Happy Earth Day! In the spirit of environmental awareness, we’re shining a spotlight on Blamorama Games, a Nordic studio with a mission to make games that create positive change.
We sat down with Maya Umar and Ingrid Fridesjö, the inspiring female founders of Blamorama Games, a Swedish studio part of our NG24 exhibitor’s Arctic Games cluster studios, making waves with educational games that spark positive change.
Today is their Earth Day Game release, “Bumi: Next Stop, Earth,” which blends learning and entertainment to create a meaningful impact on young minds. Here are some of our questions and answers that we hope would be an interpretation to our audience.
Nordic Game: Can you provide a brief overview of Blamorama’s inception and evolution?
Blamorama: Initially, Blamorama’s focus was on video production, but over time, we diversified into various digital media services such as website design, programming, live streaming, social media content, and graphic design. Reflecting our commitment to diversity and inclusivity, we established the Blamorama Network, comprising consultants from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. This allowed us to offer cross-cultural consultation services, including translations and global business culture education. The idea of integrating gamification into our services emerged from the experiences of Co-founder Maya and her husband Tobias, who had worked on gamification projects in Malaysia. Inspired by our passion for gaming and a desire to make a positive impact, we delved into brainstorming sessions, leading to the establishment of our studio Blamorama Games.
Nordic Game: Reflecting on your journey as the founder of Blamorama Studio Games and the creation of “Bumi: Next Stop, Earth,” could you share the genesis of the game’s idea? What inspired you to embark on the “Bumi” venture?
Blamorama: Gaming holds significant importance for us beyond mere entertainment; it serves as a platform for socialization, learning, and impact. We believe in harnessing the power of gaming to address social and environmental issues, with diversity and inclusion at the forefront. Our vision for “Bumi” was to create a game that would positively influence society while providing an engaging and educational experience.
Nordic Game: What were the most significant challenges you faced in establishing and sustaining the Blamorama studio, particularly in developing “Bumi: Next Stop, Earth” as an educational game in the industry? How did you overcome these startup challenges?
Blamorama: The primary challenges revolved around financing our development while ensuring sustainability. As a game startup, securing investment during the pandemic and recession proved daunting. We resorted to bootstrapping and leveraging our other digital services to fund our game development efforts. While these challenges persist, we remain hopeful that our initial launch will pave the way for future success.
Nordic Game: As a female CEO and founder, what strategies or approaches do you attribute to the longevity and expected success of “Bumi: Next Stop, Earth” and your studio? What support do you require to maintain and grow the project over the years?
Blamorama: Our key strategies include extensive market research and early prototype testing to ensure the game’s viability and appeal. Collaborating with partners like Arctic Game and fostering a supportive network within the industry has been instrumental. Additionally, maintaining a diverse team and community support are crucial for long-term success.
Nordic Game: Lastly, are there any valuable lessons or insights you’ve gained that you believe could benefit aspiring game developers, particularly those focused on creating meaningful educational experiences?
Blamorama: It’s essential to substantiate your goals with scientific research and enlist expertise relevant to your educational objectives. Testing with players throughout development ensures a balance between fun and educational content. Collaborating with organizations like RISE can provide invaluable support in validating impact and educational quality.
Blamorama is a shining example of the incredible things women-led studios can achieve. This Earth Day, let’s celebrate their game release and their dedication to games that inspire and educate, nurturing a brighter future for all.
How can you support Blamorama?
Check out Bumi: Next Stop, Earth (Add download links)
GooglePlayStore:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.blamorama.bumix
App store:
https://apps.apple.com/se/app/bumi-next-stop-earth/id6450597788?l=en-GB
Follow Blamorama Games on social media:
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/blamoramagames?igsh=NzJud3ZqYWhkZjA=
Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/blamorama-games/
Twitter/X:
https://x.com/BlamoramaGames?t=DHwi3xS6wzYAY5bG57gNHA&s=09
Discord:
https://discord.com/invite/y9EDvhgd
Share this newsletter with other game enthusiasts!
Join our exhibitors, sponsors and partners
Nordic Game would not be celebrating double editions annually without the enthusiastic participation of thousands of talented game developers from the Nordic region and across the globe for nearly two decades. Thank you!
We’re also tremendously grateful for the unwavering support of our exhibitors, sponsors and partners. Many of them have already signed-up for our upcoming events, but we’re always ready to welcome new partnerships.
Contact us here for some great opportunities on exhibitor, sponsor, group and partner packages for our next event and beyond.
About the Nordic Game conference
Nordic Game is the leading games conference in Europe. Gathering thousands of industry professionals in the spring and autumn each year, Nordic Game is the one and only “home turf” meeting place for the highly successful game developers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest Nordic Game and Nordic games industry news, including updates about all our events.
Follow Nordic Game on Facebook, LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), Vimeo, YouTube, Flickr and Instagram.