Amir Blum: Bringing video game development to Jerusalem

Video games are one of the biggest entertainment industries in the world, outgrossing the film and music industries combined, and game developers are the artists at its heart.

In the capital, a community of developers, known as MakeGamesJLM, has formed, with Amir Blum at its center.

In Jerusalem sat down with Blum to talk about his work in enabling the Jerusalem game development community to thrive.

What is your connection to Jerusalem?

Growing up in Baka, I always felt a sense of Jerusalem pride and a connection to the people who make up the city. The diverse people, unique atmosphere, and the city’s beauty have given me a sense of home.

After studying at the Hebrew University, I spent a few years advancing my career at mobile game studios in Tel Aviv but ultimately felt drawn back to Jerusalem. I returned here in 2018 to form an independent studio called Unboxed with Simon Gross, whom I met during high school.

The vibrant and supportive tech ecosystem here quickly proved itself as fruitful ground for our fledgling venture, and a community of game makers started to form around us.

What got you into gaming and game development?

I’ve been playing games since my grandparents bought me a Game Boy and Pokémon Red [1996 video game] for my sixth birthday. I was also interested in programming from a young age, but it took me an embarrassingly long time to connect the two interests. I thought games were these magical creations that just appeared on store shelves, not comprehending the blood, sweat, and tears of the people who made them.

This changed in 2012 when I randomly participated in the Global Game Jam in Jerusalem. Building a game from scratch in just 48 hours was a transformative experience. It made me realize that game development was something I could actually pursue to express my creativity through code in the process of creating engaging interactive experiences.

Why did you start a community in Jerusalem?

I found myself traveling to meetups and conferences in Tel Aviv, only to encounter a growing number of Jerusalemites who would meet on the bus on the way there. The demand was clear; all that was missing was the right framework to bring it together.

In addition, Simon and I did not want to be the sole studio in the city, creating games within an ecosystem vacuum. We started MakeGamesJLM to be a community that fosters collaboration and knowledge sharing – and ultimately create more opportunities for everyone involved.

I believe Jerusalem has all the necessary ingredients to become a thriving hub for game development. We have world-class academic institutions, a warm and welcoming tech ecosystem supported by organizations such as Made in JLM, and a diverse population that can provide fresh perspectives.

It is a commonly held belief in the industry that diverse teams make better games because they bring a wider range of experiences and ideas to the table. It’s a collaborative process, and I’ve seen it transcend cultural and social barriers, so it is my desire for Jerusalem to strengthen and prosper with a strong local game development industry – and that all starts with a strong local community.

What is indie game development and its challenges?

Indie game development at its core is about small teams working on projects they are passionate about. These teams prioritize creative expression and strive for commercial viability and sustainability rather than maximum profits.

Team members need to wear many hats and be involved in everything from the art and code to the business aspects. To succeed, you require a broad skill set and a strong understanding of the platform, as well as the intricacies of running a business. Much like the independent film or music industries, success often requires a combination of effort and luck. It’s sometimes just about surviving long enough to make your first hit.

For us, the main challenge was finding funding for our projects. Unlike larger studios, indie developers often have to find a publishing deal or bootstrap their project with their own limited resources. Over the years, we split our time between developing our own games and functioning as a work-for-hire studio. This allowed us to successfully release our first game, Scramballed – a multi-player chicken tennis game – on Nintendo Switch last year.

Limitations also foster creativity and risk-taking. Without the pressure of corporate stakeholders, indie developers have the freedom to experiment with new ideas and push boundaries. This is what I love about the space and why many of the most innovative and interesting games often come from indie studios.

Tell us about some of the work you do in the gaming space.

Over the past few years, my work has been split between creating opportunities for the Jerusalem community through various initiatives and leading by example, through the development of our studio’s games.

MakeGamesJLM organizes a weekly meetup for programmers, artists, sound designers, and more to work on projects in a supportive and collaborative environment.

To expand connections, we host the GameDev Drinkup, a casual event that brings game developers together to socialize every month or two.

We founded Double Jump, a game development co-op that provides services for companies seeking game development expertise while simultaneously giving members of the local community opportunities to work in the field and earn income while working on their own projects.

We also organize game jams, offering unique opportunities for developers to experience the full game development cycle in a very short period of time. We have a yearly tradition of running a game jam during Hanukkah, open to participants from all over the country, as well as hosting local sites for global jams.

But perhaps the most important way I contribute is by working on projects myself, either solo or as part of Unboxed.

When we released Scramballed, we held a celebration for the whole community to demonstrate that success in the gaming industry is achievable right here in Jerusalem!■