Ireland’s gaming industry is in the midst of a massive boom, with the country boasting some of the biggest development studios in the sector.
Their collective efforts are helping Ireland become a global gaming giant and a genuine rival to many other established jurisdictions worldwide.
With that in mind, we take a look at some of the latest gaming news in Ireland, starting with an event which should boost the nation’s hopes of further growth in the industry.
Dublin Set to Host Nexus by GamerFest Event
Ireland’s push to become a major global player in gaming will receive a massive boost this month as Dublin hosts the first ever gaming industry conference.
NEXUS by GamerFest will feature input from game developers, publishers, service providers and investors, who will explore opportunities to improve Ireland’s gaming infrastructure.
The eSports sector will also be heavily represented, with top Irish teams hoping to forge links with broadcasters and online gambling companies.
Representatives from several betting sites in Ireland are expected to attend the event, and their presence could open the door for lucrative partnerships to be forged.
The sports betting industry has played an integral role in the growth of eSports in other jurisdictions, helping it to gain a much greater level of legitimacy.
“Our new NEXUS games industry conference is a unique opportunity to shine a light on the incredible talent and potential of the Irish games industry,” NEXUS by GamerFest CEO Stuart Dempsey said.
“We see the opportunity for this space to drive significant economic growth and job creation in Ireland for years to come and in conjunction with all industry stakeholders, we believe that NEXUS can play an important part in this exciting journey.”
Irish eSports Organisations Establish New Competitive Entity
The eSports & Gaming Federation of Ireland has teamed up with eSports Northern Ireland to establish a new entity for international competitions.
The new organisation will operate under the existing ‘Ireland eSports’ moniker, but will provide gamers with more opportunities to succeed in major events.
Ireland eSports will share resources, develop domestic tournaments and facilitate education with a view to helping the country become a major player at international level.
While Northern Irish athletes will still have the opportunity to represent Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the link-up is designed to make choosing Ireland eSports a more viable option.
Chair of Ireland eSports Steve Daly said: “The need to support pathways for eSports athletes to compete on the international stage continues to evolve at pace.
“By adopting an all-Ireland approach, as has been seen in community and education initiatives as well as traditional sports and sporting federations, this strategic alignment is a significant step forward.”
Bach Hands Major Boost to Irish Olympic Hopefuls
International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach has confirmed that the organisation is looking at creating an Olympic eSports Games.
The potential of the genre was recently witnessed at the Olympic eSports Series, which attracted over 500,000 unique participants and more than six million views of live action across all platforms.
Gaming tournaments were also a big hit at the recent Asian Games, prompting further calls from the community for eSports to be given full Olympic accreditation.
Bach’s announcement that the IOC is working towards this is an exciting development for Irish eSports athletes, potentially opening the door for them to compete on the biggest stage globally.
“I have asked our new IOC eSports Commission to study the creation of Olympic eSports Games,” Bach said. “There are three billion people playing eSports and gaming around the world.
“What is even more relevant to us – a majority of them are under the age of 34. In 2021, the IOC developed the Olympic virtual series. It was the IOC’s first pilot venture in eSports.
“Building on the learnings from the Olympic virtual series, we then launched the Olympic eSports week in Singapore earlier this year.
“In Singapore we saw proof that our holistic approach is working. We successfully brought together the Olympic and the eSports communities.
“This was a promising start. But it is just that – a start. It is like in any sport – after the promising start, the real race still lies ahead.”
