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Game development in Kostanay: first steps and prospects

Video game development in Kostanay is a relatively new but rapidly developing industry that attracts attention due to technological progress and growing interest in games. Although the city cannot yet compete with such large centers of Kazakhstan as Almaty and Astana, initiatives, educational projects and indie studios are already emerging here.

Until the 2010s, Kostanay was not known in the gaming industry. However, the growing popularity of mobile and indie games inspired the first teams and independent developers to create their own projects. The widespread availability of tools such as Unity and Unreal Engine has made it easier for independent developers to enter the industry and create their first projects.

One notable example is Vendel Games, which specializes in hidden object mobile games. Currently, start-up studios such as Olymp Studio and Nomadic are actively working in Kostanay, which are at the stage of testing their games.

Olymp Studio stands out especially for its achievements. The team won first place in the Gamedev track at Decentrathon, receiving a prize of 1,200,000 tenge. These funds are planned to be used for the further development of the studio and the implementation of new projects.

Education plays a key role in the development of gamedev in Kostanay. Disciplines related to programming, graphics, and design are taught at universities and educational centers in the city.

The OMNIUM QOSTANAY mobile development school deserves special attention, where 35 students study under the TechOrda program from Astana Hub. Students master key game development tools, including Unity 3D, Autodesk Maya, and Substance Painter, which gives them the opportunity to create games capable of entering the international market.

In addition, GameDev centers initiated by Astana Hub and OMNIUM were opened on the basis of regional IT hubs in Kostanay region. These centers are focused on research and educational activities in the fields of computer graphics, game development, as well as virtual and augmented reality technologies.

The development of gamedev in Kostanay is facilitated by coworking spaces and technology parks that provide startups with a workspace, educational resources and assistance in project implementation.

In addition, contests and initiatives from Astana Hub and Qostanai Hub in the field of IT encourage young developers to try their hand at creating games. Gradual support from local authorities and organizations helps to improve the conditions for startups.

The steady growth of interest in mobile and indie games opens up new opportunities for local developers, from entering the international market to collaborating with investors.

Creating a solid ecosystem that unites developers, investors and educational centers will be the key to further development of the industry.

Although game development in Kostanay is still at an early stage, significant progress and potential are already visible. With the development of educational initiatives, the support of startups and the growing interest in video games, the city has every chance to occupy a significant place on the map of the gaming industry in Kazakhstan.