game Foundation helps promoting casual gaming for local developers.

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• Market demand and user behavior analysis

• Game expos and festivals for casual audience

• Promotion events for game developers

• Game development institute

Market demand and user behavior analysis

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• User analysis and production/target market segmentation

• Casual game production flow analysis

• Evaluation of casual market opportunities and customer demands

• Finding ways to satisfy the increasing casual demand

Age SEX

Boys Girls

…. …. ….

Game expos and festivals for casual audience

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• By holding different annual expos andfestivals, the target audience gets achance to know the games

• More than 250,000 visited InternationalTehran Game Festival in 2011.

Promotion events for game developers

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• Regular game jams andworkshops are being heldfor game developers

• Talented independentdevelopers are picked andsupported

• 12 student game jamevents have been held since2011

Game development institute

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• First and second generation of game developers are now mixing their experience with academic courses to guide the third generation.

• National Game Development Institute has official started in 2011 and now has more that 250 student in Programming, Art and Game Design departments.

First waves of casual games are promising!

• Although we have started a little late but the third generation of game developers are vastly entering casual game design.

• There are games in each main casual game genres available on different platforms:– Hidden Object games (Shaban)– Puzzle games (L!ght Deluxe)– Match 3 games (Jewel-Like!)– Physic-based puzzle Games (Thermo Box)– Social games (My FC)– Online Strategy games (King’s Era)

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