The team at OCIA Spark recently embarked on a journey to WASD, a massive part of the London Gaming Festival - and it was quite the adventure! As a games accelerator investing in the indie sector, our maiden voyage attending this incredible event was inspiring. It was our first rodeo at WASD, so we were unsure what to expect. With a focus on smaller indie game developers, we were keen to understand their challenges, how they breathe life into their ideas, and how we could support them… And we learnt a lot while there.
The festival, spanning three intense days at the tail end of March, housed many fascinating talks and workshops. One talk that particularly struck a chord was hosted by Tranzfuser, a talent development competition hosted by the UK Games Fund. Listening to their experiences with government grants and how they supported UK graduates in building successful game studios was incredibly insightful. Another great conversation we had was with a representative from IWGB Game Workers. This conversation painted a vivid picture of game workers’ rights and what a certified “good” company could look like to work for.
Beyond the talks, we had the fortune to meet a broad mix of developers - from big players like Devolver Digital and Bandai Namco, to smaller studios like Poncle (shout out to the team behind Vampire Survivors for their Bafta!), and independent student solo and team developers. Everyone was excited to discuss their games and get us to play a demo or two of their hard work.
Dave got play a demo of ’Have a Nice Death’; 2D action roguelike where death is hunting down escaped workers.
But it wasn’t all work and no play! Exploring London’s historic Brick Lane was an enjoyable interlude. We found ourselves captivated by some of the stunning graffiti artwork, and the tantalising scent of Indian food everywhere, plus I got to enjoy a fantastic masala omelette and chai coffee breakfast.
Dave got stuck in with a super cute and tasty roguelite-flavored dungeon crawler; Cuisineer!
Leaving WASD was bitter-sweet. We had the satisfaction of a successful trip mixed with the longing for just a bit more time. We all played some incredible games (I’m seriously hyped for Cuisineer!) and even found ourselves relaxing and unwinding at the industry afterparty, rubbing elbows with veterans from Rocksteady Studios and Square Enix. Looking back, the trip was a whirlwind of learning, networking, and play. From the packed talks to student devs showing off their first expo-ready projects, we gathered valuable insights to sharpen our game (pun intended). If you’re considering making the trip next year, here’s a pro tip: get there early to avoid queues, and don’t hesitate to pay a bit extra for that industry pass—the lounge area is a lifesaver.
Overall, attending WASD was a reminder that behind every exciting game launch was a developer or team with a great idea and the creativity and dedication to bring it to life - Hopefully, something OCIA Spark can help up-and-coming devs with!
