Belfast, Northern Ireland - 24/10/2023
Lovewish CEO Nina Roussakoff announces the formation of purpose-led Studio Witchstar - a hatchery for rising stars in the games industry! The current team, consisting primarily of early career individuals, is working on an unannounced project, to gain vital experience in the full production cycle within 1 year.
In recent years, the industry has grappled with recruitment and talent pipeline problems, marked by scarcity of senior developers, and constraints in time and resources available for training new talent. Witchstar aims to address this issue by identifying, nurturing, and empowering budding talent, enabling them to swiftly transition into larger studios and contribute to larger projects, whether at one of the Lovewish studios, or elsewhere.
When asked about the advantages and the necessity for a studio like Witchstar in Northern Ireland, Narrative Lead Catherine Mcfall comments;
“NI is also producing some of the best new talent in animation and games, and we are keen to offer those graduates a place to blossom with our studio. Our interactions with the NI Games Dev community thus far have been nothing but supportive and we are excited to be able to give back to that community through Studio Witchstar.”
The Studio Head, Lorna McFall, went on to add,
‘Getting on the work ladder is the hardest step, which NI is very good at supporting. The NI industry is fairly close knitted, and we all root for each other in what we are creating. I love that we have the opportunity to give back, help those coming in next into this industry and build on that community.
'As someone who studied in NI and has been supported by NI screen throughout my career...I simply wouldn't be in the position I'm in without that help. We (Studio Witchstar) would aim to support similar underrepresented groups in our training endeavors.'
Studio Witchstar is part of Lovewish, the sparkliest company in the industry. Founded by Nina Roussakoff, Lovewish stands with a resolute mission—to craft deep exceptional games that celebrate the imagination of girls and women.
Contact:
Email: charly.sproule@lovewishgames.com
LinkedIn: Studio Witchstar