Tranzfuser 2024: A record-breaking year
The ninth year of Tranzfuser has now wrapped up and 2024 has proven to be a game changer for the programme!
With a record-breaking surge in applications from UK-wide entrepreneurial graduate devs, a top-class selection of 19 teams were selected to take part in the summer-long Tranzfuser programme.
From the 19 teams, four studios have been selected for UK Games Fund grant support with an additional three selected to take part in DunDev.
Projects ranging from turn-based RPGs to third person action adventure games were worked on by diverse teams right across the country as the teams undertook the full experience that Tranzfuser offers. With bespoke learning content, regular industry consultancy, expert playtesting as well as community-building opportunities, the 19 Tranzfuser teams each had the unique opportunity to accelerate their own game’s development as well as their individual professional skills and confidence.
The curated suite of learning materials put together by the support team at Tranzfuser over the years continues to grow. This ‘Games Biz Academy’ has helped Tranzfuser teams across the years be better equipped for all that working as an independent game dev studio entails.
The network of Tranzfuser Local Hubs supports teams nationwide with individual packages of support; facilities ranging from meeting space, hotdesking and face-to-face mentoring can and do take place at Local Hubs.
Matthew Crossley, Local Hub Coordinator at Manchester Metropolitan University, said:
“Tranzfuser continues to encourage the games development talent of the future to harness their passion for what they do and couple that with professionalism to build strong, sustainable studios. Our role as Local Hub allows us to engage with and support local graduate talent and we’re thrilled to see so many individuals benefit from the unique experience Tranzfuser offers.”
New to this year’s programme, the annual showcase event for all Tranzfuser teams saw ProtoPlay returning to Dundee. With the legacy of the city’s big-name video games exports, Scotland’s official City of Design is the perfect home for ProtoPlay.
As with every year of Tranzfuser, teams pitched for grant support from the UK Games Fund’s Prototype Fund for the continued commercial development of their game. Not only that, studios were invited to apply where of interest to the hothousing residential project – DunDev.
Deborah Farley, Head of Foundership Development, said:
“The 2024 cohort of Tranzfuser teams showed grit and determination at every opportunity. Working over the summer with various check-in points, we were blown away by the standard of professionalism and creative skills each and every individual demonstrated. Bringing them to Dundee and meeting all face-to-face in the practice pitch sessions further cemented our belief that the games dev talent of the future is innovative, entrepreneurial and vibrant.
“Selecting teams to interview for Prototype Funding and DunDev opportunities was a mammoth task as so many teams greatly impressed along the way. The winners of Tranzfuser and those selected to attend DunDev should be immensely proud of their achievements. We want to take this opportunity to celebrate the hard work of all 19 teams and encourage those across the cohort with a passion for indie dev to continue on their road to success.”
The studios selected for UKGF grant support for the continued commercial development of their game are:
Ivan Kashdan from Hermit House said:
“The funding from UKGF enables our company to take the leap into self-sustainability, giving us the time we need to establish a unique, high-quality demo that will stand out in an oversaturated market, and the capital to grow our core team and resources. Whether approaching a publisher, further funding, or working towards self-publishing, we’ll be speaking confidently with our heads well above the water.”
DunDev 2025 Studios Selected
DunDev sees competitively selected studios come to the city for a month-long programme of support activity, at the end of which the studios are invited to pitch for Prototype Fund support.
The Tranzfuser 2024 studios selected to join the upcoming DunDev residential programme are Tombstone Studios, Purr Point Productions and Hunters Moon Games. The fourth and final studio selected to join DunDev is Rubber Ducky Snacks, a Tranzfuser 2023 studio.
Tranzfuser 2025
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