ABU DHABI // The first UAE-trained game developers have graduated from their 16-month course, and many of them already have work lined up.
Run by twofour54, the Gaming Academy saw eight students undertake a training scheme designed to give them the tools they need to excel in the gaming industry.
Twofour54 is the commercial arm of the Abu Dhabi Media Zone Authority.
Several of the graduates have been offered internships with course partner Ubisoft Abu Dhabi, the French games giant.
The company has 28 employees at its Abu Dhabi office, with plans to expand to 100 within the next three to five years.
Others are believed to have already found full-time work in the industry.
The students worked on a class project together called Speed Freakz, an arcade racing game that is already available for download for Android smartphones and in the Google Play App Store.
The course is the only in the UAE to offer students game development training.
Matthew Bell, head lecturer at the Gaming Academy, previously told The National that he believes it will take between five and 10 years for the region's gaming industry to flourish.
"This is the start of the road, to try to develop the region's development scene," he said, adding he was confident "we can get a world-acclaimed studio here that his students could be part of".
Noura Al Kaabi, chief executive of twofour54, said: "When we opened the doors to the twofour54 Gaming Academy in partnership with Ubisoft in March 2012, we were mindful that digital games played locally have traditionally been developed outside the region.
"Our aim was to build the skills of our young people and to help enable the Arab world to create its own games, reflecting the region's environment and cultural values.
"The team project work we've seen during this graduation ceremony and the very fact that some of our graduates have already secured positions in the industry shows we're succeeding in our aim. This is thanks in no small part to the dedication and hard work of the students. We wish each of them luck in their careers."
ksinclair@thenational.ae
