DigitalNoob

The upcoming UK Games Britannia festival seeks to inspire a whole new generation of game developers.

I’m a big fan of attempts to use games to educate and inspire people, and so I’m very excited to see how Games Britannia turns out. This unique education and careers event mixes a games festival with a cultural exhibit and educational conference, and it’s only a week away.

The seven-day festival is geared towards youths aged 5-18, and it aims to encourage the current generation to take an interest in games development and draw them into programming, science, art, music, creativity, engineering and technology through the fun and excitement of games .

I imagine there will be much to sway the youngsters. The event starts off with a keynote opening speech by Eidos Life President and Fighting Fantasy series co-author Ian Livingstone, who will hopefully provide some wise words from his lengthy career in games. Games Britannia will also feature talks by other prominent industry developers who will be sharing their insight as well as workshops and cultural exhibitions. It’ll be a chance for young people to get an exclusive look into the world of game development.

The event will also incorporate Games Britannia: Replayed, a weekend-long expo open to the wider public that features tons of playable demos and exhibits. There’s plenty on display that showcases the rich history of video games and their variety. Attendees will get to see a myriad of consoles, dating back to the ones that started it all and presenting Britain’s legacy in games development.

The conference will be taking place in and around the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Yorkshire and will begin on the 2^nd of July. Sheffield Hallam University will also be hosting a ‘BAFTA ‘Games Question Time’ as part of the event and it will feature a Q&A with a panel of experts such as Maria Stukoff, who works as an education specialist for Sony Computer Entertainment.

If you’re nearby, Games Britannia: Replayed is a great chance to meet some cool people and see loads of classic games (as well as new indie and AAA titles),  so it’s worth the trip over. Details are available on the official site