York selected as games development hub

Posted on 16 March 2016

The University of York’s Digital Creativity Hub is to become a regional hub for Tranzfuser™ – a new talent development programme aimed at graduates looking to break into the games development industry.

Established by the UK Games Talent and Finance Community Interest Company (CIC), and funded by the UK Government, Tranzfuser is designed to encourage new creative talent to develop and bring their game to market.

Applicants to Tranzfuser will form teams with a £5000 budget from the UK Games Fund to develop their game ideas to working prototypes, competing to present their work in a national showcase event in September 2016. There they will pitch for follow-on funding of up to £25k to commercialise their game and launch a company.

Participants will have access to Regional Hubs throughout the process, providing leading industry support and resources.

The only hub in North Yorkshire, York will join ten other bases across the UK. Three teams will be based in the University’s Ron Cooke Hub for ten weeks, with support and mentoring provided by the Digital Creativity Hub's academics and many industry partners.

Professor Peter Cowling, Director of the Digital Creativity Hub and the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Intelligent Games and Game Intelligence, said “The Transfuzer Hub at York is a fantastic opportunity for students to develop their original games and build their network with the games industry in an environment of cutting edge games and media. We’re really looking forward to supporting these talented individuals and helping them create the games of the future.”

Paul Durrant, Founder and Chief Executive of UK Games Talent and Finance CIC, said: “I’m delighted to have realised a long-time ambition of joining up early-stage talent recognition and showcasing with prototype funding. The way in which Tranzfuser will become a fresh talent pipeline for the UK Games Fund is a real first. Tranzfuser teams that win our funding will become the top tips for future success.”

The Digital Creativity Hub, based at the University of York, is a major (£18 million) investment by three UK research councils, four universities, and over 80 collaborative partner organisations to create a world centre of excellence for impact-driven research, focusing on digital games, interactive media and the space where they converge. The Hub will officially launch on 6 April 2016.

Further information:

For more information about Tranzfuser and to apply, visit: http://tranzfuser.com/. Follow @ukgamestalent for the latest information.
The UK Games Talent and Finance CIC is a not for profit Community Interest Company that has been established to serve the UK’s early stage games development community including companies and individuals. The company plans a wide range of support and intervention projects to support the games development community.
For more information about the Digital Creativity Hub, visit: http://www.digitalcreativity.ac.uk/