The beginning of a new game hub in Nordreisa – in the North of Norway

Nordreisa is set to become a thriving game hub, for both games’ education and games studios. Changemaker Educations and Futuregames, one of the world’s best renowned game developer schools, are now opening in Nordreisa in collaboration with Halti Business Park in the village of Storslett. The goal is to create a new epicenter for the game industry in the North of Norway.

 The game industry is growing around the world and has seen a spike during the pandemic. In neighboring countries Sweden and Finland, many games studios have made an impact on the global gaming market. In Norway however, there are a lot of players, but hardly any games studios. Something Nordreisa municipality and Halti Business Park in collaboration with the Swedish school Changemaker Educations and their game branch Futuregames are now hoping to change.

“We are in a unique position to establish a whole new game hub in Norway, right here in Nordreisa,” explains Marius Johansen, CEO of Halti Business Park. “Here you can find both the connections and tools to start building you own career in games, while surrounding yourself with untouched nature and fresh mountain air.”

Marius Johansen, CEO of Halti Business Park

Nordreisa has seen a rise in tourism during the past years; especially from young people looking to explore the raw and wild nature in the region. In combination with high-speed internet and local government support for students and business looking to establish themselves in the area, Nordreisa is in a unique position to build something new.

For students, 25 000 NOK of the student loan can be paid off by a local support package. For businesses looking to establish themselves in Nordreisa, there are no social welfare costs, and the municipality will also support in business and investor connections. There is also an ecosystem of startups and tech companies to connect with in the area.

“Remote has become the new normal, and a secure internet connection is really all you need to start building a world-class company. The world is digital today, so you can literally base yourself anywhere you want. So why not surround yourself by the mountains and fjords in the North, while benefiting from a great digital infrastructure and a stream of young people looking to relocate and start something new in the region?”

Marius Johansen and Halti Business Park work with supporting and developing the local business region. Education can be used as a catalyst for regional development, and the establishment of Changemaker Educations and Futuregames in Storslett has the potential to create new business opportunities for both local and global players.

“This is a ‘learning by doing’ initiative, and we are excited to see how the establishment of the game industry in Nordreisa will turn out. We already have successful startups and ecommerce companies based here; and games studios will be a nice addition to the mix,” says Marius Johansen and continues:

“The world is becoming more digitalized by the day, and the skills attained when studying games development are also bound to be crucial in other areas going forward, like Medtech and the development of autonomous vehicles. For us, this is an important step in creating even more opportunities for the younger generation in our region and all over the country.”

Changemaker Educations and Futuregames will open in Nordreisa and start offering courses in games development, web development and other tech and creative areas in 2021. The long-term goal is to establish a Vocational school with a focus on games and new tech in collaboration with Halti Businss Park and Nordreisa municipality within the coming years.