Video gaming in Bangladesh
Video gaming is relatively a new sector in Bangladesh. Games have been developed since 2002, mostly independently. However, from 2014, some IT companies have started to develop video games commercially. There have also been some research carried out at various universities for the betterment of the video game development sector.[1]
History
Apple Soft IT is one of the first video game companies in Bangladesh. This company was established in 2011. It is a game developing company in Bangladesh. Red Cloud 71 was its first product of Applesoft IT. Video gaming was introduced in the country through arcade gaming. It went through a significant growth during the late 1990s because of the availability of personal computers at lower prices. However, the local video game development only started in the early 2000s.[2] Dhaka Racing, a racing video game set in the streets of Dhaka, is the first 3D video game to be developed in the country.[3] The game was designed by two undergraduate students of computer science and was launched independently by eSophers in 2002.[3][4] Getting huge response from the gamers across the country, the game eventually paved the way for the local video game development sector. A year later, inspired by the success of Dhaka Racing, a group of computer science students from Chittagong developed Chittagong Racing.[5]
In 2004, a first-person shooter game titled Arunodoyer Agnishikha was developed by Trimatrik Interactive, which was based on the events of Bangladesh Liberation War. Being the first Bangladeshi game of its genre, it received widespread acclaim and started a new chapter of video game development in the country.[6] In 2012, a group of students from BRAC University developed Aerial Multi-Player Dogfight which they claimed to be the first massively multi-player online (MMO) game for PCs in the world that responds to body movements and voice command.[7]
On the very same year, 16 December, 2012, The very first professional game development team after 2004 has formed named "Team 71". They started their journey by announcing a first person shooter game named Liberation '71 based on the Bangladesh Liberation war inspired from the game "Arunodoyer Agnishikha." Liberation '71 will contain the actual history and events of Liberation war of 1971. The game is a big project using Unreal 4 game engine so its still under development. Team 71 is called the "Pioneer of Computer Game development" era of Bangladesh after 2010.
In 2014, Hatirjheel: Dream Begins, an Open world Action-adventure game was developed and published by MassiveStar Studio. It was the first commercially published video game in Bangladesh.[8]
In 2015, a new game titled The Reels:Welcome to Bangladesh was being developed by another Development team named LAI MASSIVE,which was a story based, linear racing game that lets the players drive through from Dhaka to Chittagong. which immediately all the Bangladeshi Gamers eyes.The Developers were very young and few in numbers, but made a game of Next-Generation Quality.They also made other games like, The Division Sa World At War,The Run,Night Time Bed.This proves how Bangladesh is also getting the development attention to gaming.These are determined developers who are bringing gaming a new meaning in Bangladesh
Research and development
Lately, there have been some research and development carrying out on video gaming. In 2014, Microsoft Bangladesh organized a game development workshop titled "Imagine Cup Bangladesh 2014 - Game Camp" for the participants of games category of the Imagine Cup Bangladesh 2014.[9] It followed two other game camps.[10] In the same year, MassiveStar studio began a project where they will train 80,000 students as video game developers.[11]
Mobile games industry of Bangladesh is also rising rapidly,[12] some companies provide world class games. Tap Tap Ants, downloaded 15 million times,[13] is one of the most popular games developed by Bangladeshi company named Rise Up Labs.
References
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