UK Developers Get Government, Private Funding Boosts

Two separate UK-based funding announcements have highlighted the continuing willingness of both government-funded and private entities to invest in UK game tool and game development. In the first of these, Manchester, UK-based technology start-up company Genemation has issued word that it has successfully completed a (UKP) six-figure round of funding. Headed by John Bickley, former executive at PlayStation Europe and Psygnosis, the funding round was completed earlier this month by the company’s major investors and management team, and comes on the heels of another six-figure grant from the UK Department of Trade & Industry (DTi). Genemation is currently working on facial synthesis and animation middleware technology for video games and other sectors. The new funding will enable the Company to accelerate the development of its technology aimed at ‘next gen’ hardware platforms, which will sit alongside its bespoke face synthesis tools, which are being upgraded for launch at next March’s GDC (Game Developers Conference) in San Francisco. In other UK government funding news, developer Strawdog Studios has revealed that it has secured funding from the East Midlands film and media body, EM-Media. Totaling up to £250,000 ($465,077 USD), the cash will be used for continued prototype work on its upcoming console and hand-held title, Bugs of War. Strawdog Studios are located in Derbyshire, and were formed in 2003 by alumni from developers including Eurocom and Free Radical Design. EM-Media itself is part-funded by UK Film Council and European Regional Development Funds, and previous supported projects include TimeSplitters from Free Radical Design, as well as feature films from acclaimed UK directors Shane Meadows and Michael Winterbottom.