BGFG creates more jobs, Manchester expands to challenge as UK’s gaming capital
By Gamers for Gamers, a Manchester gaming and tech company, has announced its intent to create another 30 jobs in the city, following significant fundraising.
In the Premier League era of English football, Manchester has been the dominant force, with United and City making the Greater Manchester metropolis famous for the sport.
Now, however, there’s a relatively new scene emerging across the UK, which Manchester looks to position itself at the forefront of.
The gaming industry has been around for decades, but it’s only over the last ten to 15 years that it has become a true goliath. It’s now the most valuable entertainment medium globally, connecting to people via computers, consoles, and smartphones, with more and more companies piling into the action each year. Manchester’s gaming scene has been bustling for a long time, and it too continues to expand.
Most recently, By Gamers for Gamers, a Manchester gaming and tech company, announced its intent to create another 30 jobs in the city, following significant fundraising.
Looking to bring the top talents of the UK to the northern city, BGFC will be further contributing to Manchester’s momentum, continually growing into a digital hub of the UK. Already, it seems, as far as gaming hubs in the UK go, there’s certainly a lot about Manchester which suggests that ‘Cottonopolis’ is already a national leader for everything gaming.
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Going out to enjoy the gaming culture of Manchester
The city boasts a diverse gaming community which goes much further than there just being a console or gaming PC in several homes. Thanks to the incredibly high demand, Manchester has become a hot spot for gaming bars and games venues, used as the centrepiece of a night out. The retro games-laden Hold Fast, NQ64, and secret 80s arcade bar 17 Below offer game-centric ways to socialise at the bar. It’s not just the more classic titles and arcade machines that have been introduced to Manchester, though, with the less-night out experience venue of Virtual Hideout making its mark. Standing as the city’s virtual reality gaming centre, there is a website with mobile slots free spins, over 100 games to experience as a single player or in a team of up to four people.
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Manchester is becoming increasingly tied to perhaps the most famous gaming destination in the world: Las Vegas. Most recently, one of the city’s start-up companies, Gamer Wager, signed into a joint venture with SCCG Management of Nevada, who will utilise their peer-to-peer game wagering tech in the United States. Coming the other way, of course, the games that Las Vegas is famous for have found a vibrant audience in Manchester. While not in the form of a towering themed casino, the online library at VegasSlotsOnline contains all of the top slots from Sin City. The likes of 50 Lions, Triple Diamond, and Bier Haus continue to be the most popular of the Vegas selection. With these games available online, gaming in-person in a Vegas-like setting is also available, with Manchester235 being a part of the Caesars Rewards programme.
Giving a grand stage to gaming in Manchester
In the United States, annual conventions have become incredibly popular across entertainment mediums that were once considered niche. Comic-Con, for example, is a major driver of the comic industry and have morphed into a geek national holiday of sorts. Manchester has long sought to give gaming such a stage, with efforts proving to be very popular. In 2019, the Manchester Gaming Market presented attendees and collectors with a huge range of retro video games and consoles to snap up. On a much larger, more modern scale, there’s also the epic Play Expo event. The city’s crown jewel of annual gaming events shall return on 8 and 9 May in 2021, with over 1000 gaming hardware units set to be available across the show floor.
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The gaming business of Manchester
For anywhere in the UK to truly be hailed as a gaming hub, it needs to corral the nation’s creative force to the area. BGFG, the business behind WePC, PC Guide, Esports Verdict, and Gaming Verdict, continues to expand and offer more reasons for savvy gaming professionals to come up north. Aiming to facilitate such moves is Gameopolis, whose sole purpose is to network and promote links between the video games industry and Manchester. On the development side of the industry, the city is also home to mobile-facing devs Smashmouth Games, as well as the indie creators of The Lost Bear and The Persistence, Fabrik Games. Then, there’re the steps to further promote the ever-growing eSports scene, with Manchester United and City having eSports teams set-up, and Manchester University running several programmes and events.
Manchester has a tremendous amount of momentum right now, from the population’s overall interest in gaming to businesses looking to establish the city in the industry at large. As more companies like BGFG make positive moves to increase the allure of Manchester in gaming, it’ll grow further as the nation’s games hub.
News
Coronation Street and Emmerdale cancel filming after news of cutbacks and reduced schedule
Danny Jones
Coronation Street and Emmerdale production crews are said to have cancelled at least one day of filming this week following news of more cutbacks and a reduced schedule of programming.
The beloved British soaps have been up against it for some time now, with viewing figures and costs struggling at both ends of the spectrum, and the latest development doesn’t spell great news for the cast and crew, not to mention audiences.
According to Digital Spy, regularly scheduled filming was due to take place in Manchester and Leeds on Tuesday, 5 February, with each show shooting roughly six to eight weeks in advance of storylines.
However, following reports of more hits to the industry and the latest steps ITV, specifically, which will see fewer episodes of both Corrie and Emmerdale air each week, film crews are said to have been stood down as they await further updates.
Part of the Coronation Street set over in Salford Quays. (Credit: The Manc Group)
Announcing steps at the start of February, ITV confirmed that Coronation Street and Emmerdale are to see their content cut by an hour a week between them from next year.
While Corrie currently broadcasts three hour-long episodes per week and Emmerdale four half-hour episodes plus one full-hour instalment, the new slate will see both soaps dial back to only air 30-minute episodes, with a so-called ‘soaps power hour’ every both shows at 8pm and 8:30pm.
Put in simplest terms, viewers will have half an hour less of their regular soaps to watch overall each week but with episodes airing at more regular intervals, which the network claims is “viewer-led” and will allow fans to enjoy the shows “in the most digestible way.”
Metro writer Duncan Lindsay has labelled the decision as a tough one to make but something that could ultimately “save” the two long-standing soap operas in the long run.
On the other hand, this obviously means a big chunk of work being lost for those working on sets across the board, with ITV having already taken steps to cut costs ever since the pandemic, and the UK’s viewing public has given mixed reactions, to say the least.
The hour of scripted content saved from the overdue cut to Corrie and Emmerdale should be pumped into a new continuing drama. It’s the only way to justify the loss to the industry.
With an increased focus on streaming and making both shows more accessible, episodes will continue to be released from 7am on ITVX before airing on live telly later that evening.
Responding to the changes, the performing arts union Equity admitted that the steps do cause “further cause for concern”, especially following the cancellation of other soaps like Doctors and Hollyoaks also having recently seen its schedule adjusted.
It remains unclear when the respective cast and crews will return to filming.
What do you make of the cutbacks: will you miss the sum total of 60 minutes being shaved off your Corrie and Emmerdale catch-ups, or do you think it’s a bittersweet step that could help freshen up the format and sustain it for years to come?
Already being described as “the ultimate African safari experience right here in the UK”, some of the lodges will be located at the side of a lake, while others will offer views of a private savannah-style habitat that are home to Northern giraffes.
Bookings officially went live last Wednesday (29 January), and demand was “nothing short of phenomenal”, with the website crashing for a brief period and more than 550 bookings made so far.
But merely moments after this, people began hitting out at the prices for overnight stays.
Those working on the “very special” project say a stay at The Reserve will help to fund Chester Zoo’s global conservation projects.
Chester Zoo has issued a statement after people slammed the ‘totally ridiculous’ prices for safari-style lodges / Credit: Supplied
In the off-season, prices for the lodges start from £375, while one-night stays in summer start from £672.50, and then in peak season, for the more luxurious lodges, prices can go all the way up to £2,486, but it’s worth nothing that this does include guided safari tours and going behind-the-scenes with the giraffes.
“As an international wildlife charity we wholly rely on public funding to carry out our species-saving work,” a Chester Zoo spokesperson said in defence of the pricing.
“The Reserve is the latest way that people may wish to help to directly fund our global conservation projects and make a difference to the future of some amazing, but sadly endangered, species.
“A stay at The Reserve includes so much more than a room for the night.
“Packages include elements such as a range of exclusive behind-the-scenes and animal experiences, breakfast, dinner and out-of-hours access to the zoo, as well as two-day passes and the chance to view wildlife straight from your lodge balcony.”
Find out more and book your stay in the new lodges on the Chester Zoo website here.
The Manc -
18th February 2021 
