Digital gaming strategy launched for Malta

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said that with further investment and a good national strategy, the digital gaming sector could become a successful contributor to Malta’s economy.

Addressing the youth from various Maltese education institutions and high-profile individuals in the local digital gaming industry, Gonzi said that the strategy intends to make digital gaming a significant contributor to the economy.

“With an employment growth rate of 2.4% in 2011, Malta registered the third fastest growth rate amongst the 27 European Union members.  This positive performance is testament to our job creation efforts and strong economic fundamentals,” Gonzi said.

Gonzi said that visions which were previously believed to be “wishful thinking” were now becoming a “thriving reality” in Malta.

“Today we are taking another important step forward. It is with a sense of optimism and confidence that I stand here this morning to launch the digital gaming strategy for Malta.  We are today sowing the seeds of what has the potential to become an important economic sector in the years to come,” Gonzi said.

Making reference to the human resources within the digital gamin sector, Gonzi said youths needed to be attracted at a young age. “Early exposure to digital media and related technology can spark interest and the work being undertaken by the Malta Council for Science and Technology is commendable with its road-shows and exhibitions.”

Despite being ambitious, Gonzi admitted that the government believed in Malta’s potential to succeed in the digital gaming sector. “Our past successes in other sectors inspire us and encourage us to move forward in our vision for Malta. For this to happen, government agencies together with the private sector and educational institutions, must foster and embrace the possibilities.  The close synergy between these entities is a strong formula for success.”

Finance minister Tonio Fenech said that Malta had reinvented its economy into one more vibrant but still had to work to make digital gaming a lucrative sector.

“Malta’s gaming industry is still in the early stages and we need to attract more growth in the field. Government’s investment, with the recently approved 15% tax capping to digital gaming directors and games designers’ salaries, is evidence of incentives created to attract foreign investment,” Fenech said.

Fenech said that digital gaming had the potential to build on a successful economy and generate a higher growth per capita. “Government will commit to transform this strategy into a reality.”

Professor William Latham and Ian Shaw, both part of Games Audit UK, were also part of the team which created the Strategy and took turns to describe the contents of the document.

“The document is structured on four pillars. To attract global games companies to Malta, encourage company start-ups, enhance education in the digital gaming sector and nurture a games eco-system which can interweave with big international companies,” Latham said.

Shaw said that the market scale and trends show a move toward online games away from disc based gaming.

“There is fast-paced change when it comes to game genres and while console games are still popular, focus is moving toward online platforms. Social gaming is increasing rapidly with games such as Farmville being played daily. Some may not even think they are playing or consider themselves to be gamers,” Shaw said.

The employment potential within the digital gaming industry can see platform owners, publishers and development studios employing numerous individuals the necessary skills.

“Individuals with games development skills can be found in even the least obvious areas such as artists and musicians to the more obvious like programmers and designers,” Shaw explained.

Latham said that after interviewing numerous companies in Malta as part of the gap analysis and local audit, many skills already present in the country could be transferred to the digital gaming sector.

“iGaming companies can review skills which can be transferred to gaming. Supporting industries, including customer support, have information which can be passed on and used to answer questions commonly asked by big companies when considering an investment in Malta,” Latham said.

Several concerns have also been covered in the strategy report and Latham made particular reference to the lack of “angel investment culture” in Malta.

“This lack of initial investment in the early stages of companies and projects is one major concern. Another is the lack of a business networking or hot desk meeting place for the creative industries. Malta needs to focus on improving this,” Latham said.

Speaking on Malta’s position for international business, Malta’s special envoy for digital gaming Chris Deering said gaming needed to invest in online platforms with most individuals spending more time online than ever before.

“Americans spend more time on Facebook than any other website and consume around 8.5 hours of media a day in the span of four hours. It’s called multitasking and it has become a normal part of childhood,” Deering said.

Deering also pointed out that a large percentage of social networkers and gamers in the world are women and many are played online on computers or on mobile phones.

“Around 61 million people play online games and technology adoption is accelerating rapidly. Mobile social media use is on the rise with 97% using computers while 37% currently using mobile phones.

“Game creation skills will define the new world economy and Malta could become a leader in transmedia digital gaming,” Deering said.