The Hub engages with industry and has formalised links with Codemasters, SAP, Lubetech, Research through Games and IBM.
The gaming industry is now searching for good designers, in addition to good computing experts and the hub intends to fill this gap. The partnerships with companies are to provide the hub opportunities to engage in real life problems and how they can be addressed through gaming. At the same time they are a fundamental part of the research activities that the hub has already established through KTP (Knowledge Transfer Partnerships) and bidding for funds through the various bodies such as HEA, EU, ESRC, EPSRC and AHRC, related to gaming and the Digital Economy.
Currently, the Hub hosts meetings every Tuesday either at WSA or ECS and has a group of PhD students that are jointly supervised by Ashok Ranchhod from WSA and Gary Wills from ECS.
The Hub will be linked to the BA in Games Design and Art and also the MA in Games Design and Art, providing a research and commercial base for the students and is a member of TIGA (The Games and Industry Association).
At the meetings, from time to time industry speakers and partners are invited discuss research and develop ideas for games. The Hub also has national and international links with other universities and WSA is currently in the process of formalizing links with the National Institute of Design in India.
Current members: Ashok Ranchhod (WSA), Gary Wills(ECS), James Stallwood , James Baker , Vanissa Wanick , Somjit Chaisriya, Ala Armashedi, (PhD students) Adam Procter (WSA), Valerie Bonnardel (Winchester University).