Rovio’s CSO on construction a forward-thinking Finnish video games trade

• Pocket Gamer Connects heads to Helsinki on October seventh to eighth.
• Rovio leader sustainability officer Heini Kaihu believes Finland’s video games trade has proved itself Resilient amid tricky instances.
• Kaihu says the trade wishes to offer protection to itself from overly strict legislation in accordance with false impression virtual and video games trade basics.

Pocket Gamer Connects heads to Helsinki subsequent month on October seventh to eighth.

As we lead as much as the large display, we now have been reached out to audio system and native firms to get their perspectives at the Finnish video games trade.

We spoke with Rovio leader sustainability officer Heini Kaihu concerning the state of the sphere, immigration regulations within the nation, and the way Finnish video games firms can meet bold objectives.

PocketGamer.biz: How would you assess the Finnish video games scene these days?

Heini Kaihu: Resilient. In spite of going through the similar headwinds which have been witnessed around the international video games trade during the last couple of years, Finland’s recreation trade stays essentially sturdy and resilient.

The established gamers – firms like us, Supercell, and Treatment – proceed to accomplish neatly and deal with their international presence.

During the last few years, Finnish firms have more and more mastered reside operations, which has helped us proceed rising very a hit cellular franchises  hat had been introduced years in the past.

The indie scene is extra colourful than it is been in years, with smaller studios exploring leading edge ideas and new platforms. There is a palpable sense of businesses actively in search of contemporary alternatives, whether or not via rising applied sciences, new distribution channels, or untapped markets.

The mix of Finland’s sturdy technical ability, confirmed observe file in cellular gaming, and interesting Nordic work-life steadiness continues to draw each native and global ability.

What alternatives do you spot in Finland’s video games trade?

Finland provides a novel aggregate that is laborious to copy somewhere else: we have now this improbable focus of cellular gaming experience blended with a tech-savvy inhabitants and robust engineering tradition.

What is specifically treasured is that the large Finnish video games firms are conversant in running with international ability. This revel in offers us a transparent merit when growing video games for international audiences – it’s more uncomplicated to grasp the wishes of various markets as a result of our groups replicate that range.

Rovio became 20 remaining yr and we have now constructed a in truth various paintings group with an inclusive tradition, which is not simply the fitting factor to do, it is usually good trade when you find yourself developing merchandise for international audiences.

The ability pipeline is powerful. Finnish universities are generating world-class recreation builders and engineers, and we are seeing global ability opting for Finland now not only for profession alternatives, however for the standard of existence – blank surroundings, very good work-life steadiness, sturdy social methods, and a tradition that values innovation and long run pondering over fast wins.

And what demanding situations do you spot?

The demanding situations are just about the similar as we now have confronted prior to now. We are nonetheless a small nation, and as giant firms keep growing, they are in search of extra specialist personnel than we have locally and than our colleges can produce.

The trade continues to want specialist ability from outdoor Finland – at Rovio, we are proud to have 54 nationalities running at our Espoo place of business, which in reality demonstrates this truth.

As discussed previous, Finland stays a ravishing hub for the video games trade, boasting a secure and family-friendly surroundings; alternatively, we should paintings actively to deal with this place. It is not one thing we will take with no consideration.

What’s your outlook for the sphere? If we talk once more in 5 years, the place do you hope Finland’s video games marketplace to be?

The Finnish recreation trade’s percentage of worldwide recreation trade turnover was once round 1.8% in 2023, and in keeping with our nationwide technique (by way of Neogames), we are taking a look to extend or no less than deal with that percentage, which might imply no less than doubling the trade turnover by way of 2030.

Because of this established firms like us and others wish to continue to grow our trade with current and new video games, and perhaps, we additionally want new firms with international hits.

I consider that is potential, nevertheless it calls for that we construct this ambition degree into the whole thing we do – ability construction, recreation ideas and manufacturing, and in addition how the video games trade is seen from executive and investment views.

We’d like to offer protection to the trade from overly strict legislation in accordance with false impression virtual and video games trade basics, whilst making sure it is recognised as a treasured export sector.

This implies construction forward-thinking, leading edge systems to spice up enlargement fairly than impede it.

What extra do you wish to have for the rustic’s video games scene? I.e. extra improve from executive, extra funding generally?

We’d like policymakers who keep in mind that gaming is an advanced generation sector requiring specialized ability, vital R&D funding, and the versatility to reply briefly to international marketplace adjustments.

This implies protective the trade from overly strict legislation in accordance with false impression virtual and video games trade basics. Those laws would possibly paintings for standard industries however may stifle innovation in ours.

On the similar time, we want the trade to be recognised and supported as a treasured export sector that brings vital income and global popularity to Finland:  we at Rovio are developing video games, but in addition lately generating our 3rd Indignant Birds movie.

Having created a globally recognised IP is a large deal for a small nation like Finland.

This must imply construction forward-thinking, leading edge improve systems – whether or not that is via centered investment for scaling startups, immigration insurance policies and e.g. non-public tax incentives that lend a hand us draw in global ability, or tax incentives that inspire long-term funding in recreation construction.

What is your evaluate at the state of affairs of the funding landsacpe in Finland’s video games trade?

The sentiment within the trade appears to be that securing funding is tougher than sooner than. The outdated cellular “scale up with cash” type is not very useful anymore, because of prime person acquisition prices and uncertainty round legislation in that house.

Buyers are in search of new  approaches to the sport trade; in all probability this is able to come from extra technical inventions, which might make the Finnish marketplace rather attention-grabbing given our sturdy tech basis.

How has the adjustments to Finnish immigration regulation impacted the rustic’s video games
trade?

The massive trade is if an worker with a work-based place of dwelling allow turns into unemployed, they’ve to discover a new activity inside both 3 or six months relying on the kind of paintings allow they cling and the way lengthy they have got been within the nation. Prior to now, they had been allowed to stick till the expiry in their paintings allow.

This initiative was once first presented a few years in the past. Rovio, all of the Finnish recreation trade, along many different industries, naturally strongly antagonistic the entire concept, and we nonetheless do.

The excellent news is that the majority recreation trade staff fall into the six-month class because of their specialist standing, however this sends an overly incorrect sign total.

Although the ability wanted  in our trade may be very a lot welcomed and wanted, the coverage creates pointless uncertainty for the global pros we are making an attempt to draw.

Who do you spot as the important thing gamers within the Finnish video games scene in 2025?

The established pillars stay sturdy: Supercell is still a world powerhouse, Treatment has constructed an out of this world recognition in its personal class, and we at Rovio, with the Indignant Birds emblem, proceed to be an important pressure in relation to developing transmedia video games and stories.

Whilst we are increasing our presence to new places like Barcelona, our roots are firmly in Finland, and we are dedicated to making an investment in our presence and trade right here.

Past the large names, a colourful ecosystem of established and new gamers demonstrates that Finland can produce hits throughout quite a lot of recreation classes and platforms.