Regional gaming communities in the Balkans are coming together in an effort to strengthen the industry across the region, creating new opportunities for collaboration that could create a new landscape of video game development.
This movement is especially significant for countries like Albania, where local developers are still emerging. Through ambitious projects like “Playing Narratives” and the regional adaptation of the “Shift2Games” platform, the Balkan gaming scene is poised to enter a new era.
In an interview for Albania Tech, Lorena Gjana, a key figure in the Albanian Gaming Community, talked about how these initiatives are empowering a new generation of creators.
According to Gjana, the region’s gaming communities have been in conversation for over a year, exploring ways to collaborate and support each other.
“While countries like Serbia and Croatia have made significant strides in developing their local industries, other Balkan countries are still in the early stages. The collaboration between different communities aims to facilitate the exchange of experiences, mutual capacity development, and support for new game development studios in accessing the global industry market,” Gjana told Albania Tech.
A recent meeting organized by the Serbian Games Association (SGA) and Montegames, Montenegro’s game development community, brought together representatives from across the Balkans to discuss these efforts.
Regional gaming initiatives that aim to empower young developers
As Gjana points out, the goal was to consolidate support for two major initiatives: “Playing Narratives,” a game design incubation program, and “Shift2Games,” a platform tailored for young game developers in the region. These initiatives aim to foster skill development and provide the guidance needed to launch successful game development careers.
““Playing Narratives” is an 8-month game design incubation program. In the industry, this refers to the entire process of game design, not just the graphic design of video games. The program helps participants develop skills in all aspects of game design, from narrative and music to game mechanics, character design, and more. This program has been piloted by SGA with the support of the Reconomy Program for four consecutive years, attracting many young people to the community and involving them in the global industry,” she explained.
Meanwhile, the “Shift2Games” platform is set to address a crucial need in the region: access to education and resources. As many Balkan countries lack formal institutions dedicated to video game development, the platform will provide tutorials, industry insights, and employment opportunities in local languages, helping young people take their first steps into the industry.
Diverse creators are shaping the Balkan gaming industry
In Albania, the impact of these initiatives is already being felt. Despite the absence of formal education in game development or abundant employment opportunities, the enthusiasm among young people is undeniable.
“The community in Albania has tremendous potential for development. The engagement observed over the past year shows that, despite the lack of educational institutions or mass employment opportunities within Albania, these young people have self-taught themselves to build video games. What is needed is guidance towards building a career in the industry. Both initiatives aim to help with this,” Ghana tells Albania Tech.
The inclusion of creators from various backgrounds in these initiatives is also essential. Gjana pointed out that many young creatives in Albania face challenges when it comes to monetizing their talents in traditional industries.
The global video game industry, however, offers them a new avenue to apply their skills on a much larger scale. With the growing importance of narrative-driven games, musicians, writers, and designers have the chance to contribute to the development of innovative, story-rich games that appeal to a global audience.
Gjana also shared that both initiatives are expected to continue expanding. “Shift2Games” will be available in all Balkan languages by the end of the year, while “Playing Narratives” will begin its next phase in 2025.
