A New Era for the North: Game Republic New Horizons Makes a Strong Impression

The United Kingdom's southern region has long been the hub of activity, with London being a major draw for jobs and opportunities. The country's premier gaming conference, Develop, is also located in the south, in the city of Brighton. However, a look at the map of UK gaming companies reveals a plethora of smaller, yet significant, gaming communities in the north. These northern gaming companies have grown tired of traveling long distances to attend conferences and networking events in the south. Previous attempts to establish a northern gaming conference, such as Newcastle's GameHorizon and Develop:North, have been unsuccessful. But now, Game Republic, a gaming business network, has launched New Horizons, a conference aimed at promoting the northern gaming industry. The event, which took place in Middlesbrough, featured a VIP reception, a series of talks, and an expo area. The conference was well-attended, with a mix of local and national gaming industry professionals. The key to the conference's success will be attracting attendees from the south, particularly from London. The event's organizers, Dr. Jackie Mulligan and Jamie Sefton, have ambitious plans to make New Horizons a national conference, rivaling Develop in terms of importance. The conference's venue, Middlesbrough FC's Riverside Stadium, provided a unique and impressive setting, with glass-fronted meeting rooms and a linear layout that facilitated networking. The talks and presentations were well-curated, covering topics such as transmedia, international markets, and game development. While the expo area was somewhat isolated, the conference overall provided a solid foundation for future events. With early bird tickets already on sale for next year's conference, the organizers are hoping to attract even more attendees from across the UK. The north now has a gaming conference to be proud of, and it remains to be seen whether New Horizons will be enough to shift the center of gravity of the UK's gaming industry further north.