In common with many other industries, the international gaming industry experienced a decline as a result of the corona pandemic. In Norway, on the other hand, the arrow has pointed upwards. The gaming report 2022 shows that the Norwegian gaming industry has increased in both turnover and the number of employees. It is Virke Produsentforeningen and the Norwegian Film Institute (NFI) that are behind the report. Figures from last year have not come in yet, but Åse Kringstad, who is industry leader for the Virke Produsentforeningen, says that things look bright. – The gaming industry is a creative industry in great growth, and we see that in Norway as well, says Kringstad. According to the Game Report, computer games are Norway’s biggest cultural export. Åse Kringstad in Virke Produsentforeningen is looking forward to the future of the Norwegian gaming industry. Photo: Virke Produsentforeningen Although our Scandinavian neighbors are well ahead, last year’s figures show that the Norwegian industry has made great strides. – After all, it is an industry where our neighboring countries are among the really big ones in the world, and we need a targeted investment so that Norway can also take part in this exciting growth industry. The gaming industry has become a major focus area for the government in recent years. In 2023, almost NOK 60 million has been set aside for NFI’s grant schemes for games and game development. Scandinavia is a major international game reviewer in news, and game journalist in Level Up, Rune Fjeld Olsen, has followed both the Norwegian and international game industry for a number of years. – There is an increasingly competent gaming industry that I see taking steps that are very exciting. He also points out the distance to our Nordic neighbours. – The Norwegian games industry is picking up slowly, but we are a good distance away from our neighbors in Sweden, Denmark and Finland. But progress has been made in this country. A medium-sized company from Bergen is a good example of that. – Dirtybit has done impressively well over many years. It is the very largest international companies that dominate the market for mobile games, and that makes it all the more respectable that a relatively small Norwegian company asserts itself so well over time, says Kringstad of the Virke Produsentforeningen. Milana Lapina, one of the employees of Dirtybit, is working on the design of the new Fun Run game that will be launched soon. Photo: Lotte Solheim Johannessen / news Record year last year In the center of Bergen are the premises of a gaming company that has made it big abroad. With 25 employees, Dirtybit has broken through in an “impossible” market: the gaming market. – At one point we had the most downloaded app of all apps in the US, says Anette Dahlstrøm Ståløy, marketing director at Dirtybit. Among other things, the company is behind the mobile game series Fun Run, which was released in 2012. Since then, the games have been downloaded over 150 million times. And it has happened, so to speak, without marketing. – When we reached our first 100 million downloads, we had not done paid marketing. There were only downloads through organic growth, meaning that people, for example, share it with friends on social media, Ståløy explains. The recent accounts, which news has gained access to, show that they had record sales last year. From 2021 to 2022, turnover increased by almost NOK 5 million. – It’s the highest turnover we’ve had, and it’s on a game that’s seven years old. So we are still doing very well, says operations director Elisabeth Heimdal Nes. RECORD TURNOVER: Dirtybit’s turnover increased by 13 million from 2021 to 2022. In contrast, the majority, around 8 million, is due to an accounting technical change. The real increase is therefore 5 million, the company states. Photo: Lotte Solheim Johannessen / news Diversity in focus In the games industry in general, the proportion of women is low. According to the Spillrapporten, the proportion of women in the Norwegian gaming industry was 22 per cent in 2021. At Dirtybit, half of the management team are women. Women make up a total of 40 percent of all employees in the company. – It gives us different impulses and different thoughts. We are a creative company, so having slightly different points of view is extremely useful when coming up with new content, says Nes. In addition, nearly half of the 25 employees come from a country other than Norway. – It is a great advantage that we have people with very different tastes. We have several different reference points and several things from which we can draw inspiration, says technology director at Dirtybit, Martin Nybø Vagstad. – The future is bright news’s game reviewer has allowed himself to be impressed by the Bergen-based company. – I see how Dirtybit inspires and engages the Norwegian gaming industry. I am simply impressed by what they have achieved, and I think many others are too, says Olsen. news’s game reviewer, Rune Fjeld Olsen, has faith in the future of the Norwegian game industry. Photo: Siri Vålberg Saugstad / news At the same time that Dirtybit has had record years, there are several Norwegian companies that have experienced growth. It shows an industry that will only continue to grow, according to Olsen. – I still think the future is bright, and I think many people are just waiting for a Norwegian breakthrough. Then the rest of the Norwegian gaming industry will follow suit. It will have a snowball effect that will be incredibly important, he concludes.
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The Norwegian gambling industry has experienced a large increase compared to the international trend – news Vestland
