Study trip within the CBC GAIN project: Inspiration for the development of the gaming industry.

The gaming industry is increasingly attracting diverse target groups and is now valued higher than the film and music industries combined. Therefore, the CBC GAIN project aims to further develop the gaming industry in the cross-border area by establishing gaming centers with efficient ecosystems. Project activities will bring numerous positive changes—including the development of a methodology for advancing the gaming industry, strengthening existing ecosystems, improving educational systems, modernizing infrastructure, developing the market, and raising awareness about the importance of the gaming sector.  

To gain insight into best practices and successful models, we participated in a study visit to France, where we had the opportunity to tour several key institutions and organizations in the gaming industry.  

On the first day, we began with a visit to ESpot Paris, a gaming and e-sports center located in Paris. This 2,000 m² venue offers over 120 PCs, more than 50 consoles, Alpine sim racing, VIP rooms, and arena with 150 seats, and two bars, making it one of the leading centers of its kind in Europe.  After that, we visited VirtualTime, which since 2017 has been allowing visitors to experience VR adventures, escape room challenges, and other forms of interactive entertainment, providing us with insight into innovative approaches to using VR technology in the gaming sector. 

On the second day of our trip, we visited Eurekatech in Angoulême, an incubator for creative industries that supports gaming startups. Established in 2018, Eurekatech plays a crucial role in technology transfer, innovation development, and strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region. Additionally, we toured ENJMIN—the French National School of Games and Interactive Digital Media—where we became acquainted with their educational programs and methods for training future professionals in the gaming industry. 

This study trip has allowed us to gain valuable experiences and insights into the best European practices, which we will apply within the CBC GAIN project, as a Gaming Development Center will soon be opening in Mostar, at the INTERA Technology Park. This center will be based on models of successful gaming ecosystems that we had the opportunity to see during this study visit.

We will soon provide more details about the activities we are implementing as part of this project.  

The project is co-financed by the European Union through the Interreg VI-A IPA Programme Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro 2021–2027.  

March 25, 2025.