SwapBots
We are thrilled to announce that SwapBots, our innovative augmented reality video game and toy hybrid, has won backing from a UK Government scheme – UK Games Fund to fund the next generation in gaming.
The £4million UK Games Fund has selected outstanding independent UK games to support with SwapBots standing out from the 235 entries received. SwapBots and Draw & Code were amongst the winners announced by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport at a special event in London last night.
Created in Liverpool and showcased for the first time in Silicon Valley in June, SwapBots bridges the gap between physical and digital play – shifting the nuances of gameplay away from the screen and into the hands of the player.
UK Games Fund
Draw & Code’s John Keefe comments, “The support of the UK Games Fund will be invaluable to SwapBots from a funding perspective, but most importantly as validation of our unique approach to this emerging space within the gaming market.”
Developed for Apple and Android mobile devices, SwapBots represents a new direction for the toys-to-life market. “For tech such as augmented reality to become a mainstream success it needs to be appealing and accessible, which is what we are aiming for with SwapBots,” says John.
Ed Vaizey, the Minister for Culture and the Digital Economy, said: “The UK’s creative industries are one of our greatest success stories, generating more than £84bn a year for the UK economy. Our fund is helping developers take their ideas from the drawing board and into production.”
Paul Durrant, Managing Director of UK Games Talent and Finance CIC said: “With 235 applications, there was unprecedented demand for our funding in this round so these successful applicants really do represent the best of the UK’s emergent games development talent.”
Draw & Code are firm believers in the potential of immersive technologies such as augmented reality and it is fantastic that the judges behind the UK Games Fund share our vision. Development of SwapBots is continuing here at the studio as we build to a 2017 release.
