InterPlay Summit v2.0, held in Banja Luka, has become the largest event in Bosnia and Herzegovina dedicated to the video game industry.
- “I believe this is a turning point for our industry, considering that there have been no major events, projects, or investments so far. I believe we have taken the first step in that direction,” said Stefan Filipović, co-founder of Legit d.o.o., the first registered company for mobile game development in Banja Luka. Legit, in collaboration with the Banja Luka Regional Chamber of Commerce, organized the InterPlay Summit, a regional conference that brought together experts from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Croatia.
Filipović emphasized that gaming is a significant global industry, which is gradually developing in the region.
- “In Serbia, the gaming industry generates nearly 200 million euros in revenue, in Croatia around 60 million euros, creating jobs and building major careers. This conference is an opportunity to open such possibilities in Banja Luka, Republika Srpska, and Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Filipović stated.
He pointed out that the gaming industry in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska has so far relied mostly on the enthusiasm of individuals. He expects institutional support from Republika Srpska through funding and co-financing projects, which would also have a positive impact on other economic sectors.
Dijana Đaković, Secretary of the Council for Cultural and Creative Industries at the Banja Luka Regional Chamber of Commerce, noted that InterPlay Summit is part of the activities conducted by the Board for Video Game Production and Design.
- “The goal is to showcase domestic potential in the gaming industry, provide an opportunity to hear experiences from the region—primarily from Serbia and Croatia—exchange ideas, explore ways to support each other through networking, and ultimately improve the business environment for gaming industry companies,” said Đaković. She also highlighted that the conference has been recognized by the LER project in Bosnia and Herzegovina, implemented by Swiss Caritas and Niras, and funded by the Swiss government.
A committee for video game production and design has been established
Tarik Čatić, Market Access and Public Affairs Manager at the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk and one of the conference panelists, explained that Legit and Novo Nordisk collaborated on a project to create the first video game designed for children with diabetes and their peers.
- “The goal of the game Lea and Leo is to educate, raise awareness of the needs of children with diabetes, and help their peers better understand what they go through in life. We successfully presented a serious condition to this demographic in an engaging way,” Čatić stated, emphasizing that Novo Nordisk recognizes the importance of this approach in communication with users.
- “Through our partnership with Legit, we have seen the enormous potential in the gaming industry. Greater systemic support is needed, as this is a growing industry with significant capacity. The Legit project demonstrated that a complete video game can be developed using local resources,” Čatić noted.
The city on the Vrbas opens its doors to the video game industry
The participants of InterPlay Summit were welcomed by Rade Mrđen, director of Legit d.o.o., and Goran Račić, president of the Republika Srpska Chamber of Commerce. The panel discussions featured insights from Benjamin Noa Maričak (Croatian Audiovisual Center), Ramiz Trtovac (GameBiz Consulting), Mihailo Miljanović (storyBorder), Belma Ramić-Brkić (Sarajevo School of Science and Technology), Katarina Amižić (Croatian Video Game Producers Cluster), Andreja Šeperac (Regional Coordinator of Sisak-Moslavina County), Branislav Trajković (Emotion Spark Studio), Dragomir Leko (Insert Coin Podcast), as well as Stefan Filipović and Željko Žilić from Legit.
Source: See Srpska
