1C Company - Russian Trade Show Interview @ RPGVault

RPGVault had a chance to talk with Anatoly Subbotin of publisher 1C Company (Kings Bounty) about the state of game development in Russia at the recent trade show in Moscow, called Igromir. It's mostly an overview of the event and how it's grown over the years, but here's how Subbotin sees it's relevance to Russian dvelopers:

The biggest surprise at Igromir this year was seeing the numbers of people and companies that were willing to come and participate in the expo, and that showed interest in the market. This applied on the press side as well. It wasn't just members of the specialty game media, but also general interest newspapers and web sites that were there to cover the event, indicating that our industry is becoming bigger and more important. It is no longer considered to be some sort of small business for enthusiasts only.

I guess this is the most important impression I have after the show. The Russian market is becoming important for both foreign publishers and local citizens, not only gamers. It is certainly becoming more attractive in terms of business and revenue potential, and also more accessible for ordinary people, not only hardcore players. The industry is growing and it is great to be connected with the process as well as to lead the race.