THE Philippines operation of French firm Gameloft SE said it opted to house its game-development program in the country in a “green environment” away from the hustle and bustle of Manila.
The game developer and publisher partnered with De La Salle University (DLSU) to establish the first game-development course in the Philippines.
Following the opening of the Ubisoft Philippines studio in Biñan, Laguna, DLSU will exclusively offer the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Major in Game Development degree in the first semester of 2017.
Sylviane Bähr, head of communications for Ubisoft in Southeast Asia, said that, aside from staying close to the studio, the program was housed in the Biñan compound to provide a more enticing environment not only for students but for the company’s employees, as well.
“We wanted to put up our studio to work with a university in a very conducive and inviting environment,” Bähr told the BusinessMirror. “We believe that having nature, nonpolluted air and attractions, like Tagaytay, being 30 minutes away would attract our talents from around the world, as well.”
‘Superstar’ teachers
ACCORDING to Bähr, the degree program was created according to the specifications of Ubisoft and in line with the academic courses under DLSU’s core curriculum. The course will focus mainly on software development that will require strong math, science, analytical and problem-solving skills, he added. Bähr said for each of the 30 studios Ubisoft set up around the world, the company has partnered with one of the country’s top schools to grow the local talent to the level of policy that is required by their games.
“In the beginning, it’s all training. We beef them up to show them the quality that we need,” Bähr said. “We codevelop the games. You always have a lead studio to work on the big games and they are obliged to work with the small studios.”
He explained the course will build the expertise of its students “little by little…until they come up with something.”
Bähr disclosed that a group of Ubisoft’s senior producers and so-called superstars in the gaming software programming industry would teach at the school. He, however, declined to provide specific names as to those who will be flying to Manila to teach in the course and provide a one-on-one mentorship program to those in the local studio.
Special relations
DLSU officials clarified that since the game-development course is under their computer science program, the majority of the curriculum courses will still be taught by professors from the university, some who will be traversing back and forth the Laguna and Manila campuses.
While DLSU Laguna is the science and technology complex, the campus will still be under DLSU Manila, according to DLSU College of Computer Studies External Affairs Officer Ruth Delano.
“All the teachers there [Laguna] will be from DLSU Manila, para lang siyang extension,” Delano explained. She added that some of the faculty members are already based in Laguna.
“Teachers who are based in Manila will be traveling back and forth, but there will be a shuttle [van] to and from Laguna.”
Bähr said Gameloft SE will not require graduates to work with them, as there are no contracts that will bind the students with the gaming company.
“We will take the best people,” he said. “We [Gameloft and DLSU students] will always have a special relationship but we will not give priority to them,” he explained. “It doesn’t also mean we’re only open to people from DLSU; we’re open for all kinds of talents.”
“But they have to be good,” Bähr added.
Work locally
DELANO said they are encouraging their students to work in the local industry instead of seeking for jobs abroad.
“For the longest time we’ve really been advocating our students and graduates to work here in the Philippines so we have partners in the different industry in the country, so we know there is a huge demand here in the Philippines and that they don’t have to go outside of the country to work,” she said. “The partnership with Ubisoft is a testament that multinational companies come to the Philippines so there’s no reason for them to move and relocate.”
According to documents provided by Delano, the game industry is starting to boom in the past years. Citing research, DLSU said the number of online personal-computer gamers in the country rose from 21 million in 2012 to 28.72 million in 2014.
Data from the Game Developers Association of the Philippines show that for the same period, the country made up 5 percent of the global game-development business with over 3,000 game developers working across the globe.
Lacking supply
DELANO said that, based on their meeting with industry partners, the country is lacking supply for talents in the game industry. That’s why the university grabbed the opportunity to start the program of game development when Ubisoft initially announced its bidding, she said.
“Definitely, it’s a growing industry but as our partners have been telling us the talent pool is small but the [demand is] really high,” Delano said. “[Only a few graduate] with the right degree. Few are available with the right skill set.”
The university is targeting less than a hundred pioneer students for the program, just enough for two sections. Delano said the program on entertainment and multimedia computing will follow through in 2018.