Methodology[DATA COLLECTION]

THIS REPORT HAS BEEN MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF
THE EUROPEAN BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT[ADDITIONAL INTERVIEWS]SGA TEAMPwC Serbia[EDITOR]KRISTINA JANKOVIĆ OBUĆINA,EXECUTIVE MANAGER, SGA[DESIGN]JOVAN PAVLOVIĆJELENA LUGONJA[DATA ANALYSIS]NEVENA RISTIĆPRODUCT MARKETING MANAGERWEBELINX GAMESA detailed questionnaire consisting of 75 questions was sent out to all of our members
directly. The total number of respondents encapsulates 80% of our ecosystem. The
data gathered was processed by a professional data analyst.
The estimations regarding revenue are based on data gathered by PwC Serbia
through 15 interviews with our biggest members. The data allowed for approximationof the revenues in the gaming industry. Stated numbers have the limitation related
to size of the sample and reliability of data obtained through interviews.
NOTE →

PwC Serbia provided support for the research related to revenue within this report. PwC Serbia does
not accept any liability to any party for the contents of the report.

WITH SUPPORT OF PwC Serbia

Table of contents

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6DATASTUDIOSECOSYSTEMEDUCATION
EXPERT ARTICLESOUR NETWORK

PG

PG

PG

PG

PG

PG

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Introduction(4)

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

Introduction
Dear members and stakeholders of the gaming
industry,
This year marks the SGA's fifth anniversary, andwe will celebrate the long road we have traveled
to get here.

Marija Ilić
Board President

Exactly five years ago, the Serbian Games Association was formed by a group of passionate
enthusiasts with a vision to give structure to theexisting local industry. At that time, we were uncertain about where this idea would take us, but
we were certain that with the right community
support, we could make a significant impact on
the whole ecosystem.
It is my great pleasure to present to you the2022 Serbian Gaming Industry Report, whichhighlights the progress and growth of ourindustry over the past year. This report serves as
a comprehensive overview of the current stateof the gaming industry in Serbia, highlighting
the key trends and developments that havetaken place over the past year.
I am pleased to report that the Serbian gaming
industry has continued to grow and thrive, driven
by the passion and creativity of our talented
professionals and the support of our dedicatedpartners. Despite the many challenges we have

faced, including the ongoing pandemic, theindustry has remained resilient and innovative,
adapting to new circumstances and continuing
to deliver exceptional gaming experiences toplayers around the world.
This year's report provides valuable insights
into the performance of the Serbian gaming
industry, including key market trends, thedevelopment of educational programs, small
teams development opportunities, and an
overview of the ecosystem landscape. It is myhope that this report will be a valuable resource
for all those involved in the Serbian gaming
industry, from developers and publishers toinvestors and policymakers.
I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all
those who have contributed to the success of
the Serbian gaming industry over the past year.
Your hard work and dedication have enabled
us to achieve great things, and I look forward
to continuing to work together to build a brightand prosperous future for the industry.
Sincerely,
Marija Ilic

Back to → Table of contents

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DATA

CHAPTER 1

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SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(1 1)(12)Back to → Table of contents

CHAPTER 2

STUDIOS(TEAM OF 80)

www.twodesperados.com↗

TWO
DESPERADOSHIRING NEW TALENTWORKING ON A NEW PROJECTOPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESPLATFORM - MOBILE

Two Desperados is an independent game development studio
based in Belgrade that develops casual mobile games, best known
for marble shooters Viola's Quest and Woka Woka. Our third game
NoNo Crossing was globally released in April 2023. As a picture
puzzle logic game, NoNo expands our portfolio beyond the marble
shooter category, which has been engaging over 30 million players
for years now. Back in 2010 when the studio was founded, we werea bunch of gaming enthusiasts driven by our goal to make the best
casual mobile games and test innovative ideas. We still live by this,
now as a team of 80 people. Tech at core, fun at heart is our motto.
We keep our players curious by constantly evolving their favourite
casual games. Apart from developing games, we’ve been investingin the development of AI in gaming over the past three years, withexciting new paths on the horizon for the AI team that was initiallypart of Two Desperados.

STUDIOS(1 5)

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 140+)↗

www.3lateral.com

3LATERALWORKING ON A NEW PROJECTWE PROVIDE SERVICES

3Lateral, part of Epic Games, is a Novi Sad based company blending
state-of-the-art technologies, artistic vision and full-service solutions
to bring digital humans to life in games, film and TV.
The company has pioneered both hardware and software technologythat produce next-generation digital humans and fantasticalcreatures. 3Lateral’s proprietary acquisition systems for capturing
3D and 4D data, combined with the team’s experience processing
human movement and emotion, has pushed the industry forwardwith believable, life-like characters. The company has made muchof its technology available to creators with the launch of MetaHuman
Creator, a free, cloud-based app that empowers anyone to create
photorealistic digital humans in minutes, complete with hair andclothing. As of January 2022, more than four million characters havebeen produced with the MetaHuman Creator worldwide.
The company demonstrated its next-gen capabilities with the launchof Epic Games’ technical demo ‘The Matrix Awakens: An Unreal Engine
Experience.’ After scanning and capturing performances from Keanu
Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss in the company’s Novi Sad studio, the3Lateral team created the actors’ lifelike digital doubles for the demo
which led many to question: “how do you know what is real?”
Within the ever-growing list of the successful AAA gaming projects,
3Lateral empowered characters have recently starred in Senua’s
Saga: Hellblade II, Resident Evil Village, and more projects yet to bereleased.
In 2024, 3Lateral plans to open the doors of their new campus, acutting-edge workspace for the team to learn, create and innovate.
The campus will also elevate the team’s efforts to support the regional
creators, researchers, and educators interested in Unreal Engine anddigital human-related technologies.

STUDIOS(1 6)

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 20)

www.fortunaesports.org↗

FORTUNAESPORTSOPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESHIRING NEW TALENT

Fortuna Esports is the regional leader when it comes to esports. It
handles event organization, studio and video production as well as
TV and online streaming for international tournaments. Fortuna is
the first regional broadcaster to acquire rights for premium esports
content with the Riot Games’ LoL Esports tournament circuit, Dota 2
The International and CS:GO Majors.
Along with premium esports programming, Fortuna’s portfolio includes
unique entertainment shows created for local audience as well as thebiggest regional esports league – Esports Balkan League (EBL).
So far EBL has distributed over 220.000 EUR in prizes, featured threegame titles (League of Legends, CS:GO and Dota 2) and throughpartnership with Riot Games provided our teams with an official
path to international tournaments in Europe. Most importantly, EBL
broadcasts gather an audience of around 500.000 esports fansevery year.
Since June 2019, Fortuna is operating SK Esports - a brand new 24/7
Sport Klub TV channel created through partnership with UnitedMedia. Its programming includes live broadcasts from the world’s
and region’s largest tournaments, news from the world of gaming,game reviews, popular streamer’s gameplay and entertainmentshows. We are extremely proud that our studio yearly produces morethan 200 live broadcasts, with over 1.000 hours of content.

STUDIOS

(1 7 )SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 170)www.madheadgames.com↗

MAD HEADGAMESHIRING NEW TALENTWORKING ON A NEW PROJECTOPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESPLATFORM - PC / CONSOLES

Mad Head Games is a studio that has come a long way, evolvingfrom an indie, casual games developer to a regional creator of action
games for PC and consoles, with offices in Belgrade, Novi Sad, andSarajevo. Its pioneering pedigree stretches over twelve years andspans 67 games.
In 2020, Mad Head Games became a proud member of Saber Interactive,
a subsidiary of the Embracer Group, meaning they now have a massive
battleship on their side, loaded with great IPs and know-how!
They continue their crusade together, competing for gamer hearts
worldwide by developing games in Unreal Engine, with a burning
ambition to become the leading AAA developer of the SEE region.
On that quest, they pave their way with some exciting projects. Scars
Above, their latest title, is a challenging and immersive 3rd-person
Sci-Fi shooter set in a mysterious alien world to explore. There are also
two new, unannounced games in the making, both based on famousand beloved IPs, which franchises’ fans will eagerly anticipate! Whilethey can't reveal too much just yet, they can promise these titles will
push the boundaries of regional game development and generatesome serious hype.

STUDIOS(1 8)

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 200)↗

www.nordeus.com

NORDEUSHIRING NEW TALENTWORKING ON A NEW PROJECTPLATFORM - MOBILE

Throughout 2022, Nordeus continued its run atop the mobile footballmanagement landscape, with its flagship title Top Eleven continuing
to grow as the world’s top mobile football management simulator.
With 260m+ registrations to date, Top Eleven introduced exciting
in-game updates which challenged fans new and old to showcase
their management skills on the pitch.
In March, Top Eleven introduced the community’s most requested
feature in the game’s history - 3D matches. Transitioning to 3D gives
players a more immersive experience that helps further connect
them to the ultimate dream of running their own football team. Allof this was delivered thanks to the football engine, developed inhouse by a small multidisciplinary team.
Once a true legend on the football pitch, now taking on a newchallenge as a manager,
Xabi Alonso joined José Mourinho as the second face of the game. Top
Eleven celebrated its 12th anniversary, a rare feat for mobile games—and brought a fresh look to the brand along with a reskin of the game.
Nordeus also gave back to the community throughout the year,
partnering first with one of the biggest YouTubers, MrBeast, throughBeast Philanthropy, helping to fly kids from Brazil to participate
in the Street Child World Cup in Qatar. Additionally, as part of#OneSpecialDay, 100 percent of Top Eleven’s UK revenue on the day
was donated to SpecialEffect with the aim of bringing the magic ofgaming into the lives of people with disabilities.
Launched in 2021 with an initial budget of $3 million, the Nordeus
Foundation continued to help set children up for a future in thedigital age by opening four STEAME Makers labs in local Serbian highschools, and launched a digital platform about gaming to help earlytalent turn their love of gaming into a career.

STUDIOS(1 9)

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 60+)↗

www.peaksel.com

PEAKSELOPEN FOR INVESTMENTS
OPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESHIRING NEW TALENTWORKING ON A NEW PROJECTPLATFORM - PC / MOBILE

Peaksel is a video games and apps development and publishingcompany, located in Nis, Serbia. The company was founded in 2012
and today has over 60 full-time employees. They manage a portfolioof over 200 apps and games that have been downloaded more than
500M times.Their portfolio of games includes various casual, virtual
pet and logic puzzle games. In addition, the company has publisheda variety of music, entertainment and utility apps.

STUDIOS(20)

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 300)

wwww.playrix.rs↗

PLAYRIX RSHIRING NEW TALENTWORKING ON A NEW PROJECTPLATFORM - MOBILE

Playrix RS is a casual F2P mobile game development studio from
Novi Sad, Serbia. Playrix RS is a part of the global Playrix group –one of the world’s largest casual mobile gaming companies andthe creators of Gardenscapes, Homescapes, Township, Fishdom,
Wildscapes, and Manor Matters. Playrix games have been in the Top
50 Grossing Apps on Google Play and App Store platforms since they
appeared on the market. The total number of monthly active users
exceeds 100 million! In recent months Playrix has relocated hundredsof its employees, making Serbia the country with the largest Playrix
presence in the world. It is now home to over 300 professionals who
work side by side to develop mobile games of the highest quality. The
core value shared by all team members and the guiding imperative
behind every aspect of our work is quality. Now bigger and better
than ever, Playrix RS continues to nurture team spirit, creativity,transparency, trust, professional and personal development, andresponsibility.

STUDIOS(2 1)

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 200)

www.playstudios.com/belgrade↗

PLAYSTUDIOSEUROPEHIRING NEW TALENTWORKING ON A NEW PROJECTOPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESPLATFORM - MOBILEPLAYSTUDIOS, Inc. is the creator of the groundbreaking playAWARDS
loyalty platform, and a publisher and developer of award-winningmobile games POP! Slots, myVEGAS Slots, myVEGAS Blackjack, my
KONAMI Slots, myVEGAS Bingo, MGM Slots Live and iconic Tetris®
mobile. Today we have 9 studios in USA, South East Asia, Middle Eastand Europe. Playstudios Europe has opened its doors in Belgrade in
2021. We are working on the Pop! Slots, MGM Slots Live and on the
new Tetris® mobile game. We are a dynamic and young-mindedenvironment, blooming with talented developers, creatives, quality
assurance professionals and other leaders working together tochange the face of social gaming!
We create games that surprise, delight and exceed expectations. We
encourage diversity and trust - because we believe that creativity
flourishes in such an environment. We set the industry standard, wedeliver on our promises, we all Play together and we all Play to win.
We won’t always be perfect, but we will always try - because that is
our Way of Play.

STUDIOS(22)

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 0)

www.tinybuild.com↗

TINYBUILDHIRING NEW TALENTPLATFORM - PC

WORKING ON A NEW PROJECT

tinyBuild started as an indie game developer and morphed intoa developer publisher you can't miss. Our dedication to creating
long-term partnerships and elevating recognizable franchises has
resulted in many successful collaborations with talented developersfrom all over the world. The company has released dozens of games,
including Hello Neighbor, Graveyard Keeper, SpeedRunners, andmore. Although headquartered in the Seattle Area, USA, the company
has established a strong global presence with studios across the US,
Netherlands, Latvia, and throughout Eastern Europe.
Historically, tinyBuild’s focus has been on PC & Console titles.
However, we’re always looking for ways to innovate and are open to
unconventional opportunities.
The company listed on the London Stock Exchange as TBLD in
March 2021.

STUDIOS(23)

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 155)↗

www.ubisoft.com

UBISOFTBELGRADE
HIRING NEW TALENTOPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESWORKING ON A NEW PROJECTPLATFORM - PC

Ubisoft Belgrade is not an ordinary gaming studio - we are acommunity of gaming enthusiasts and creatives, who share apassion for games and have the same goal - creating new worlds
for all game lovers. Ubisoft recognized the growing potential of thegame dev community in Serbia and opened its studio in Belgradein 2016. At the beginning, our studio consisted of 10 developers, andseven years later, Ubisoft Belgrade has over 150 employees.
However, as much as we grow, the relaxed atmosphere is still there.
The best evidence are always full terraces at our studio, gaming
corners and, of course, the ping-pong table. Given that, besideprogrammers, our team also includes artists, designers, dev testers,
producers and project coordinators, Ubisoft Belgrade is a group ofpeople with different expertise and experience. We are not even all
gamers. Nevertheless, the important individual contribution thateach of us has to the studio is recognized. Our studio has worked onsome of the biggest Ubisoft titles:
STEEP

THE CREW 2
RIDERS REPUBLIC

GHOST RECON WILDLANDSRAINBOW 6 EXTRACTION

GHOST RECON BREAKPOINTSKULL & BONES

and we are currently working on many new projects including
Assassin’s Creed franchise. Ubisoft’s 20,000 team members, working
across more than 30 countries around the world, are bound by acommon mission to enrich players’ lives with original and memorable
gaming experiences.

STUDIOS(24)

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 79)

www.webelinxgames.com↗

WEBELINXGAMESHIRING NEW TALENTOPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESWORKING ON A NEW PROJECTPLATFORM - MOBILE

Webelinx Games was founded in 2020 in Niš, southern Serbia, with theidea to gather motivated and talented people who love to play andmake games.
We are a 100% bootstrapped, domestic-owned, and independent
mobile gaming studio. Vibrant offices in Niš are the HQ of Webelinx
Games, but we’ve adapted to the hybrid work model too. Currently,
we are striving to enrich our game portfolio and attract talents thatwill help us to always grow. Opening an office in Belgrade is one of thesteps in creating a supportive and well-connected work environmentthat offers the possibility to work from different locations while beingoriented in the same direction.
Our gaming story would not be possible without our amazing teamof product managers, game and content designers, developers,
artists, producers, marketers, analysts, customer support, and quality
assurance pros who are fuelling studios’ explosive growth andnurturing the company culture of playing for each other. Aware of our
responsibility to the local community, we are also working with local
universities in order to provide young talents a place to grow.
Our portfolio is made of casual games: such as escape rooms (Rooms& Exits), logic puzzles (Fun Escape Room), interactive stories, hidden
object games, and sports arcades. In the last 3 years, our games,
available in 21 languages, scored more than 40 million downloads.
As game ideas come from our team, maybe yours can be the next
flagship game by Webelinx Games. If you want to join us, we can't wait
to start a new gaming adventure with you.

STUDIOS(25)

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 8)↗

www.yboga.com

YBOGA
WORKING ON A NEW PROJECTPLATFORM - MOBILE

Founded in Belgrade in mid-2016, Yboga Studio specializes indeveloping simulation and management games for mobile devices.
Our debut game, Dream Hospital, has already garnered over 10
million downloads and continues to be beloved among our players.
The game is currently available on both iOS and Android platforms.
Although the game was released in 2017, we are committed toproviding ongoing support, continuously introducing new andengaging features to keep our audience entertained.
The studio is currently in the final stages of developing a new IP.
Our team is focused on expanding the game's world-building andcrafting unique individual experiences for the players. This new
project will retain some of the features that made Dream Hospital
popular with fans, but also provide new content. Additionally, we've
created an original storyline to accompany the core gameplay.
The in-house technology will empower us to create innovativeand exceptional games faster. Our long-term goal is to become arespected game studio known for producing authentic, high-quality
simulation games for mobile platforms. We hope that the new game
will not only reach the same level of success and adoration as Dream
Hospital but surpass it.

STUDIOS(26)

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 20)(TEAM OF 40)

www.digital-arrow.com

BRAVE GIANT
OPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESLOOKING FOR A PUBLISHER

WORKING ON A NEW PROJECTOPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

BUNKER VFX

ANIMATION AND POSTPRODUCTION STUDIOHIRING NEW TALENTPLATFORM - MOBILEWE PROVIDE SERVICES

Brave Giant was founded in 2012 in Novi Sad, Serbia.
We started as a small development studio with ateam of 5. However, during the years we have grown,
and now count 30 hard-working brave giants. Our
growing team’s singular aim has always been
game development and creating premium quality
video games for PC, Mac, IOS, Android, and Windows
Store. The company is known for its engaging casual
hidden-object puzzle adventure games of all genres.
By gathering talented programmers and artists thathave been dedicated to designing innovative worlds
and vivid storylines, the studio has developed andpublished numerous games world-wide in morethan 10 languages, across all relevant gaming
markets. After years of consecutive successes, it
is expanding its work to new gaming platforms
and gaming forms. Thanks to building strong
partnerships over the years, with the world’s mostrecognized video game companies, Brave Giant
has reached millions of satisfied players all over the
globe, while delivering unique and exciting games
that provide breathtaking gameplay. Our mission isto provide players with stimulating emotional, visual,and intellectual experiences through captivating
immersive worlds that can be enjoyed by a varietyof people. This year we are celebrating our 10th
anniversary and we are looking for many more.

STUDIOSwww.bunkervfx.com

HIRING NEW TALENT

Bunker VFX studio was founded in 2014, in Belgrade, Serbia. From the very first year the studio has been focused on
the production of high-end game trailers and cinematics.
Since the very beginning the studio has started working
intensively on the development of the working environment
and pipeline suitable for this type of production. Thisparticularly meant investing in experienced artists, creating
unique internal pipeline tailored for game trailers and also
investing in hardware and software required for this kindof production. The combination of great internal teamworkof 40 senior artists and trustful external collaboration
resulted after a short period of time in making cinematic
trailers for AAA games. List of our clients include Bethesda
Softworks, Red Barrels, Electronic Arts, Zynga, THQ Nordic,
Warner Bros Entertainment, Rovio Entertainment, Com2Us
etc. Bunker continued with the development of the creative
department, both responding to clients needs and offeringvarious creative solutions in order to achieve exceptional
quality in production.
Our mission is to design exceptional visual stories bycooperating closely with our clients. By carefully choosing
the projects we work on, we thrive to deliver extraordinary
visual content primarily in the field of game cinematics.
Furthermore, we try to build strong, creative and longlasting relationships with our clients that will distinguish ourwork from the rest.

(2 7 )SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 20)(TEAM OF 8)

www.digital-arrow.com

DIGITAL ARROW
OPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

OPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESWORKING ON A NEW PROJECT

www.foxyvoxel.io

FOXY VOXELPLATFORM - PC
OPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESLOOKING FOR A PUBLISHERHIRING NEW TALENTWE DO OUTSOURCING

PLATFORM - PC

WE PROVIDE SERVICES

Digital Arrow was founded in 2015 in Novi Sad,
Serbia with the aim to establish a leader in highquality game production in the region and set a
new bar for quality game experiences.

Foxy Voxel is an independent gamedevelopment studio founded in Novi Sad,
Serbia, in 2019. The team consists of 8 seasoned
game industry professionals that work on a
medieval colony sim/city builder game for
PC - Going Medieval. Set in alternate postapocalyptic medieval Europe, players get toguide a group of survivors while they re-settle
areas reclaimed by nature. Their goal will be
to construct a multi-storey fortress in a land
reclaimed by the wilderness, defend against
raids and keep your villagers happy as theworld will shape their personalities. Going
Medieval was released as an Early Accesstitle on June 1st, 2021, on Epic Game Store,
Steam, and GOG, and in one year, managed
to sell over 600 000 copies. Going Medieval
continues to receive frequent updates every
month while maintaining and expanding its
community and keeping its Steam rating at“Very Positive”.

We are an independent game development
company that produces high-quality games
that are fit for the PC, Console, and VR platforms.
As a small company, we strive to build a cultureof partnership where we support young talentson their professional and personal development
path. That's why we love to collaborate! It guides
our workspace design, the way we put together
lean, flat teams, and how we think about the besttalent. The toughest challenges won’t be solved
alone, so we take pride in working together.
In 2023, Digital Arrow plans to open the doors to
big and interesting projects, and cutting-edge
workspace for the team to learn, create, andenjoy great work! Digital Arrow is welcoming
new team members inspired by the challengeof creating digital forms.
The projects we are most proud of are InMomentum,
Aquanox: Deep Descent, and Titan Quest: Eternal
Embers. In the future, we will work on projects thatare not yet known to the public, but we can't wait
to share more information with you!

STUDIOS(28)

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 35)(TEAM OF 9)

www.sozap.com

SOZAP
OPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

OPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESWORKING ON A NEW PROJECTTUMMY GAMESPLATFORM - MOBILE

OPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

Sozap started out as a small, but passionate
game studio counting 10 developers
and designers. Today, that number has
quadrupled, and its talented employees are
split between two locations, in Nyköping,
Sweden and in Niš, Serbia. With over 30 million
total downloads, including 1 million active
users its flagship product, Armed Heist, draws
in every month, Sozap has established itself
as a regional mobile games development
powerhouse. In 2021, the company launched
a new IP with Legends of Libra, a run and gun
game appealing to a more casual audience.

HIRING NEW TALENTWORKING ON A NEW PROJECT

Tummy Games is a successful gamedevelopment studio from Novi Sad. We create
F2P games, with a special focus on the hypercasual genre.
Big hits like Volley Beans, Slice It All, andPancake Art, which are played by tens of
millions of players, have made us globally
recognized. Farm It is another hit of ours thatyou will find on Apple Arcade, which is theresult of direct cooperation with Apple.
The Voodoo x Tummy Games Academy project,which was the outcome of our collaboration
with the French company Voodoo, is something
we are especially proud of.

In 2021, following a successful IPO, Sozap went
live on the Swedish NASDAQ stock market,
becoming the first gaming company in Serbia
to go public.

We were founded in 2018 by combining theideas and creativity of three passionate
gamers. Today, our company is made up ofa serious group of interesting people who are
deeply committed to their work.

Sozap’s raison d'être is simply to bring thehighest quality digital entertainment to a wideand varied audience. To that end, it continues
to strive for perfection in all its endeavors.

STUDIOSwww.tummygames.com

Our mission is to create fun, easy-to-playgames that players all across the world willgo crazy for!

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SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 15)(TEAM OF 14)

www.school.craterstudio.com

QUBE

CRATER STUDIOOGRANAK CRATER VFX TRAINING CENTER
OPEN FOR INVESTMENTSHIRING NEW TALENT

Qube is an art and development studio specializing incomplete and engaging visual and game experiences. We
create game assets for online, mobile and console games.
Our team brings years of experience to the table to breathe
life into your ideas. We are working with you from early
concept stage to the final release and beyond.

We are an educational center, talent incubator and career partner
providing future and existing VFX, Gaming and CG professionals thenecessary knowledge and support to achieve their goals and advancetheir careers. With practicing professionals and masters at their craft ascourse designers and instructors, we strive to give our students practical,
applicable knowledge while helping them build connections within theindustry and constantly working on new and better ways to play ourpart on their path to excellence. In our 10-year educational experience,
we managed to educate more that 1000 people in fields of graphics
design, motion graphics, vfx and gaming. Besides individual courses,
we provide industry specific education programs, accredited by the
Ministry of Education of Serbia.

We have worked together with our clients to create the art
for award winning mobile games, launched their websites
and seen their products make an impact on the market.

(TEAM OF 9)

www.demagogstudio.com

DEMAGOG STUDIO

www.ooxcit.com

OOX LIMITEDOPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

WORKING ON A NEW PROJECTLOOKING FOR A PUBLISHERHIRING NEW TALENTPLATFORM - PC / MOBILEHIRING NEW TALENTOPEN FOR INVESTMENTS
WORKING ON A NEW PROJECTPLATFORM - MOBILE

Demagog Studio tells stories through video games and animation for a generationthat will

Oox Limited was established in 2021 as a game studio
dedicated to creating entertaining and engaging idle
clicker games for gamers of all ages. "Idle Hooligans:Club Fights" is our debut title, and it was released
recently. Our team is passionate about creating games
that are both simple to learn and difficult to master,allowing our games to be enjoyed by a wide range ofplayers.

live to witness the end times. Our approach to original IP entails: A. a sharp idea
about modern life; B. storytelling with engaging characters; C. rich world-building;
D. stories told through nonlinear media with a focus on gaming. We call thisapproach Constellation Storytelling.
Golf Club: Wasteland was published as an Apple exclusive, drawing attention for its
world-building and original soundtrack Radio Nostalgia from Mars. In 2021 Golf Club:
Wasteland was published on consoles and platforms to critical and commercial
success. The success of the game led to collaborations with two publishers on two
new games in the same universe: Highwater and The Cub.

STUDIOSWE DO OUTSOURCINGWE PROVIDE SERVICES

OPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES(TEAM OF 20)

www.qube3dstudio.com(3 0)

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 19)(TEAM OF 12)

www.ingenious-studios.com

INGENIOUS
STUDIOSOPEN FOR INVESTMENTS
OPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESWE DO OUTSOURCINGCAPSULEGAME STUDIOHIRING NEW TALENTWE PROVIDE SERVICES
PLATFORM - PC / MOBILE

WORKING ON A NEW PROJECTOPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

WORKING ON A NEW PROJECTPLATFORM - MOBILE(TEAM OF 11)

www.matryoshka.com

MATRYOSHKA
HIRING NEW TALENTLOOKING FOR A PUBLISHER

We are a team of enthusiastic young people. Our goal is toopen a production studio to acquire commercial opportunities
in the exponential growth of the technology we use. The fusion
between art and technology will be our focal point, and thegaming industry is the best market for that kind of company.
Our team is developing its first marketable project, an upgradedversion of the game Ludo for Android and iOS mobile platforms
and as a traditional board game.

Ingenious Studios is a team of game designers, artists, anddevelopers, working passionately on something we all love- making games. We are a full-cycle game development
studio with core strength in Unity development, and a deep
understanding of gameplay, game art, and design. Ourservices include developing games from scratch based on
the client’s vision, as well as filling in some game development
roles depending on the project’s needs.

(TEAM OF 15)

www.capsule-studio.com

www.cloudburstgame.com

PHOBOSOPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESPLATFORM - PC / MOBILELOOKING FOR A PUBLISHEROPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

OPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESPLATFORM - PC

WORKING ON A NEW PROJECT

Matryoshka is a developer and publisher of casual games,
located in Novi Sad. Our bestseller is Cooking Craze with 50+
mln downloads. We release games with the world’s favorite
game mechanic — time management. We created Cooking
Live (and a bunch of other games), so people can enjoy travel,
food blogging, and design. We are open to new mechanics,
Web or PC games. Any new idea can be turned into a juicy
project. Matryoshka is infused with a gaming passion and athirst for adventure.

STUDIOS

Phobos is an independent game development studio based in
Belgrade, working on its first title - Cloudburst, a battle-royale/survival hybrid game developed in Unreal Engine. The game’sheavily narrative-driven gameplay is set in a dystopian alternate
reality where players can either compete against one anotherfor scarce but highly valuable resources or form alliances, build
shelters and develop survivor communities and fight backagainst death-sowing mysterious robots and drone swarms.

(3 1)

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 3)(TEAM OF 7)

www.ruevalley.com

EMOTION SPARKSTUDIOLOOKING FOR A PUBLISHERHIRING NEW TALENTWORKING ON A NEW PROJECTSHOSHAGAMESOPEN FOR INVESTMENTS
OPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESWORKING ON A NEW PROJECTOPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESWORKING ON A NEW PROJECT(TEAM OF 8)

www.tripletsadventures.com

www.digitalassettailors.com

DIGITALASSETTAILORSOPEN FOR INVESTMENTS
PLATFORM - MOBILEWE PROVIDE SERVICES

Triplets Adventures is developing educational games, approvedby moms and fun for kids!

DAT is a boutique studio located in Belgrade, Serbia with top
notch quality visual. Being part of projects that represents brands
like Mercedes, Nike, Adidas, Porsche, Swatch, Nissan, etc. saysenough about profile of people and companies trusting DAT.
With almost insane attention to details and always respective
treatment of our clients DAT makes almost every project flawlessride with a perfect outcome.

The game is based on the Triplets Adventures books for children
and follows the adventures of the triplets called Rea, Teo andDora. Each of the 12 worlds in the game, is based on one of the 12
books, which cover different environments where the triples learn
and grow. The first world is called Garden Party and is situated ina backyard of their house.

STUDIOSOPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

Shosha games is a small indie studio that creates
big adventures! Based in Belgrade, Serbia, working
currently on two original games.

TRIPLETSADVENTURESHIRING NEW TALENTLOOKING FOR A PUBLISHER

PLATFORM - PC / MOBILE

PLATFORM - PC

We are a studio founded in January 2020 in Belgrade, Serbia,
made up of talented and ambitious people along with Damir
Durovic, the CEO of Reboot and mastermind of Reboot Develop
Conferences in Europe and Canada. The whole studio carries
years of experience in the gaming industry that includes design, development, management as well as shipping a game.

(TEAM OF 4)

www.shoshagames.com(32)

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 14)(TEAM OF 2)

www.tendertroupe.com

TENDERTROUPEHIRING NEW TALENT

www.digitalronin.rs

DIGITAL RONIN
OPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

WORKING ON A NEW PROJECTWORKING ON A NEW PROJECTPLATFORM - PC / MOBILE

PLATFORM - PC / MOBILE

Digital Ronin is a Belgrade-based indie team developing a gamethat combines chess mechanics with fantasy elements. The
chess-like mechanics of the game create a strategic and tacticalexperience that challenges players to think ahead and anticipate
their opponent's moves. This gameplay is complemented by
the fantasy setting and figures, which provide an immersive andenjoyable experience. Studio aspires to make the game appealing
to chess and fantasy lovers,but also those seeking something new.

Tender Troupe develops and publishes games for the growing
adult free-to-play niche. It is known for its unique and memorable
Western-based art style, endearing character design, and fast
paced, witty storylines. Their live games Booty Farm, Kink.inc,
and Long Lost Lust are regularly visible on relevant top charts.
They deliver highly visual live events weekly, making them someof the most content-rich titles available in the genre. Tender
Troupe games are designed with a mature player in mind

(TEAM OF 8)(TEAM OF 1)

www.gamebizconsulting.com

GAMEBIZ
CONSULTING

KERBERGAMESWE PROVIDE SERVICESGameBiz Consulting is a leading boutique consulting firm
for the video games industry. We offer a wide range ofservices, including video game business development, admonetization, and tax and financial advisory tailored to theneeds of game developers. Our team of consultants, led
by CEO and founder Nikola Čavić, has years of experiencein the video game industry, and has established itself as atrusted partner for gaming companies worldwide.

STUDIOSwww.kerbergames.com

LOOKING FOR A PUBLISHEROPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

OPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESWE PROVIDE SERVICES

Kerber Games is an indie board game design studio based in
Serbia. We cherish humor, out-of-the-box thinking, almost toxic
attention to detail, and creativity. Our team has developed asocial game, Final Challenge, available in Serbian and English.
We are on a quest of finding a licensing partner for the game.

(33)

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 3)(TEAM OF 2)

www.pixquake.com

PIXQUAKE

ARS LUDIWORKING ON A NEW PROJECTOPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

PLATFORM - PC

OPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESWORKING ON A NEW PROJECT

PixQuake is a game developing studiofrom Belgrade, Serbia, creating casual
games of various genres.

(TEAM OF 30)

www.arsludigames.com

Ars ludi games is company for creating, publishing, distribution andpromotion of board games and board gaming. As our first game
Heraldica came out in 2022 we are ready to for more projects in
2023. We are preparing our first kickstarter, have prepared one moregame for publication and also are working on few collaborations
with other publishing houses.

(TEAM OF 260)

www.allcorrectgames.com

ALLCORRECT

www.sperasoft.com

SPERASOFTA KEYWORDS STUDIOOPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESOPEN FOR INVESTMENTS
WE DO OUTSOURCING

OPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESWE PROVIDE SERVICESWE PROVIDE SERVICESWORKING ON A NEW PROJECT

Allcorrect has been producing top-tier content for video games since 2008. From juicy 2D and 3D graphics tocreative text localizations and believable voice-overs,
everything we do immerses the player in the game andtriggers the dopamine kick.

STUDIOSHIRING NEW TALENT

Sperasoft is a leading game development company headquarteredin Burbank, CA. We offer fully international development capabilities
with comprehensive professional teams that are constructed withthe best producers, engineers, designers, and artists in the gaming
industry. Sperasoft is a part of Keywords studios – international
technical and creative services provider to the global video games
industry and beyond. Our partners and clients: Ubisoft, Microsoft,
Warner Brothers, 343 Industries, Riot Games, Electronic Arts, Sony,
BioWare, Blizzard, and many others.

(34)

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 25)(TEAM OF 13)

www.wattstudio.art

WATT STUDIOOPEN FOR INVESTMENTS
WORKING ON A NEW PROJECT

HORA
GAMES

OPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESPLATFORM - PC

OPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

WE DO OUTSOURCING

WORKING ON A NEW PROJECT

Our studio of 25 passionate people is willing to deliver good vibes in the world.
We achieve it by creating games, CG and Motion Capture.

Pioneers of the play-to-earning gaming genre
with a focus on merging blockchain and gaming!
We strive to bring a unique crypto gaming
experience to your mobile device.

We gathered for a single project 2018, but in the end decided to keep such agreat team and continue to solve the most crazy and complex tasks. We tested
our skills and capabilities, experimenting with Unreal Engine and capturing themost interesting movements in motion capture.

With our first project, Crypto Idle Miner, wemanaged to bring closer the idea of earning
while having fun to around 1 000 000 players
across the globe.

It was cool, but we were really looking forward to telling our own touching stories. So we thought that games are the best tool for us. We have finished our firstgame — One Day More.
And we are proud to say that we continue to tell kind and interesting stories withunique visual style and exciting gameplay.

(TEAM OF 17)

Currently, we are working on multiple interconnected projects within horaverse.xyz(TEAM OF 5)

www.springonionstudio.com

SPRINGONION STUDIO

www.instagram.com/studiobedem

STUDIOBEDEM

WE DO OUTSOURCINGLOOKING FOR A PUBLISHEROPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

WE PROVIDE SERVICES

OPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESPLATFORM - PC

WORKING ON A NEW PROJECT

Spring Onion Studio specializes in 3D Animation, Game Art
and Cinematic Production. Our game trailer and cinematic
production pipeline cover a wide range of game marketing
services - 3D art, concept art, character development,
animation and game cinematics. The team consists ofcreative and technical minds who love being challenged
by complex and original cinematic concepts.

STUDIOShoragames.com

We are a small indie development team from Belgrade, Serbia working
on Old-School RPG projects. We specialize in creating meaningful
and unforgettable stories and unique and fun gameplay. Our current
game Inferus is a nod to the classics like Baldur's Gate and PlanescapeTorment, with a focus on world-building and character development
as well as a one-of-a-kind combat system that combines strategy,
positioning, and tactical creativity into a perfect blend of thrillingstory-telling with progressive challenges.

(35)

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 7)(TEAM OF 5)

www.bohemianpulp.com

BOHEMIAN
PULP
LOOKING FOR A PUBLISHEROPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

OPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESPLATFORM - PC

MATERRIYATALENT DEVELOPMENTOPEN FOR INVESTMENTS
OPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES

Materriya helps creative businesses identify and solve challenges in talentdevelopment, recruitment, community building, training, and provides
support in devising education programs and networking events.

WORKING ON A NEW PROJECT

Prior to forming the company, the team led many successful programs
designed to support digital artists in Media and Entertainment, including
the production of courses, internships, boot camps, and events as part of
Crater Studio and its training center. They manage education initiatives
around Unreal Engine and collaborate with pioneering tech companies
such as Autodesk, Foundry, and Side FX. The team Materriya with its
associates stand behind the CGA International Computer Graphics andArts conference.

An indie gamedev studio creating emotional,
immersive, and interactive experiences that leavea lasting impression.

(TEAM OF 8)(TEAM OF 5)

www.tria.rs

TRIA
OPEN FOR INVESTMENTS
WORKING ON A NEW PROJECT

www.stygiansoftware.com

STYGIANSOFTWAREWE PROVIDE SERVICESWE DO OUTSOURCING

OPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESOPEN FOR INVESTMENTS
PLATFORM - PC

We are a creative studio based in Belgrade and founded
by a team of industry wizards with a love for games andinteractive multimedia. Our job is to push your brand above
the fold using innovation and creativity. The team will takethe best parts of your game and combine them into an
immersive experience in the form of Playable and Video
Ads that will pull the user straight to the “Install” button.

STUDIOSWE PROVIDE SERVICES

We’re a small indie company basedin Belgrade, Serbia. We make oldschool turn-based isometric RPGs.

(3 6)

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 14)

www.aparteko.com

APARTEKOHIRING NEW TALENTWORKING ON A NEW PROJECTWE PROVIDE SERVICES
OPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESWE DO OUTSOURCING
PLATFORM - MOBILE

Aparteko is a creative and highly professional
company with many successful projects thathave gone through a complete process frombusiness idea to high profitability.

(TEAM OF 9)

www.flathillgames.com

FLAT HILLGAMESOPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

WORKING ON A NEW PROJECTOPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES

Flat Hill Games is a small indie game development studio specializedin VR/AR games. We are a team of software engineers and artists
passionate about games and gathered around VR/AR technology.
The studio was founded in 2018 by experienced people from thegame industry to create games exclusively for VR platforms. The
company’s first game Clash of Chefs VR started with early access in
September 2018 and was published in September 2021 to all major VR
platforms such as Oculus, Steam and Viveport with great success.

STUDIOS

(3 7 )SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 1)

www.nikolanikitajeremic.com(TEAM OF 5)

WAVEFORMSTUDIOTECTONICGAMES STUDIO

WE DO OUTSOURCINGLOOKING FOR A PUBLISHERWE PROVIDE SERVICES(TEAM OF 1)

www.tectonicgamesstudio.com

BRANISLAVGAGICOPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

WORKING ON A NEW PROJECT

www.branislavgagic.com

WE DO OUTSOURCING(TEAM OF 1)

www.oraharo.com

ORAHAROENTERTAINMENTWORKING ON A NEW PROJECTWE PROVIDE SERVICES

PLATFORM - PC

PLATFORM - PC / MOBILE

OPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES

Waveform studio, owned by composer/
sound designer Nikola Nikita Jeremic
provides services of music compositionand sound design. With 10 years ofexperience in the industry, the list of credits
include AAA and Indie titles such as Destiny
2, Destiny 2 Warmind, Cyberpunk 2077,
Stray Blade, WH40K Chaos Gate, WH40K
Battlefleet Gothic Armada 2, Graven, Turbo
Overkill, Hellpoint, and many others...

(TEAM OF 9)

www.instagram.com/am.pm.games

AM-PM
GAMES
WORKING ON A NEW PROJECTPLATFORM - PC

Tectonic Games Studio is a gamedevelopment team focused on making
story driven PC games. SpellTome is thecurrent game we are working on, which
was recently submitted for the GDWC
2022 competition in the Indie gamecategory.

(TEAM
OF 10)

www.fishingmaniacs.adreamation.com

STUDIOS(TEAM OF 1)

ADREAMATIONGAMESLOOKING FOR A PUBLISHER

www.webmastergm.iz.rs

WEBMASTERGMLOOKING FOR A PUBLISHEROPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESOPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESPLATFORM - MOBILE

WORKING ON A NEW PROJECTWE PROVIDE SERVICES

Why AM-PM? Because every time is agreat time for gaming. AM-PM above allvalues good gameplay, followed by originality and experimenting with various
mechanics.

Branislav Gagić is a composer for video
games and other media. He is passionate
about taking his listeners on a musicaljourney, by creating tracks that inspire theimagination.

WE DO OUTSOURCING

Oraharo Entertainment is a small Belgradestudio, currently with only one teammember and one published title. “Euler the
Elephant” is their first iOS/Android gamelaunched for the global market.

(TEAM OF 3)

www.dexsoft-games.com

DEXSOFTGAMESOPEN FOR INVESTMENTSHIRING NEW TALENTWE DO OUTSOURCINGWE PROVIDE SERVICES

PLATFORM - PC / MOBILE

Keeping the flame of creativity alive

WebmasterGM is developer ofmultilingual educational music
game for kids Music Box Plus.

(38)

Dexsoft Games - 3D models Outsourcing
Studio. Our mission is to support the journey of game developers, creators and artists with outstanding functional 3D models and continuous professional support.
Our modular products save time and give
developers the tools they need to create
unique games.

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAMOF 3)

www.stalprojectcompany.wixsite.com

STAL PROJECTOPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

www.moonburntstudio.com

(TEAM
OF 1)

MOONBURNTPLATFORM - PC / MOBILEWE PROVIDE SERVICESLOOKING FOR A PUBLISHER
PLATFORM - PC

www.artstation.com/babybottlestudio(TEAM OF 3) www.linkedin.com/company/senshout

BABYBOTTLESTUDIOOPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESWORKING ON A NEW PROJECTWE DO OUTSOURCING(TEAM OF 2)

OPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

LOOKING FOR A PUBLISHEROPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESWE PROVIDE SERVICESWORKING ON A NEW PROJECTWE DO OUTSOURCINGSENSIBLESHOUTING
WORKING ON A NEW PROJECTPLATFORM - PC / MOBILE"StAl Project" company is small family businesswith one lead member and only few remoteco-workers, with creative vision to make new
innovative style in automotive design, vehicle
styling and very actractive integration with
racing video game industry. Because of thatcompany have mission to make new 3D stylein racing and rally video games, with special
maked car/vehicle models.

(TEAM OF 2)

www.youtube.com

ESCAPEGAME SHOW
OPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

PLATFORM - PC

BabyBottle Studio was founded as a resultof a huge appreciation for video games andmany years of work on different projects,
ranging from video production to 3D gamegraphics. The studio offers outsourcing
services for different platforms (Virtual
Reality, HoloLens 2, Augmented Reality,
mobile, PC). The studio is also developing
an adventure game “Mini Quest” as acollaboration project.

SenShout provides quality voice acting,voice-over, education and consulting
services for gaming industry players, big
and small.

(TEAM OF 1)(TEAM OF 1) www.linkedin.com/in/ngarabandic(TEAM OF 1)

TOKUPOPLOOKING FOR A PUBLISHERHARPOONGAMESOPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

WORKING ON A NEW PROJECTWORKING ON A NEW PROJECTPLATFORM - PC

STUDIOSWE DO OUTSOURCING

A solo gamedev making a game with anadvanced destruction system - Excidio
The Kaiju Simulator.

WE PROVIDE SERVICES

www.kukuru3.dev

KUKURU3
OPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

PLATFORM - PC

LOOKING FOR A PUBLISHER

PLATFORM - PC / MOBILE

Providing Game development & Game
Design services for premium clients.

(39)

WE DO OUTSOURCINGWE PROVIDE SERVICES

Moonburnt Studio is an independent gamedevelopment studio. In 2016 we raised over
40,000€ through a Kickstarter campaign
for the development of “COLUMNAE: A Past
Under Construction”, a narrative-focused
non-linear point & click adventure set in a
post-apocalyptic steampunk-ish world.

OPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES

Escape Game Show YouTube channel
is promoting PC Games trough Reviews
and Live Streams. Our content is alsobroadcasting on two TV channels: Sport
Klub Esports (Serbia, Croatia, Macedonia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro andSlovenia) and Game Hub (Croatia).

OPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESOPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

A solo indie developer making original
games.

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 40)

www.marbleit.rs(TEAM OF 16)

MARBLE IT(TEAM OF 1)

www.infinitygames.tech

INFINITY
GAMES

www.markokacanski.com

STUDIODON QUIXOTE(TEAM OF 5)

www.southgamesstudio.com

SOUTH GAMESSTUDIOWE PROVIDE SERVICES
OPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

LOOKING FOR A PUBLISHEROPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

OPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESWORKING ON A NEW PROJECTPLATFORM - PC

Marble IT is an environment full ofexperienced teams of diverse backgrounds
and expertise who are building digital worldchanging products and games.

(TEAM OF 20)

www.gravity-code.com

GRAVITYCODE
D.O.O.
OPEN FOR INVESTMENTS
PLATFORM - MOBILEWE PROVIDE SERVICESWE DO OUTSOURCING

OPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESGRAVITYCODE is a mobile game development and publishing company based in
Nis, Serbia. We specialize in creating, publishing and marketing of mobile games
and apps for Android, iOS, Windows andOculus devices.

STUDIOSInfinity Games is a blockchain protocol andecosystem that enables the interoperabilityof decentralized applications. Our uniqueproposal is that graphical models of all
digital assets are shared between theecosystem participants. The same digitalassets (NFTs) will be used in different
games, and they will keep the same lookand feel.

(TEAM OF 4)(TEAM OF 1)BYTEKINEMATICSLOOKING FOR A PUBLISHEROPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

WE DO OUTSOURCING

PLATFORM - PC / MOBILE

WORKING ON A NEW PROJECT

www.fatpugstudio.com

PLATFORM - PC

www.remote-human.com

REMOTE HUMAN(ALKONOST TEAM)LOOKING FOR A PUBLISHEROPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESWE PROVIDE SERVICESWE PROVIDE SERVICES

Byte Kinematics is a versatile gaming
studio that takes pride in delivering highquality work to clients while creating
innovative and engaging indie titles. Since
our establishment in 2016, we have gained
extensive experience in the gaming industry
and have worked on a variety of projects
across multiple platforms, including PC,
mobile, and console.

One man indie developer(4 0)

WE DO OUTSOURCING

Game development outsourcing studiothat provides full-cycle game development services. Our game development
outsourcing services provide a seamlesssolution for bringing your game to market.

(TEAM OF 5)

FAT PUGSTUDIO
WORKING ON A NEW PROJECTWE PROVIDE SERVICESWORKING ON A NEW PROJECTWE DO OUTSOURCING

Studio Don Quixote was established to achieve
the objectives in the field of game, cinema the production of short and feature games
and films; educate members through theworkshops, to raise the level of digital culture
and for organizing game festivals. Objectivesof the studio are: promotion of digital culture,promotion of the games, film, education of
citizens, especially children and youth in gameand filmmaking.

www.bytekinematics.com

OPEN FOR INVESTMENTS

OPEN FOR INVESTMENTS
WORKING ON A NEW PROJECTWE DO OUTSOURCING

Remote Human is specialized in the
metaverse, artificial intelligence, andvirtual reality technologies. Currently, they
are developing Code Alkonost, a Slavic
mythology-inspired video game thatwill be the next-generation immersive
experience
combining
photorealistic
graphics and cutting-edge technologies.

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

(TEAM OF 2)

www.afternoongames.com

AFTERNOONGAMESWORKING ON A NEW PROJECT(TEAM OF 2)(TEAM OF 4)

www.programiko.com

PROGRAMIKOLOOKING FOR A PUBLISHEROPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESWORKING ON A NEW PROJECTPLATFORM - PC / MOBILE

www.euclideanstudios.com

EUCLIDEAN
STUDIOS
WORKING ON A NEW PROJECTPLATFORM - PC / MOBILE

PLATFORM - PC

(TEAM OF 1 5)

www.wasiona.com

WASIONASTUDIOOPEN FOR INVESTMENTS
OPEN FOR MEDIA INQUIRIESPLATFORM - PC

Two brothers who enjoy working on games!
Currently, we’re working on a game called
Cody’s Nightmare.

(TEAM OF 6)

HIRING NEW TALENT

Programiko is an indie dev studio forgames development focused on creating
quality casual and puzzle games. The purpose of these games is meant to be educational and entertaining too.

Euclidean Studios is a video game developer headquartered in Belgrade, Serbia
consisting of film-makers turned gamedevelopers. They are currently producing their debut title "Nazralath: The Fallen
World".

WE DO OUTSOURCING
WORKING ON A NEW PROJECT

Wasiona studio is exploring new ways in
how gaming and blockchain can be connected and implemented. We are working
on in-house AA multiplayer shooter called"Ascend the End".

www.stickandrope.com

STICK&ROPE
STUDIOPLATFORM - MOBILEWE DO OUTSOURCINGWE PROVIDE SERVICES

Stick&Rope is software development company, mostly focused on gamification of
the education and marketing. We are experts in WebGL, mobile and web3 space.

STUDIOS(41)

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

Back to → Table of contents

CHAPTER 3

ECOSYSTEM

Ecosystem(4 3)

Supporting the Gaming StarsEBDRSUPPORTING
THE GAMINGSTARSThe EBRD provides support to businesses

and economies through financial investments, businessservices and involvement in high-level policy reform,
promoting entrepreneurship and resilience. Moreover,
EBRD reaches over 200,000 small and medium-sizedenterprises (SMEs) annually through +€1 billion in direct
and indirect financing, but also provides businessadvisory services to over 2,200 small businesses a year
across the regions of operation. Moreover, the Bank has

extended its focus, beyond SMEs, to the early-stage
business space, investing in a number of young venture
capital funds in the regions and mobilising know-how
through the Star Venture Programme.
EBRD Star Venture Programme is designed to help highpotential companies that are at the early stages of theirlife cycles, when business know-how and mentorshipare greatly needed, with the involvement of regional
accelerators and local advisory. In the region of Western

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

Balkans, the Programme was launched in late 2019.
Following the initial support by Luxembourg – through
EBRD Small Business Impact Fund (SBIF), the additional
funding was provided by EU Western Balkans Investment
Framework - Western Balkans Enterprise Development
and Innovation Facility (WB EDIF) in 2022.
The Programme is implemented in partnership with identified partner organizations
from the region, such as selected regional
accelerators respectively ICT HUB Serbia, Innovation Center Kosovo
and others with the aim
to better serve startups coming from bothpre-scaling and scalingstage of business. Overthe last four years, theStar Venture community has been continuously growing and now
counts 31 high-potential
start-ups and 16 partner
regional acceleratorsand business supporting organizations in theWestern Balkans, who
are directly benefittingfrom advisory and capacity-building services. So far, more than 25
marketdevelopment
activities were started
to improve the regional ecosystem, but also
to enhance partner accelerators’ operations
and management, digitize their businessactivities (event management, dealing withstart-ups, fund-raising, education etc.) andenhance their resilience to crisis-induced
ecosystem changes. Moreover, the Star Venture programme aims to, through the partnership with local and regional stakeholders,
support early stage companies by providing

the delivery of a range of advisory services,
capability building and know-how transfer
by mobilizing external consultants including
local consultants and international mentors.

Serbian Games Association was recognizedby the programme as one of the key regional partners
because of its focus on supporting and capacity building of the SMEs and all other players (educational, civilsociety, government, etc.) involved in not just the gamedevelopment in Serbia and the region, but in wider
ecosystem development througheducation, talent management,
networking and advocacy andresearch. The gaming industry as
such marks a growing trend andhas huge boosting potential in
Serbia and region. Since prospective innovative and fast-growing
businesses are fundamental todeveloping the economies in theregion, the programme will besupporting start-ups and helping
them achieve their potential.

EBRD Star Venture
Programme isdesigned to help
high-potential
companies that areat the early stages of
their life cycles, whenbusiness know-how
and mentorship are
greatly needed, with
the involvement ofregional acceleratorsand local advisory.

What is certainly at this point recognized as necessary on the levelof ecosystem are the additional
specialized assistance for global
scaling, further investments andthe opening of new sources of financing for developing projects.
EBRD Star Venture believes is time
to put a strong spotlight on theWestern Balkans start-up sky andgaming industry is for sure recognized as one of the most shining
pieces that will make the whole economy shine andrise in future.

Ecosystem

Unlocking synergies & values through M&A - The outlook of the gaming industry(4 4)

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

In 2020, M&A
activity ingaming wasapproximately$34 billion.

Tanja Kuzman
Director for Digital,
Startups & Innovation,
PwC Serbia

UNLOCKINGSYNERGIES &VALUES THROUGH
M &A
THE OUTLOOK OF THE
GAMING INDUSTRY

The revenue of the global gaming industry in 2026 isestimated at $321 billion according to PwC’s Global
Entertainment and Media Outlook 2022-26. Thisestimation is primarily based on the expected growth of
the social/casual video gaming with YoY growth of 10%.

Notwithstanding, M&A activity over the last three years
indicates that the ‘gaming pie’ will grow and that theplayers from the tech space will be entering the gaming
market more often. The reason stemming behind ispartly related to a huge existing user base that is easier
to market than the one that needs to be acquired.

This represented a positive
trend for the industry despite
the overall contraction of the
global market activity as aconsequence of COVID-19.
The upward trend in thevolume and size of M&A transactions in gaming was
related to an increase in the number of new gamers.
Even though the absolute number sounds impressive,
the total value of disclosed transactions in the gaming
industry represented ~1.5% of the overall global M&A
activity in 2020.

The shift in the M&A market happenedin 2021 with the all-time record value of$5.9 trillion and YoY growth rate of 64%
percent. Similarly, to all segments, thesize of the disclosed deals in the gaming
industry increased. The increase was
10%, accounting for $38 billion.
The strong growth of the overall M&A activity slowed
down in 2022 due to drop of the confidence in themarket, with sharp declines of stock market indicesand increase in interest rates. However, M&A in thegaming industry grew to above $100 billion, thehighest value ever.
It all started in January 2022 with theannouncement of three multi-billion-dollar
deals. First announcement came fromTake-Two Interactive Software Inc. about
the intention to acquire Zynga in a $12.7
billion deal. This deal for Take-Two was acontinuation of their efforts to increase their
exposure in the mobile gaming space. The
transaction was completed successfully.
Second announcement came from Microsoft
announcing intention to acquire Activision
Blizzard Inc. for $68.7 billion, the largest
transaction in the gaming industry ever. Thistransaction is not yet completed since the
US and the UK regulators are considering
potential disruption of competition in thismarket segment. Third announcement camefrom Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC to buy
Bugle Inc. with a transaction value of $3.6 billion
being completed in July 2022. Sony aimed
to integrate the expertise and technology
regarding live game services developed by
Bungle Inc.
Market data and the gaming ecosystem signal a potential
contraction of the revenue streams as a consequence ofthe external factors (e.g., inflation impact on consumer
spending). Down the line this might lead to a decreaseof the overall value of the purchased microtransactions
as well as the number of new gamers. The M&A activity
in Q12023 indicates the slowdown. It is expected for the
gaming transactions to pick up pace in the second
half of the year with further market consolidation andannounced intentions of certain market players.

Source of data: PwC Global Entertainment and Media Outlook
2022-26 Report, Global Gaming Report 2021 & 2022 Drake Star,
Microsoft/Take-Two/Sony announcements & news.

Ecosystem(4 5)SUPERCLUSTERS - central points for innovation growth

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

SERBIA INNOVATESThe innovation path to a
successful market positioning
often feels like playing chesswhile on a roller coaster.
Igor Graić
Project
Coordinator

↑

R
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P
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U
S
L
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S
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CENTRAL POINTSFOR INNOVATIONGROWTHThe Supercluster model is designed tosignificantly mitigate the rollercoaster
effects, with numerous organizations
bringing their own ecosystem insights
and all with the same vision - bringing
the Serbian ecosystem closer to
global recognition. Within the Serbia
Innovates project, conducted by ICT
Hub and with the support of USAID,
four new innovation platforms haverisen since June 2022.
Pilot superclusters were chosen in
the four most promising domains in
Serbia: high-tech agriculture & foodproduction; gaming environment &VR; web3 and blockchain technologies, and advanced solutions inmedical technology & biotechnology. It was evident that each of these
domains has already gathered a vibrant community of individuals dedicated to the topic, and in the springof 2022, our impression was confirmed. Over
100 members coming from various maturecompanies, startups, scientific academic organizations, and support organizations, united into four pilot superclusters and designed
more than 70 project units in order to facilitate
the continued growth of the local ecosystem.
Despite each pilot supercluster recognizing thespecific challenges within their domains, they all
shared a common goal of empowering talented individuals to enter the world of innovationand seize new opportunities. This is particularly
relevant for Serbia, as the latest data from the
Global Entrepreneurship Monitor suggests thatthe country ranks in the middle (27th place outof 54 countries analyzed), with the lowest-rated
indicators relating to education, business training, and technology transfer.

high-techagriculture &foodproduction;
PILOT
gamingSUPERCLUSTERS environment
were chosen in↑& VR;
the four mostpromisingdomains in
Serbia:↑web3 andblockchain
technologies,
and advanced
solutions in medical
technology &biotechnology.

Ecosystem(4 6)Name of the article

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

What is the crucial
factor for theprosperity ofinnovation
ecosystems?

for integration between the industry andacademia, as well as related fields like data
science and film post-production. Through its
pilot phase, Creative Tech became a prominentorganization for individuals seeking to pursue
a career in gaming, offering diverse shortprograms, business mentorship for young
teams, and master classes.

The experiences of similar initiatives tellus that the first results can be seen over a
period of five to ten years. The aim of the "Serbia

This heavily influenced the initiation of
the process of accreditation of new study
programs, as well as the revision andmodernization of existing curricula. In
addition, numerous informal educational
programs were launched over the past six
months, such as boot camps, entrepreneurial
programs for scientists, and programs for
employees in the domains, and caused
great interest, even outside the specificdomain. In addition to the pilot superclusters'
efforts to improve educational programs,
they organized acceleration programs thatbrought experts from the country and theworld, launched regulatory initiatives theimplementation of which would significantly
improve ecosystems.

It comes as no surprise that gaming drew our attention
as one of the most perspective industries in Serbia. The
domestic video game production sector is one of theleading niches of the creative and ICT industry. It is not
only that these companies have created great value
for the national economy in the past years, but they
have also brought a whole new set of professions.
The gaming industry in Serbia, which is rapidly
expanding, encounters persistent recruitment
challenges due to the mismatch between the
educational system and the latest technologies.
To address this issue, Creative Tech Serbia
supercluster identified a promising opportunity

Innovates" project is to expedite that process, andthe initial indications of its potential for acceleration
are already visible in the pilot year. Guided by
the experience of Canadian superclusters, pilot
superclusters defined their activities through five
strategic directions: Technological leadership, Talentdevelopment, Partnerships for growth, Access toinnovation resources, and Global presence.
Besides the Serbia Innovates project
partners, the private sector played a majorrole in the realization of the supercluster
activities so far and will pursue being astrategic contributor to all these initiatives.
The way companies gathered aroundthe superclusters and allocated their own
financial resources and expertise to support
pilot activities. This confirms the necessity ofthese cooperative projects and gives hopethat superclusters will respond positively
to upcoming challenges, particularly thoserelated to sustainability and resilience.

Successful
innovation
ecosystems are like livingorganisms- constantly
changing, evolving, andadapting. The ability of
an innovative ecosystem
to adapt must be greater than the degree of changes
dictated by external factors so that the ecosystem
would have the possibility not only to survive but also
to position itself in the market as well as possible. Our
ultimate goal is to support the development of theentire innovation ecosystem in order to advance toward
technological leadership and global recognition of
Serbia as an ecosystem that creates not only great
products but also technologies and concepts thatcreate the foundation for the next generations, bringing
value to organizations and society as a whole.

Ecosystem(4 8)Video Games - Licensing Assets

KARANOVIĆ AND PARTNERS

Nikola Kliska
Head of IP

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LICENSINGASSETS

Video games have come a long way, from simple

2D graphics to complex 3D environments, realistic
physics, and advanced AI. Third-party software canhelp game developers add new features, optimize
performance, or reduce development time and cost.
However, using third-party video game assets alsocomes with risks and challenges.
Asset licensing is a process in which agame developer obtains the rights to use
existing artwork, such as character designs,
backgrounds, or other audio and visual
assets, in their video game.
One of the primary issues with the licensing is the cost.
Obtaining the right to use pre-existing artwork can be
expensive, mainly if the artwork is from a well-known

franchise or brand. Some licensors may require apercentage of the game’s revenue or demand significant
upfront fees, which can impact the game’s profitability.
Moreover, licensors may also require a certain level ofquality and fidelity for the artwork to be used in the game,
which can add to the development costs.
There are also seductive schemes that allow
you to acquire licenses for music and art
without a fee, but only to some extent (e.g.
first 10,000 users). Once the initial limit issurpassed, a different regime is applied, andgame developers become liable for licensing
fees. There are no “reminders” that would
nudge the developers to start paying theroyalty, which creates risk for IP infringement
and requests for different compensation.

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

In huge teams, the risk is even higher if internal visual
artists “borrow” some artwork like this, without telling
the team leader the source of the work.
If a game developer uses artwork without
proper licensing or permission, it can result
in reputational issues and legal action fromthe copyright holder. The recent case ofArchangel’s Bleak Faith: Forsaken raised theattention of the community. What happened?
According to the publicly available data, an
indie developer, Archangel, launched Bleak
Faith: Forsaken in March 2023. FromSoft
reached out and pointed out there are
significant similarities between the assets.
Archangel responded: “As a three-person
studio, it has helped speed up development
time to utilize the Epic Marketplace. Only
about 10% of the game has been outsourced,
including some animations, VFX, and audio.”.
Apparently, Epic was not in a position to
verify the rights, so Archangel independently
initiated the replacement process. Thisapproach gave them respect and support in
the gaming community. However, it gives us
all a lesson that the source has to be always
double-checked.
Furthermore, using licensed artwork can limit a gamedeveloper’s creative freedom. Game developers may
be required to adhere to strict guidelines regarding
how the artwork can be used, modified, or portrayedin the game. This can limit the developer’s ability tocreate a unique and original game experience.
In conclusion, art licensing can be a useful
tool for game developers to add high-quality
audiovisual assets quickly and easily to theirgames. However, it can also come with several issues, such as cost, legal disputes, andcreative limitations. Therefore, game developers must carefully evaluate the pros andcons of using licensed artwork and ensurethat they comply with all legal requirements
and licensing agreements to avoid issues
down the line.

If a gamedeveloper
uses artwork
without proper
licensing or
permission, it
can result in
reputational
issues andlegal action
from thecopyright
holder.

Ecosystem(4 9)

ART OR NOT: (IP) Issues central to the current boycott of AI-generated content

ROTR
A N OT(IP)
ISSUES CENTRALTO THE CURRENT
BOYCOTT OF
AI-GENERATEDCONTENTSCHOENHERR

Andrea Radonjanin
PartnerOver the past months, we have witnessedstrong criticism of ArtStation, now snowballing into a
mass "No to AI-generated images" protest joined bythousands of professional and amateur artists. They
are demanding the removal of AI-generated content,
and while stock image services (including Shutterstockand Getty Images) have already banned AI-images
due to copyright issues, the owner of ArtStation Epic
Games is not budging for now.

The rising antagonism in the artistic community seems
far from speculative, as several fundamental concerns
have already been voiced – some of a moral nature,others purely legal. Ethical arguments revolve aroundthe fear from devaluation of human work, and could
be summed up as
because simply clicking on a button
to generate an image is not a creative endeavour. In
fact, in that sense AI does not really "create" something

contrary of art

AI-generated content is the

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

new – it simply looks at available art and then mixes
it into something else. Against that background, artists feel that AI-generated images demean their work,
skills, and efforts, and undermine the time and talentthat goes into art.
Beyond the philosophical and moral aspectsof creativity, there are also deeper legal issues.
One aspect concerns the (potentially) unfair
competition that traditional artists are now
facing – mass-produced AI products can becreated at the click of a button and cost zilch
compared to classic art, something artists
will struglgle to compete with in the long run.
But, more than anything, it seems that all
the commotion around AI might boil down
to IP-related issues. The concerns voicedby aggrieved artists already encapsulateburning IP issues – what happens when AIart infringes the IP rights contained in priorhuman art? Namely, to generate images fromprompts, AI relies on available databasesthat comprise billions of images and text
trawled from the web. While those databases
ought to contain content from the publicdomain, many artists argue that databases
also host many copyrighted images. So, atleast in part, AI relies on pirated humanmade art, thereby infringing the IP rights ofvarious rightsholders. Vla Stanojević, an art
director from BVK design studio shares that“in branding, we face a similar hurdle; AIgenerated logos are mere rip-offs of existing
designers’ artwork. Albeit “new”, these are notoriginal logos, nor should be trademarked.
But it’s already happening en masse.”
Furthermore, artists have stressed that many
AI-tools use human art without the knowledge
or permission of rightsholders. Not only is AI"trained" on account of intellectual property,
but it also effectively mashes elements
thereof without observing the attribution
and integrity rights of the copyright holders.
Finally, a fundamental critique concerns thestatus of AI-output, with many at odds as

to whether intellectual property rights canapply to AI-generated content.
Indeed, AI has triggered serious challenges for the IP law,with AI progress outscaling and outpacing the abilityof IP law to keep up. While it remains for legal theory
and practice to address the issues raised by artists andresolve the identified problems, the underlying idea(that it is unfair to reap where you did not sow, to steal
another's labour of mind) continutes to be as relevant
today as it was at the dawn of the printing press.

Ecosystem

The power of new technologies(50)

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

THE POWER
OF NEWTECHNOLOGIES
MetaHuman Animatoris a new toolthat empowers game developers and filmmakers tocreate high-quality facial animation for their digitalcharacters. One of its main innovations is the use of
depth data from an iPhone or stereo helmet-mounted
camera to accurately capture an actor's performanceand transfer it onto any MetaHuman character in
Unreal Engine.
Creating believable animation for photorealistic digital
humans can be a time-consuming and challenging

task, but MetaHuman Animator makes it accessible
to both indie studios and hobbyists. With its ability
to accurately capture subtle facial expressions andtransfer them onto a MetaHuman, animators can build
emotional connections with audiences and create
truly realistic performances.
It was exciting to see the MetaHuman Animatorannouncement at GDC '23 given by Vladimir Mastilovic,
founder of 3Lateral and now VP of Digital Humans
Technology at Epic Games.

Back to → Table of contents

CHAPTER 4
1

EDUCATION

Education(53)

Name of the article

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

↙
↙
↙

SGA

Relja Bobić
Program Director

while more
universities are
expressing interestver the past
to include thethree years we gamedev-relevant
have witnessed
courses
the emergence ofthe fresh initiatives, as well as to take on aat least three newmore strategic approach in connecting thestudy programs,
industry with the education sector, whichOA PATH TO
BETTEREDUCATION
The academic field and education sector are an

essential component of any ecosystem, including our
game development industry cluster which also includes
companies, stakeholders, decision makers and civilsociety organizations. Due to a number of obvious
factors, the development of the Serbian academic
sector in relation to skills and knowledge relevant to
our industry is, indeed, relatively slow. Sluggish anddense administration, the generational gap, lack ofcompetitive compensation and specializations forteachers, as well as the fast pace on which the industry
is evolving are just some of the persisting challenges.

in some of their
existing study
programs, or evento start entire new
study programs.

The fast-growing and extremely dynamic industry isalways more than several steps ahead, and sometimes
even does not have enough time to look back due tothe persistent grind of industry production.
However, in recent years, several relevant
synergies have emerged between theindustry and higher education institutions,while the interest of young and future
professionals is, expectedly, steadily growing.
We are thus encouraged to celebrate

are naturally and inescapably linked to eachother.

Having said that, over the past three years we havewitnessed the emergence of at least three new study
programs, while more universities are expressing
interest to include the gamedev-relevant courses
in some of their existing study programs, or evenstart entire new study programs. Crater Training
Center is consistently enabling technical, hard skills
development, as well as working with university
teachers, while the establishment of the Epic Games
Community Lab in Novi Sad will nurture both entrylevel and more experienced talent.
Looking at the less experienced part of our
growing talent pool, the activities of theNordeus Foundation are reaching out tohighschools across the country, animating
the interests of their students for gamedevelopment, while also providing theinfrastructural support by establishinglabs and the knowledge-sharing platform
Gejmlab. Yet another, complementary online
platform - Shift2Games - will be launched thisSpring by the SGA, with the idea to promoteand demystify specific professions within theindustry, and provide relevant support andorientation to anyone interested in pursuinga career in games.

Speaking of the SGA, the connections between theassociation and the academic sector have neverbeen more diverse, spanning across the country andbridging the formal and informal. For the last two
years, we have been supporting the Video Game
Studies academic conference at the Academy of Arts
in Novi Sad, which became international last year andusually presents 30+ academic/scientific papers an important component of building a well-roundedecosystem. As part of our Creative Tech Serbia program,
we also managed to support the Faculty of Dramatic
Arts (Belgrade) and Faculty of Electrical Engineering(Niš) with some missing technical resources.
The Association has signed official cooperation
memos with as many as 12 academic
institutions (from the fields of art, tech andbusiness) and brought 20 of them together
for the first time in December 2022, in order tomap out the key challenges and opportunities
for connecting the two fields, and to foster
their communication and collaboration, as
peers who have the responsibility of breeding
our future colleagues.
Lots of work is ahead of us, but one thing is certain the many opportunities will definitely outnumber any
challenges we might face.

Education(54)

The first gaming/VR “supercluster” program

SGA

Nenad Jovanovski
Project Manager, SGA

CREATIVE TECHSERBIA BRINGSTOGETHER AS MANY AS 26 RELEVANT
PARTNERS FROM THE WIDER SPHERE
OF VIDEOGAMEDEVELOPMENT.

THE FIRSTGAMING/VR“SUPERCLUSTER”
PROGRAMThe local video game production sector has been

repeatedly highlighted as one of the leading Serbianniches in the creative and ICT industries. Since 2018, theSerbian Games Association (SGA) has been carrying
out numerous activities with the aim of supporting
current and future leaders of this industry in Serbia.

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

In line with this, the formation of the Creative Tech Serbia
supercluster was a logical step to further empower the
crossover of technology and creativity, both regarded
as strongholds of the Serbian creative and innovative
industries. The pilot program (implemented between
June 2022 and June 2023) includes and involves all

the key stakeholders from the gaming industry, as wellas important representatives from related industries,
such as cinematic post-production, data science,
digital product development or the academic sector.
The aim of the supercluster is exactly to go
far beyond the niche, and to bring together
complementary fields, or those with which
entirely new convergences can emerge,
bringing an added value to everyone involved,
and to the Serbian innovation economy andcreative industries at large. The ultimate goal
is to empower the development of innovativetechnologies, services or products, thosewhich will be competitive on the global
market, as we already know very well thatsome of the key new technologies and tools
across different industries - gaming, web3 oragro-tech, for example - are hailing exactly
from Serbia.
Creative Tech Serbia brings together as many as 26
relevant partners from the wider sphere of video gamedevelopment (established companies, startups, major
events and support organizations), formal and informal
education representatives, the civil sector, statefounded and funded institutions such as sciencetechnology parks, as well as other relevant sectors(tax, legal, international trade etc.), that can provide
essential support in the process that lies ahead, in theyears to come.

The vision of the Creative Tech
Serbia supercluster is to propel
this sector of the domestic
industry into the leading positionin our wider region, as well as
to make it a recognizable andreliable partner when it comes to
new technologies and forwardthinking creativity - on a global
scale.
Despite the fact that our industry is relatively young
compared to more advanced and established European
ecosystems (such as those of France, Germany, the UK
or Sweden and Finland, to anime just a few), the actions
conceived and realized under the Creative Tech Serbia
supercluster, alongside previous individual efforts of
the SGA and our distinguished allies, bring us several
steps closer to our once distant role models - today
peers, colleagues and partners.
The past 10 months have been an incredibleride, a powerful booster to what has alreadybeen in place and shaping up. We do hope
this is just a preview of what we can achieve
together in the years to come. The good news
is that we already know what we need to do
next, and within a few years look back at thisformative period with pride and joy. Join us
for the ride!

Education(55)

Gejmlab Platform Teaches the Youth in Serbia About Game
Development Within One of The World’s Most Successful Games

M
R
O

B
A
L
F
M
T
J
A
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L
G
P
TEACHES THE
YOUTH IN SERBIAABOUT GAMEDEVELOPMENTWITHIN ONE
OF THE WORLD’S
MOST SUCCESSFULGAMES→SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

NORDEUS FOUNDATION,GEJMLAB EDUCATIONAL PLATFORM

Building firstgames with
Gejmlab andFortnite Creative

The end of 2022 for Gejmlab
platformwasmarkedbylaunching the course on gamedevelopment in Fortnite Creative
and thanks to these efforts the platform now teaches
the youth how to make their first games through the
sandbox mode of one of today’s most popular games,
Fortnite, with almost no prior technical knowledge.
Not only can they master the tools and processes
to successfully create their first games, but they canshare them with players around the world for testing.

gejmlab.rs

What isGejmlab?

Gejmlab is the first, open, free platform for learning about gaming in
Serbia. aiming to be the central place
to acquire skills, knowledge and first experiences ingame development for young people, especially highschoolers. Created by the Nordeus Foundation andlaunched in September 2022, it was used by more than3000 people across Serbia in the first couple of months
alone, confirming the interest in our industry and needfor knowledge sharing.
Through courses, industry experts experience,practical work, and open-source data, thestudents can gain basic knowledge about
the industry and its disciplines and careers.
Upon launch, Gejmlab contained courses
about 6 key gaming industry disciplines,
with a plethora of other useful information
and resources. Thexperts from Nordeus andSerbian Games Association (SGA) shared
their knowledge and experience with thestudents in the initial version, with plans toinclude more gaming companies in the
future. The first six courses were developed
as part of the Venture an Idea program,developed by Digital Serbia Initiative with
USAid support.

The practical video content of the course wascreated by an Unreal Authorized Instructor,
Darko Subotin, Assistant Professor at theFaculty of Drama Arts at the University ofBelgrade. These videos cover the essentials
needed to successfully start creating:everything from the introduction to Fortnite
Creative, possibilities and limitations, worldbuilding, environment and lighting, tomechanics and sound.
Learning through Fortnite Creative experience isavailable not only by individually using the platform,
but also by way of a school program taking place in six
Belgrade secondary schools gathering 150 students.
This pilot program kicked off in 2022 sees teachers andstudents create video games together, all the while
acquiring numerous skills and knowledge needed
to succeed in one of the largest and most creative
industries in the world. Students also had a chance
to upgrade the Gejmlab knowledge at a one-day
conference organized in cooperation with the Facultyof Dramatic Arts, as well as at game conceptualization
workshops in their schools. Games developed within
this program will also be presented to the publicduring 2023. As of next school year, this program will
be open for the majority of high schools, with the aim
to eventually be available in every single one in Serbia.

Education(56)

Education List

Where to study gamingrelated programs in Serbia?
FACULTY OF CONTEMPORARYARTS BELGRADE, GRAPHIC DESIGNDEPARTMENT
BA in Animation, Illustration andGame Art

COLLEGE OF VOCATIONAL STUDIES- BELGRADE POLYTECHNIC
BA in Concept Art and Character
Design

UNIVERSITY OF NOVI SAD, ACADEMYOF ARTSMETROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY,
FACULTY OF INFORMATIONTECHNOLOGY
BA in Game Development;

FACULTY OF DIGITAL ARTS
BA in Design of Interactive
Media

SINGIDUNUM UNIVERSITY,
FACULTY OF MEDIA AND
COMMUNICATIONS
BA in Digital Arts
edia

BA in Video Game Design

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

We’re very happy to present an updated list of gaming-related
education opportunities in Serbia. Since our last report, the list has
expanded, thanks to tremendous and unified efforts of everyone
involved in the ecosystem.

“MASTER 4.0” PROGRAM FOR
IT AND BUSINESS
joint initiative of universities
of Belgrade, Kragujevac and
Niš+“MASTER 4.0” PROGRAM
FOR CREATIVE INDUSTRIES/GAMING
joint initiative of universities
of Belgrade and Kragujevac

SAE INSTITUTE BELGRADE
BA/BSc (Hons) Game Art
Animation

UNIVERSITY OF NIŠFACULTY OF DRAMATIC ARTSIN BELGRADE
BA in Dramaturgy; BA in Sound
Recording and Design; Master in
Digital Transformation of Media andCulture Visual effects, animationand game art, ba: BA in Game Art,
VFX and Animation

MA in Intelligent data analysis

UNIVERSITY OF BELGRADE,
FACULTIES OF ORGANIZATIONALSCIENCES AND ELECTRICAL
ENGINEERING
MA in Advanced IT in Digital
Transformation

CRATER TRAINING CENTER
VFX Creation and Game Art
Education

FACULTY OF
CONTEMPORARY ARTS
Animation, Illustration andGame Art

FACULTY OF TECHNICALSCIENCES
Animation in Engineering;
BA in Graphic Engineering and
DesignFACULTY OF SCIENCE,
UNIVERSITY OF KRAGUJEVAC
Studies of Informatics at theInstitute of Mathematics andInformatics - MA

Back to → Table of contents

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 5

EXPERT ARTICLESArticles(59)

Lights, camera, GLHF!

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

FORTUNA

Strahinja Pavlović
Head of Production
Fortuna Esports

LIGHTS,CAMERA,GLHF!
EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
Coming from the film industry and high-end
productions to esports was way more challenging
than what was expected. For sure you have all thatfancy pre-production time in both worlds, sure you
can do numerous tests and asset preparations as you
would on a big film set, scout for the perfect location,plan and build your main stage at the venue for thebiggest gaming tournament of the year and sell tickets,
promote streams and TV broadcasts for it. Your teamcan have everything set up and running in three days
and make every second special for the visitors, players,
and online fans, and then, let’s say your ISP cuts yourconnection for less than 10 seconds due to jitter, andeverything goes into overdrive in a millisecond!

WELCOME TO ESPORT
One of the biggest challenges in esports production
by far has to be the fulfillment of everyone's needs
and expectations. Being a player, producer, die-hardfollower who has paid for the ticket, or a stay-at- homefan, each and every one has a different idea of how an
event should be produced for the public to enjoy. Herelies the biggest issue in esports. The ideal concept is
to have a high budget show filled with quality content
performed perfectly for the crowd visiting the venue,
have your players' needs met over their expectations,communicate to outside partners in real-time what
is happening in-game and on stage, capture theexperience, broadcast it with low latency and minimal
buffering directly to streaming platforms and TV, having
little to no hiccups along the way, and of course, open
your platforms to everyone to watch from the comfortof their homes for free because that's the least yourfan expects from you.

THE TOUGHEST FAN OUT THERE
Esports fans are by far the most demanding when it
comes to what they consider to be a "clean" broadcast

and are used to a high level of production quality, as
many of them are also gamers who are accustomed
to playing games on high-end equipment with smooth
performance. Another key expectation of esports fans
is that the broadcast must be visually engaging andexciting. This includes elements such as dynamic
camera angles, special effects, and player cams thatprovide context and insight into the players' strategies
and personalities. They also expect a broadcast that is
in HD and high frame rate, which in our regions’ standard
is a technical conundrum to pull in order to make thegameplay look smoother and more immersive. As aresult, they expect a similar level of technical excellence
set by the biggest competitions in the industry. Working
side by side with our partner, Riot and producing the
localized LEC, MSI, and WORLDS broadcasts, we can only
see the standard set by a higher league which we try toachieve. In the world of esports, where expectations arehigh and the unexpected is the norm, being branded
as a regional leader when it comes to handling event
organizations, studio and video production for TV andonline streaming of international tournaments andproducing a flawless show is a never-ending need to
exceed what has been done before, but the reward is thesatisfaction of bringing the excitement and passion of
gaming to fans around the world and that is somethingthat we strive for in this ever growing digital industry.

Articles(60)

Behind the scenes of Scars Above: How to build for success

MAD HEAD GAMESLuka Bilić
Lead Tech
Programer

BEHIND THE SCENESOF SCARS ABOVE:

HOW TO
BUILD FOR
SUCCESS

Game development is a complex process that
requires careful planning and execution to ensure thefinal product meets high quality and performancestandards. One crucial aspect of game development
is the build system, which involves compiling gamecode, assets, and other resources into a final productthat users can play.
Maintaining the build system becomes increasingly
important as the project grows in complexity. We needa well-designed build system for several reasons:

SAVING TIME: Compilingthe game andpackaging all the assets is time-consuming,so having dedicated machines for that task
frees the developers to focus on their work.

CONSISTENT BUILDS: We can ensure thatthe build system’s environment remains
unchanged unless we have some specificchanges that need to be pushed.

FACILITATES VERSION CONTROL: By integrating

version control into the build system,
developers can ensure that all code changes
are tracked and can be easily rolled back ifnecessary.

The machines you would use for this task can either belocal machines or rented servers. Here at Mad HeadGames, we have both! This choice mainly concerns
logistics and some key questions: Where is the version
control server located? What will you do with the builds
after they are created - transfer them to a local drive?
Upload to an online store? Push to a dev kit? Last but
not least, you, of course, need to budget correctly.
Tools like version control and Continuous Integration(CI) software should also be chosen carefully. On Scars
Above, we decided to use Apache Subversion andJenkins. The SVN choice was mainly a remnant of thedays of mobile and HOPA games. However, recently

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

we’ve been moving away from SVN
in favor of Perforce, as Epic uses it,
so it is fully integrated with Unreal
Engine. As for Jenkins, it was mostly
due to pricing, ease of use, and thefact that we were already familiar
with it. The fact that Jenkins is open
source meant we would have theoption of integrating any changes
we might need in the future, and aton of community support.
Let’s take a closer look at Scars Abovefrom the technology perspective.

Scars Above is a multiplatform video
game, meaning we need multiple
machines to build just this one
project. The alternative is building forfive platforms consecutively, which would take plentyof time and delay the testing process. That brings us
to the most important thing we wanted to get - rapid
iteration, which would help us solve bugs, performance
problems, integration issues, etc.
So, how did we solve this? By creating a
Jenkins pipeline that would pass the job tothe first available worker machine. Basedon our needs, we decided to have a few
parameters: build type, platform, Unreal
Engine version, branch, and the projectrevision, as well as a Steam branch or dev kit incase we wanted to push that build for testing.
This way, we could have multiple builds in
different configurations built simultaneously!
In addition, we integrated a webhook forsending notifications to Mattermost, whichenabled us to notice issues with the build
creation, and notify QA that the build is readyfor testing.

Avaliable

Finally, we implemented a “Health Check”
job on Jenkins, which compiles the project
on every commit and creates an issue
in our task management software if thecompilation fails. That issue would thenautomatically be assigned to the user thatmade the commit that triggered the build.
This has proven to be quite useful as we would
catch the problematic commits almost in
real-time. The plan for improving this further
is to create a post-commit hook that would
reject the commit altogether if it causes thecompilation to fail.

Overall, a well-designed build system is crucial
for successful game development, as it saves
time, provides consistent builds, and allows
for efficient testing. It should also always be
flexible, as the requirements can change at any
moment!

NotifyUploadStart build the process

Articles(62)

GOING 3D: Behind the Scenes of the Nordeus Football Engine

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

NORDEUSDid you know that some of thebiggest updates in our game- Top
Eleven were actually the mostrequested feature by our players?

dr Đorđe Đurđević
Lead Graphics
Engineer at
NordeusThat is exactly why we introduced 3D matches in ourgame Top Eleven - Be a Football Manager. We wanted
to offer our players the experience and quality seenin the world-famous games. In addition to realistic
and engaging football movements and animations,
3D gameplay provides a wider look at the tactics that
players employ, letting them experiment and counter
with strategies that can ultimately lead them to victory.
All of this was delivered thanks to the Football Engine
built entirely in-house by a small multidisciplinary team.

GOING 3D:

BEHIND THE
SCENES OF
THE NORDEUS
FOOTBALL ENGINE

BUT, WHAT IS THE
FOOTBALL ENGINE? The Football Engine is a full-on 11

versus 11 simulation of football. It
is comprised of several different
systems. Among those, the AI and the animation
systems are the two most intertwined systems in theengine. Without them, we couldn't show you football atall. We modeled our players based on how things workin real life. We have the AI, which is like a person's brain,
and we have the animation system, which is like theperson's body, and they need to work together to movethe players, make them kick the ball, make them jump,
make them do anything real football players would do.
Our guiding principle in the development of the FootballEngine was the fact that it would primarily be used
for mobile devices. So it was created keeping in mind
the limitations mobile devices have in comparison to
consoles or PCs.

WHAT DOES A
GRAPHICS ENGINEERDO IN THE FOOTBALL
ENGINE TEAM?

Graphics Engineer ensures thatthe visual quality of the engine
is very high. We wanted to keep
the essence of the look and feelof the 3D match that was envisioned by our creative
people. On top of that, there was another challenge- Nordeus is primarily focused on making games formobile devices so we wanted to ensure that as many
players of Top Eleven as possible can experience a 3D
live match. Top Eleven is played on 25,000 different
configurations of devices, meaning processors,
capacity of the memory, graphical chips, screen size,and even operating system version. And some of thosedevices have been used for a while and some of them
are no longer supported by their manufacturers. And
still we wanted to support even those devices, not only
the greatest and the latest mobile phones.
The primary task of a graphics engineer at Nordeus
is to ensure that both requirements are met, with theinevitable compromises being made which would
yield the best results: a significant increase in speedwith an acceptably small degradation in quality.
The end result? We managed to support about 95%
of devices on which Top Eleven is played today whilebringing realism and football credibility at the centerof football management fantasy.

WHAT IS NEXT FOR
We have already continued the
THE FOOTBALL
development of the Football Engine
ENGINE?
and want to make sure that thesmallest details, that are present in the real professional
football, our players can also experience in our games.

Until we have more updates, make sure to check out
our video series “Making of the Football Engine” which
can be found on the Nordeus YoutTube channel. Enjoy!

Articles(63)

AI image generation in gaming industry

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

THE BENEFITSPEAKSEL

Marko Petković
Founder

AI IMAGE
GENERATION
IN THE GAMING
INDUSTRY
The gaming industry has always been at the forefront of technologicaladvancements. However, during the current financial crisis andlayoffs, the industry is struggling to keep up with the adoption of AI
technology for image generation. C-level executives are preoccupied
with managing numbers and making tough decisions, leaving little
time for research and innovation. Furthermore, some art professionals
view the integration of AI technology as a risk to their job security,
which discourages them from learning about this field.

Overcoming these challenges willbring many benefits to companies
that adopt this technology. Firstly, it
can be used to deliver higher-quality
graphics that are difficult to achieve through traditional
methods. With AI technology, game developers cancreate highly realistic and detailed characters, objects,
and environments in almost any style imaginable.
Additionally, AI can be trained to reproduce any visual
style or subject, making it a versatile tool for creating
unique and impressive game assets.
Secondly, adopting AI technology candecrease development time and cost. Gamedevelopers traditionally had to create allgame assets from scratch, requiring skilledartists and designers to complete the task.
However, with AI technology, developers cancreate high-quality assets in a fraction of
the time and at a lower cost.
Finally, using AI technology can also speed up theprocess of releasing content updates. With the ability
to produce more content in the same time period
compared to traditional development methods, gamedevelopers can maintain player engagement andretention by consistently offering new and exciting
updates to the game.

IMPLEMENTING IT

To implement AI image generation
technology, it is important to firsteducate key members of your team.
Utilize various learning resources, such as e-books, blog
articles, YouTube videos, and related communities, togain a deep understanding of the technology and theexisting workflows. Afterward, it is essential to rethink
your development processes and adjust them to thisnew technology. Discuss the new processes with yourteam and allow them to test them out. By involving yourteam in the process, you can ensure that everyone ison the same page and that the implementation of AI
technology is smooth.
When planning new projects, it is crucial
to identify the areas where AI can perform

highly and identify the types of games thatwould benefit from this technology. Plan
your graphics to be AI-friendly from the idea
level and throughout the game design document. By doing so, you can maximize thebenefits of AI-generated images and createhigh-quality games efficiently.
Early adopters of AI-generated
images in the gaming industry
are likely to gain a competitive
advantage over their peers. These developers will beable to create high-quality games at a lower cost andin a shorter amount of time than their competitors.
This advantage can lead to increased profits, a larger
market share, and a stronger reputation in the industry.

IN CONCLUSION

Investors in the gaming industry shouldtake note of the impact of AI-generated
images on game development and consider investing in gaming companies thatare early adopters of AI technology.
And in case you are wondering, yes, I wrote this article
with the help of ChatGPT.

Articles(65)

Game dev essentials: Internal Motivation

PLAYRIX RS

Rajko Nikolić
Game Producer
Playrix RS

GAME DEV ESSENTIALS:

INTERNAL
MOTIVATION
Drawing fromover a decade of experiencein the game development industry, I’d like to offer aseasoned insider's perspective on perseverance andweathering the storm of ‘making games’.
To say that game development is an extremelycompetitive and challenging field that requires asignificant amount of motivation to succeed would be
an understatement. Whether you're an independent
developer or part of a larger studio, the importance ofinternal motivation cannot be overstated. Let’s explore
what it is and the reasons why it is essential in gamedevelopment and how it can help you achieve yourgoals.

While it may seem obvious - you really need to love
what you do. Internal motivation refers to the drive andpassion that comes from within a person. It is the desire
to accomplish something for its own sake, rather than for
external rewards such as money or recognition. Internalmotivation is crucial in game development because it
helps developers stay focused and committed to theirgoals, even when faced with difficult challenges andsetbacks - of which there are many.

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

Firstly, game development is a deeply iterative
process that involves constant experimentation,
testing, and refinement. This can be a frustrating andtime-consuming process, and external motivationsuch as financial incentives or recognition may not
be enough to sustain the necessary level of effort
and commitment, demoralization and doubt easily
creep into this process. Internal motivation, on theother hand, provides a deeper sense of purpose
and satisfaction that can keep developers engaged
and motivated even in these situations.
Secondly, game development requires a hugelevel of creativity and innovation. To even haveany chance of creating a successful game,developers must constantly generate new ideas
and find innovative solutions to problems. Externalmotivation can sometimes stifle creativity bycreating pressure to conform to establishednorms and expectations. Internal motivation,
however, encourages developers to take risks, try
new things, and explore uncharted territory.
Thirdly, game development is a highlycollaborative process that involves working
with a diverse team of designers, artists,
programmers, and other professionals.
Effective collaboration requires not only hard
technical skills but also strong interpersonal
skills such as communication, empathy,
and teamwork. Internal motivation fosters
these skills by promoting a sense of sharedpurpose and a commitment to the successof the project - This can build a strong teamculture and enhance the quality of the final
product.
In conclusion, internal motivation is critical for gamedevelopers to overcome the challenges of gamedevelopment and create successful games. It provides
a sense of purpose, encourages creativity andinnovation, promotes collaboration and teamwork, andinspires developers to create games that truly standout from the crowd.

+ PRO TIP

Although dealing withexecutives, publishers, orsometimes even the project
itself may not always offer
much freedom and might not
perfectly suit your affinity,
there is an internal drive thathelps you find somethingunique and personal inwhatever you do. It's importantto project your ideas and goals
onto your work, ultimately
making it 'yours'.

Articles(66)

Prioritization and Roadmapping

PLAYSTUDIOS EUROPE

Vukašin Marković
Product Manager

PRIORITIZATIONAN
D

In thecreating a product that satisfies users. PMs
can gather user feedback through surveys,
focus groups and usability tests. Once userneeds have been identified, PMs should
identify the most critical features that provide
the most value to users and align with the
product's goals. After this is done, next isfeature prioritization.
Feature prioritization is the process of determining
the most valuable features to include in the game.
It is essential to prioritize features to ensure that thegame provides users with the best possible experience
while also meeting the product's goals. Sometimes
prioritization will change, e.g. in case there are somefixes for the issues that are crashing the game.
PMs also create a feature backlog that includes all
prioritized features, which should be regularly updated
to reflect changes in user needs, product goals, anddevelopment resources. Product backlog is usually forthe development teams, while the roadmap is for the
stakeholders.

••••••••••

Roadmapping is the process of creating

ROADMAPPING
highly competitive free-to-play mobile
gaming sector, feature prioritization
and roadmapping are critical processes that
product managers (PMs) must master to ensure theirproducts' success. These processes involve making
crucial decisions about which features to design andimplement and arranging them in a development

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

order that maximizes the game's benefits. PMs needto have the skill to prioritize features and develop aroadmap that corresponds with the objectives of the
product and the requirements of its users.
The first step in feature development is toconduct user research. Understanding userneeds, desires and pain points is critical toa plan that outlines when features will be
implemented. The first step in creating aroadmap is to align it with the product's
goals. It should reflect the product's strategic
objectives and ensure that the productdevelopment process supports theseobjectives. PMs collaborate with others byengaging in discussions to ensure thateveryone comprehends the rationale behinddeveloping a specific feature. This fosters
team alignment towards a shared objective.
Effective communication is critical to ensurethat everyone is aligned with the productdevelopment process.

In order for the plan to be delivered, PMs should estimate
the development resources required to implement eachfeature. The estimate should consider the complexityof the feature and the development team's capacity.
Aside from this, what is extremely important is creating
a well-planned release schedule that outlines whenfeatures will be implemented.

To sum up, the PM typically has
extensive involvement in the game's
business operations. Therefore,
it is reasonable for the PM to takecharge of the roadmapping andfeature prioritization processes,
as they are closely linked to thegame's business performance.
If features are released without
proper coordination, e.g they may
negatively impact monetization,hindering the game's growth andsustainability.

Articles(68)

How to pitch your game

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

TINYBUILD

Alex Nichiporchik
CEO of tinyBuild

HOW
TO
PITCH
YOUR
GAME
AN INTERVIEW WITH
ALEX NICHIPORCHIK,CEO OF TINYBUILDIMAGINE I HAVE A GAME, AND I WANT TO FIND A PUBLISHER.
WHERE SHOULD I START?
You should start with your pitch. Imagine you'rein an elevator. I'm standing there wearing myorange hat. We have six seconds before we getto the right floor. I ask you about what game
you're working on. Practice this reply.

SHOULD I COMPARE MY GAMETO OTHER GAMES?
Sometimes being generic and referencing
other games works. "Have you ever had loudneighbors?" Everyone will nod or say yes. "Did you
ever want to stab them? That's the game," andyou might have Party Hard. Or "Nuclear Throne
meets Deus Ex with the anarchy of GTA," and we'dhave Streets of Rogue -- that's the literal store
description we've been using for years.

DOES THIS ADVICE APPLY WHEN
PITCHING VIA EMAIL?
To make your email stand out, consider adding astunning GIF of the game. Keep the file size under
3.5MB and simply drop it into the body of theemail. This approach is highly effective, as mostpeople check their emails on their phones. A GIF
that loads and plays immediately in the email isinvaluable for capturing attention in marketing.

HOW LONG SHOULD THIS PITCHEMAIL BE, IDEALLY?
Be concise and direct, whether it's a written
message or a personal meeting. People's time
is valuable, and lengthy messages can impede
communication. The attention span of potential
users is limited, so it's important to capture theirinterest quickly. If your message stands out in a
crowded environment, it's more likely to attract
the attention of users, YouTubers, streamers, andthe press.

ANY TIPS ON FORMATTING THE PITCH?
Avoid delving too deeply into the story behind
the game, and especially refrain from writing
a novel-length text about it. Instead, use shortand easy-to-read bullet points to explain why
you believe your game is great. Make sure to dosomething to stand out, and don't forget to beclear and concise.

IS IT NECESSARY TO INCLUDE
A BUILD OF THE GAME?
I would say yes, especially if you're a new
developer. Create a build that includes a verticalslice of gameplay that showcases why yourgame can be fun. Imagine that this build was at

a convention where thousands of people walkby. How can you make them interested in picking
up the controller, quickly grasping the gameplay,and drawing them in?

ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD
ADD TO MY PITCH?
If your game has received press coverage, great!
Make sure to talk about it. Even if you have Let's
Play videos of your game, even if they're not frombig players or not great quality, it's still importantto send them over. This will allow you to see how
the ever-changing and evolving landscape of"new media" -- including YouTubers, streamers,
TikTokers, and who knows what's next -- reacts
to your game.

WHAT ARE SOME COMMON MISTAKES
MADE WHEN PITCHING A GAME?
Not doing enough research on the publisher orinvestor you're pitching to, not having a verticalslice or demo, and not being able to clearly
articulate the unique selling points of your game.
It's also important to have realistic expectations
and understand that not every pitch will result ina deal.

Articles(69)

Game creation in agile small teams - learn fast or fail fast

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

HERE ARE THE KEY ADVANTAGES:TWODESPERADOS

AGILITY: Small teams are quick and don't get lost in

the processes that are needed for larger teams.
They can iterate and pivot faster, which makes
them more responsive to player feedback andfirst data points.

INCREASED COLLABORATION AND EFFECTIVENESS: Seamless
Lana Čubrić
Head ofMarketing,
Two Desperados

GAME CREATION IN
AGILE SMALL TEAMSLEARN FAST
OR FAIL FAST

and fast communication is fostered whichmakes them collaborate and execute faster.
This results in more efficient problem-solving
and decision-making.

AUTONOMY AND OWNERSHIP: Small teams have greater

control over their projects. They can make decisions more quickly and take ownership of theirwork. Having said that, one of the most important rules is to establish who owns what, who isthe vision stakeholder and who takes the ultimate tough decisions.

CREATIVE FREEDOM: These teams make changes in the“Three friends
in a small roomwith an idea”

has become gaming’s
once-upon-a-time startof a successful story. And
there is a reason behind
it. With the ever-evolving
players' behavior, needs,
and big competition, it has become even more crucial
to be first on the market, test out an idea fast and getfrom the point of ideation to execution while it is still
relevant. Additionally, with the gaming industry beingat the peak of interest in our region and worldwide, hiring talents seems to present a constant challenge forgaming companies.

The number of people in teams that workon a game can vary greatly dependingon the scope of the project, genre, budget,and development timeline. A small indie
game might be developed by a team of 5
to 10 people, whilst major game studios may
require 50+ people teams. At Two Desperados,
the two live and successful games fromthe same category do not have the same
number of people further developing thembecause one demands extra attention andthey have different potential and strategies,
so you have to be smart in splitting resources
and people.

So how does Two Desperados approach leandevelopment of new games seven years after our first
mobile game? We have kept the core of the success
we initially had - find a market gap, evolve it and do itwith a lean and agile small team.

With the new games, we take on the approach of a lean,mean, powerful team of 4: Game designer, Artist, Developer,
Tech Artist. We have also tried a different approach with a
10 people team and it did not work as well.

design to test out the hypothesis fast without
involving too many cooks in the kitchen. Additionally, this approach does not allow to haveeverything perfect and drag out release to themarket.

There are some risks involved in thisapproach. For it to work, you have to
put strong individuals that have theright skill set, meaning that you might
be moving your best people from thebread-and-butter games for a gamethat is yet to be proven. That is why it isvital to have a clear vision, concept andmarket for the new game.

Small teams also have a higher risk of failure
should one team member not be available
for a long period. This can be mitigated bycareful planning and risk management. And
last one is the high potential of crunch time
before the release date. To prevent burnout
and ultimately reduced productivity, we
make sure our lean teams have time off post
big releases and consult them regularly ontimelines and deliverables. So once you haveyour concept proven, who joins the team?
Usually, it is more developers, artists, QA,
marketing support, and a producer to keep
the team still working seamlessly.
If you need marketing support for your small team,reach out to the SGA team and get a mentor inmarketing to help you out with your first UA and market
research efforts!

Articles( 7 1)The pillar of an idea

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

UBISOFT

It is often said
Vladimir Nikić
Associate Lead
Game Designer,
Ubisoft Belgrade

THE
PILLAROF
AN
IDEA

that it is not hard tocome up with ideas,
but that the execution is the issue. This does soundright, but the truth is not that simple, a good execution
will not save a bad idea and, in the gaming industry
especially, even great ideas can crack under thepressures of production.

Therefore, an idea must form a strong
foundation - its pillar, the reason of being
conceived in the first place and the reason
that you feel so passionately about it. For
your idea to remain intact, it must whether many storms, some of which may bringit down in a single blow, while others are
more deceiving and may destroy it with athousand small cuts.
The most obvious one is the technical feasibility, if yourpillar looks good on paper, but is impossible to build inpractice, it won’t even get a chance to fail.
The second big one is the monetary aspect, if yourpillar is too expensive and lavish to build, it may nevereven get finished, barely a shadow of itself.
A smaller, yet equally dangerous storm as
the previous ones, is the directorial or, evenin some cases, peer feedback. Althoughconstructive criticism and proposals arealways welcome and can sometimes lead tocreative breakthrough and leaner designs,
be mindful that haphazardly adding or
removing bricks from a pillar can sometimes
have disastrous consequences.
And the last I will mention here, but certainly not least,is the pressure that will hit your pillar from the feedbackof the players themselves. With the rise of live-service
games and early access titles, this can be a very tricky

and deceiving mirage. Sometimes you will not be able
to get your full idea in front of the players when theyfirst encounter your game, and their initial impressions
may not paint a clear picture of whether you should
bend in front of the storm or stand firm and endure.
After all, one of the most successful franchises in thepast decade – “Dark Souls” still invites a lot of controversy over its rigid difficulty and approachability, but
always keep in mind that there were a lot of designers who thought themselves smarter and better thantheir audiences and quickly regretted it. So, this is aparticularly fine line to thread.
But how do we try and keep our idea fromfailing and, perhaps even more importantly,
how do we give it the highest chance tosucceed? This is where the pillar analogy
really becomes handy, because noteverything you come up with is a pillar. Thereis bound to be some fluff there, and the key
is to figure out what is the essential core ofyour idea, without which it will not stand or be
the same as initially envisioned. This should
ensure that you know which bricks can beremoved or added without compromising
the structural integrity of the pillar, while also
knowing how far it can bend.
Try and make sure your ideas have a layered design
and to organize them in terms of importance. Those
additional layers may make your pillar seem prettierand more complete, but make sure that the pillar canalways stand on its own. And even though some layers
may not survive the storms until the final iteration,
hopefully they will help you keep your core safe andsound.

Lastly, even though it is a cliché,
don’t be afraid to fail. After all, Romewasn’t built in a day.

Articles( 7 2)

Madagascar journey

WEBELINX GAMES

Milica Petrović
Jakovljević
Head of HR

Milica Petković
HR Business
Partner

MADAGASCARJOURNEY
Hey, have you
ever seen
Madagascar,
the animatedmovie?

That’s where we foundthe inspiration for thename of the leadershipdevelopment program
we created in 2022. Eachcharacter in the movie
is unique and has a distinctive skill set that contributes
beautifully to the adventurous journey on which theylearn much more than they asked for. To us that seemed
like a rather good description of what we planned on
doing with our leaders.

As our company was founded not that long ago, it was
clear that with that number of fresh leaders we alsoneed to build a foundation for their individual growthand growth of the teams they lead. Therefore, werolled up our sleeves, sat down, and started crafting a
structured and multilayered leadership development
program. Our goals were straightforward:•

Induce a sync among leaders on all levels•

Strengthen our feedback culture•

Get to know each other better(since we were founded during the
pandemic)•

Help leaders feel supported andempowered in their roles•

Learn useful tools and concepts foreveryday work and share knowledge•

Have fun! Ultimately, we’re a gaming
company - we love to play.

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

Our Madagascar
adventure
was
a
four
month
journey with biweekly
sessions
handpicked basedon the extensive
needs assessment
madethrough
employee surveys,
focus groups, 1:1s,
exit interviews, and leaders’ interviews. From teamdynamics to feedback simulations, we also dove intosome more complex subjects like understanding
motivation or situational leadership. The content wasdelivered by our HR team; it was gamified or based on
sharing experiences and mutual discussions, allowing
us to shape our own Webelinx Games leadershipapproach.
In parallel, to be sure we were on the righttrack, we had self-assessments at the startand at the end of the program, but also kept
carefully evaluating each and every training
session, as well as the entire program. With
this, we gained additional knowledge of the
impact we made and what improvements
needed to be implemented next.
After the evaluation of the program, we concluded
that what made this a successful endeavor was thevery high level of tailoring the content to our company
and our leaders, as well as using real examples fordiscussions, case studies, and other exercises. One
example of tailoring the program to our needs, andnot vice-versa, would be that, after we saw many
additional questions pop up on each session, we
introduced sessions named “Parking lot”. Thesesessions, in essence, were discussion groups - a safe
place where leaders tackled the open and often tricky
questions together, as a team. Not only did they get
additional sync, but their trust in each other also greweven more!
At the end of Madagascar, having completed
level 1 of the quest into the endless topic ofleadership, we had a proper graduation
party to celebrate our learning journey andthe new sense of togetherness. As graduation
gifts, we picked out some good books onleadership, certificates and custom-madestickers with the funniest moments we had
during the program. The stickers were a nicereminder that, even though the journey waschallenging at times, it was all in all a fun
bonding experience.
Still haven’t watched Madagascar? For us, it was a great
inspiration to create an entertaining and engaging
leadership journey. So, if you haven’t already, we advise
you to watch it - twice!

TL;DR• Listen to the organization• Recognize the needs• Craft the program to be practical• Tune in and adapt as you go• Enjoy and have fun• Evaluate (continuously)• Throw a graduation party• Listen, learn, improve• Repeat! :)Articles( 7 3)

A few writing tips from a young writer to young writers

YBOGA

Miloš Markov
Narrative Writer

IntroductionA FEW
WRITINGTIPS FROMA YOUNGWRITERTO YOUNG
WRITERSHi! I'm a narrative writer and juniorGame Designer from Yboga. I will
share a few tips from working on My Dream Hospital
Story and from working with other writers as an alumnus of the first Playing Narratives.

Fighting
the Tolkien
syndrome

SERBIAN GAMING INDUSTRY REPORT 2023

petitive gaming industry. An amazing, but often cruelfield where every single word is counted.
But let’s cut some slack for young writers. It’s not hardto understand where they’re coming from. They all
want to show off their creativity. But, by trying to tell
everything, they often lose their audience by overloading them with information. This can result in players
skipping the story. Or worse - giving up on the game.
Writers can't forget that the players are here for thegame. The game should tell the story, not the story
having the game.

’But I need 50 pages anda million dialogue lines for
my story to be told.’No, you don’t. Let'slook at the highly
praisedgame– Unpacking. A
game with a phenomenal story and barely any words.
The premise is simple – the player unpacks the items
from the boxes and organizes them in the apartment
rooms. The unpacked items in the game present narrativesnippets. Fractions that the player uses to develop theirview of the story. This leads us to the important lesson- The writer doesn’t need to tell everything, they could
give snippets. Snippets can act as narrative guides forthe players to construct the story. Try explaining yourstory with a simple logline to test the effectiveness of
your snippets. A logline is one sentence summary of
your story. If your story seems interesting in the form ofa logline, you're on the right track.

‘I have a good idea,
but I don’t know how
to incorporate it into
The Tolkien syndrome is the young the game?’

writer’s desire to tell everyone asmuch as possible about the magicaland creative world they’ve created.
This is where most of the young writers learn things thehard way. Especially aspiring writers in the highly com-

You typically wouldn’t
put a dramatic lovestory with millions of dialogs in a first-person
shooter. Or a horror withcomplicated characters within a match 3 game. WhenI joined the team, the game was already in development. I had to think about how to incorporate the story within existing gameplay. Understanding the target

audience and exploring the other games in the genre
is crucial for constructing the narrative and making thenarrative feel like part of the gameplay. A good writer
knows for whom they are writing and how the story will
be presented.

How we managed toclose the gap between
narrative and gameplay

A task/quest listissomethingwell-known
inmobile games.
However, due toits popularity, it often looks and feels the same in every
game. This is where we saw an opportunity to connect
the narrative and the gameplay. We used somethingfamiliar as the continuation of the story. Every task
list is presented with a dialog --introduction to the
problem, and a Task List - solution to the problem. By
using the narrative as the extension of the gameplay,
the players feel like they are in control of the flow of thestory. There are a lot of games that use this strategy,
and we haven’t invented anything new. But, by giving
your creative touch to familiar things, you can makethem feel fresh and new.

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CHAPTER 1

PG

CHAPTER 6

OUR NETWORKAll ourmembers#▧
3GEN
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BYTE KINEMATICSC▧CAPSULE GAME STUDIO
CLICK TO PLAYCORESTUDIOSCRATER TRAINING CENTER
CRYPTIC LEGENDS

INDEX

D▧
DEMAGOG
DEUTRIX
DEVOTION STUDIOSDEXSOFTDIGITAL ARROWDIGITAL ASSET TAILORSDIGITAL RONINDISTILL GAMESDON QUIXOTE

I▧
INFINITE GALAXYINFINITY GAMESINGENIUOS STUDIOITC STUDIOK▧
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LICHENVALE
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MAD HEAD GAMESMARBLEIT
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MATERRIYA
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MIRACLE DOJOMOGUL DIGITAL
MOONBURNTMUNZESKYN▧NORDEUSH▧
HARMONITY GROUPHARPOON
HERON GAMESHORA GAMES

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O▧
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R▧
RADIOACTIVE UNICORNRAIGONREMOTE HUMANS▧SENSIBLE SHOUTINGSHOSHA GAMESSOUTH GAMES STUDIO
SOZAP
SPERASOFTSPRING ONIONSTAL PROJECTSTICK AND ROPE
STYGIAN SOFTWARE
SUPERLATIVE
SUPERVERSE
SUPREMENEXUS

T▧
TECTONIC GAMES STUDIOTENDER TROUPE
THORIUM
THREE SWORDS STUDIO
THUNDER STRIKE
TINY BUILD
TRIA
TRIPLET ADVENTURESTUMMY GAMESTOKUPOPTWO DESPERADOSU▧UBISOFTw▧
WATT STUDIOWAVEFORM STUDIOWEBELINX GAMESWEBMASTER GM

y▧
YBOGA

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