Since it’s earliest days in 2014, Buffalo Game Space has opened its doors to artists, coders, writers, musicians—basically, anyone creative that might be interested in creating their own video games.
Four years later, their space in the Buffalo Tri-Main Development Center is establishing itself as a hub for all of Western New York’s most creative people.
“The [gaming] community succeeds when everybody involved succeeds,” said Chris Langford, Vice President on the Board of Directors for Buffalo Game Space. “So its beneficial to the community at large if more people who are interested in this stuff come and meet other people who are willing to teach it and share their experience and expertise.”
And the industry itself is booming at a record pace.
A SuperData report shows 2017 marked a massive, $108 billion revenue year for global video gaming, so the market is ripe for opportunities.
Just ask local Buffalo designer and comic book artist, TJ Cordes, all you need is that first step through the door.
“I didn't realize that there was this kind of community of people making games that I've heard of,” said Cordes.
2018 marked the second year Cordes has participated in the Global Game Jam, but it’s his first year that really gave him a jump-start.
"To be honest, I had this new job that kind of creatively bankrupted me in a way,” said Cordes. “I had a bunch of these little tiny projects, and I just kind of put them on the shelf for a while.”
The Game Jam, however, forced Cordes and his fellow designers to work in a 48-hour window; sometimes it’s restrictions like this, Langford says, that force the creative process to actually finish something.
”New product that they’ve come up with, new portfolio pieces they can actually walk away with and say ‘Hey I made this thing,’ Cordes laughed. “They can show it to their friends, they can show it to their family, they can show it to their coworkers or potential employers.”
Now, Cordes has tackled the games that were once on the shelf. (And if you want to play one of them yourself, here’s the link!)
And he’s just one of dozens and dozens of people who call Buffalo Game Space part of their creative process.
“It’s very exciting to see people who wouldn’t normally come to this sort of thing, or people we haven’t met before just come and meet us,” said Langford at the end of the 2018 Global Game Jam. “ We’re always looking for new people to introduce to the medium, and people who are excited making games we’re excited to meet and encourage them to make more stuff.”
If you’d like to give Buffalo Game Space a chance, the groups next meeting is on February 1st at 7:00pm at the Tri Main Building, Suite #454; after that, they continue meeting every other Thursday.