The Power of Play: Impact of the Game Development Industry in Ukraine

In this episode, host Tom Leonard interviews Elena Lobova, co-founder of GDBay, about her personal perspective on the game development industry in Ukraine and her experiences with the ongoing war in the country. They discuss the benefits of gaming for children, the role of accelerators and incubators in the gaming industry, and the importance of networking and attending events. Elena also shares insights into the future of game development and the exciting possibilities that emerging technologies bring.

Takeaways

The game development industry in Ukraine is thriving, with a growing number of indie studios and outsourcing opportunities.

Gaming can have positive effects on children, helping them develop skills, empathy, and socialize with others.

GDBay is a networking platform for the gaming industry that provides tools, mentorship, and business opportunities for game developers.

Preparing and networking at events can lead to valuable connections and business opportunities.

The future of game development is exciting, with rapid advancements in technology and the potential for new innovations.

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Featured in this episode:

Elena Lobova is a co-founder and Chief Business Development Officer of GDBAY, an online networking platform for game developers worldwide and the organizer of Global Games Pitch.

During her 13 years in the gaming industry, Elena has managed a game development outsourcing company of 300 people, organized numerous online and offline events, consulted, and advised dozens of companies on business development, negotiations, and pitching.

Elena had to flee from war twice: first in 2014 from Luhansk and then in 2022 from Kyiv. She actively volunteers, raises funds for Ukraine, and promotes the Ukrainian game development community globally by speaking at industry events and co-organizing Ukrainian booths and charity receptions/auctions worldwide.

Email: mailto: el@gdbay.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olenalobova/

Website: https://gdbay.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olenalobova

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/olena.lobova

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PRODUCTION:

Creator and host: Tom Leonard (USA) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomeleonard/

Executive Producer: Reginald Nsowah (Ghana) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginald-nsowah-09352929/

ABOUT THE SHOW:

Play Games. Create Jobs. Change Lives.

This is a show about how to build an esports business from literally anywhere in the world where each week we showcase the journey of esports entrepreneurs and others to learn how they solved a particular problem that everyone will ultimately face.

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