NewGen is one of the first studios in Tunisia to have worked on large productions. The studio was founded by SeifEddine Ben Hamouda whilst still a student. Along with his cohort of side kicks they participated in national and international challenges with mobile games on Google Play before transitioning to PC. This is their profile.
How did the formation of NewGen studio come about and what is the make and structure of the studio?
After school, we had our first fundraising and officially became a corporate entity in late 2016. We spent a year working on small advergames and applications before we decided to work on developing our own big IP and game. That is what we are working on right now.
Our vision is to make a successful game, and be one of the first studios from the continent to achieve global acclaim.
What are the elements that constitute a NewGen studio game?
it’s a mixed secret sauce :p
How would you describe the state of the North African (Tunisian) gaming scene?
North African and Tunisian game dev industry is still far from other continents but we start having some good signs, we came late and slowly but we are taking our place in the market.
Why do you believe the North African game development community is thriving as opposed to the South and other regions of the continent?
I don’t believe that. Actually, if anything I believe we are in the same boat. The entire continent needs to pay more attention to gaming. Governments should also start investing in video game studios like they do in other countries.
What challenges unite developers in the North with developers in south, east and west?
To unite the continents gaming community we need huge events with big sponsors and global access to top level publishers and studios. However, for that to happen we need a platform that shows the potential across our region. This can also be further enhanced with the participation of representatives from governments, payment solutions, networking and infrastructure solutions for studios and investors , etc.
What factors do you think are needed to unite the continents gaming community?
I’d have to say events. For example there currently exists one of the best in Dubai each year (DGC event). In Africa we have much more active studios than in the Middle East region, but they appear to have the tools and the desire to make their region shine more than we do.
What advice would you give to aspiring developers across the continent?
My advice to all African developers is never be afraid to fail, make games publish them fail fast learn and come back with a better product. Also exposure, you need to be active on social media, share, e-mail your demo to influencers, be patient.
What’s next for NewGen in 2020?
Our next step is to publish our MOBA, Clash: Mutants vs Pirates in a couple of months. We have been working on the game for almost three years so can’t wait to wrap it up along with a lot of surprises.
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