Mike Bithell is on the Game Industry Biz Top 100 list
Posted: April 5, 2017 Filed under: Alumni, Awards, Press, Uncategorized | Tags: Games Industry Biz, Mike Bithell, Thomas Was Alone, Top 100, University of South Wales, USW Computer Games Design, USW Games, USW Graduate, Volume Leave a commentA huge well done to Mike Bithell (BA Computer Games Design Graduate) for making the Games Industry Biz Top 100 Most Influential People in the British Games Industry List.
Taking up coding at a young age, Mike Bithell was destined for games. Although he worked at studios such as Blitz, it was his indie project Thomas Was Alone that made his name.
Taking inspiration from filmmakers such as Kevin Smith, Bithell focused on making impressive titles with a tight budget. Now he is an aspirational figure for many a hopeful one-man indie, but when asked for advice on how to make it in games, he reminds fellow developers that “they are not on the same journey.”
“The business changes weekly, so I try not to give too much advice,” he says.
Following huge commercial success came the chance to meet his heroes, such as Hideo Kojima, which Bithell describes as a “massive privilege.” But according to the Volume creator, it’s the audience that drives him.
“It sounds corny, but the best part of this job is meeting the people who play our stuff,” he says. “Fan art, cosplay, videos – everything that folks do with the games we make.”
Extract from http://www.gamesindustry.biz/top100/indie-leaders
Great Week at GameCity 9!
Posted: November 5, 2014 Filed under: Alumni, Events, Student Successes | Tags: Beneath the Crimson Moon, British Library, computer games design, Congo War Child, Fragments, GameCity, Gisbourne Industries, Mike Bithell, newport computer games design, Nix, Off the Map 2014, SimRaiders, USW, USW Games, Volume Leave a commentGameCity9 Highlights
Once again this year we made our annual pilgrimage to GameCity in Nottingham, to completely immerse ourselves in games!
With talks and workshops from State of Play the creators of Lumino City, Christos Reid from Failnaut, James Parker’s fantastic Wise Old Games’ Owl, Ian Livingstone and Richard Bartle, Ed Stern, Chris Avellone, Zoe Quinn and Eline Muijres to mention a few! As we’ll as getting to play loads of fantastic games in the ‘Open’ galleries.
There was also an exciting announcement from Mike Bithell (a 2007 graduate) and Gisbourne Industries about the upcoming game Volume, but more on that in another post.
It was also great to hear that GameCity will now become a permanent feature in Nottingham with the National Videogame Arcade opening in March 2015.
Showcase
We spent the whole day on Wednesday showing off some of the games created but current and recently graduated students of the USW Games Design course.
These included, Nix (Jackson Rolls-Gray, Sebastian Filby and Faye Allen), Beneath the Crimson Moon (Zack Finley, Sam Beale, Gary Kings, Rob Pearce, Ashley Lake and Mitchell Letherdale), SimRaiders (Matt Stockham) and Fragments (Adam Curtis). Nix went on to win this year’s Off The Map competition, but there will be more on that on another post. Ollie Elliot (a 2011 graduate) also brought along his new game Congo War Child.
All of last year’s graduating games can be seen on our 2014 Showreel…
More videos are available on the USW Games YouTube Channel and on USW Games Twitter.
Thomas Was Alone is released on iPad
Posted: May 20, 2014 Filed under: Alumni, Releases | Tags: iPad, Mike Bithell, Newport Alumni, newport computer games design, Newport Graduate, Thomas Was Alone, Unity, University of South Wales, USW, Volume Leave a commentSo Mike Bithell has been pretty busy, not only has be been busily working away on his new game Volume, he’s also released Thomas Was Alone on iPad.
Mike has also been talking about the release of the iPad version in Polygon.
Mike Bithell talking about his new game at GameCity8
Posted: March 3, 2014 Filed under: Alumni, Events | Tags: GameCity, Mike Bithell, Newport Alumni, newport computer games design, Newport Graduate, Robin Hood, Unity, University of South Wales, USW, Volume, Wales Indie Leave a commentLast year at Game City 8 Mike Bithell had an on stage discussion about his new game Volume.
Here is an edited version for you to take a look at…
Mike Bithell announces his new game VOLUME
Posted: August 14, 2013 Filed under: Alumni, Releases | Tags: Mike Bithell, Newport Alumni, newport computer games design, Newport Graduate, Unity, University of South Wales, USW, Volume Leave a commentIt is great to see that our graduate Mike Bithell has finally announced his new game Volume, the follow up to his award winning Thomas Was Alone.
You can find out more details and watch the cool videos on his website… http://www.mikebithellgames.com/volume/
Mike Bithell’s Thomas Was Alone wins Games BAFTA Award 2013
Posted: March 6, 2013 Filed under: Alumni, Awards | Tags: Games BAFTA, Mike Bithell, Newport Alumni, newport computer games design, Newport Graduate, Thomas Was Alone, Unity Leave a commentMike Bithell’s Thomas Was Alone has won a Games BAFTA Award 2013, in the Performer category for Danny Wallace’s narration. Well done!
Mike also announced a few weeks ago that Thomas Was Alone will soon be making it’s debut on PS3 and PS Vita!
Mike Bithell’s Thomas Was Alone gets 3 nominations at the Games BAFTA Awards 2013
Posted: February 18, 2013 Filed under: Alumni, Awards | Tags: Games BAFTA, Mike Bithell, Newport Alumni, Thomas Was Alone, Unity Leave a commentIt’s great to see that Thomas Was Alone is in the headlines once again. This time Thomas has been nominated for three Games BAFTA 2013 awards, in the categories, Story, Original Music & Performer (for Danny Wallace’s narration).
Thomas Was Alone is released
Posted: June 30, 2012 Filed under: Alumni, Releases | Tags: Desura, IndieCity, Mike Bithell, Newport Alumni, newport computer games design, Newport Graduate, Thomas Was Alone, Unity Leave a comment
It gives us great pleasure to announce that Newport alumni Mike Bithell’s game Thomas Was Alone is now available to download from Desura and Indie City.
Over the last few days there has been great press coverage and reviews… Rock Paper Shotgun, Gamasutra, Gamespot UK, IndieGames.com, Just Press Start, Size Five Games and GameZone, to name a few.
Follow Mike Bithell on Twitter.
Thomas Was Alone is set for release on June 30
Posted: June 27, 2012 Filed under: Alumni, Releases | Tags: Desura, June 30 2012 Release, Mike Bithell, Newport Alumni, newport computer games design, Newport Graduate, Thomas Was Alone, Unity Leave a comment
Thomas Was Alone is a minimalist game about friendship and jumping and is due for release on June 30, 2012. It will be out first on Desura, then shortly on other digital distribution platforms.
Thomas Was alone has been created by Newport graduate Mike Bithell, in his spare time, whilst not working as Lead Designer at Bossa Studios.
There is a great review/interview on Gamasutra and a short preview on N4G.
We can’t wait to get our hands on it and have a go.
Newport Grads talking at Develop
Posted: May 22, 2012 Filed under: Alumni, Events, Student Successes | Tags: Dan DaRocha, Develop Conference, Indie Dev Day, Jon Savery, Mike Bithell, Newport Alumni, newport computer games design, Newport Graduate, Q.U.B.E., QUBE, Thomas Was Alone Leave a commentOnce again the Develop Conference will be taking place this year in Brighton from the 10th-12th July.
This year three Newport alumni will be panel members for discussions held as part of the Indie Dev Day.
Mike Bithell will be a panellist for “Marketing: Explore the Dirty Indie Secret“, which will be taking place on 11th July 2012.
Dan Da Rocha and Jon Savery will be panellists for “Ways To Fund Your Indie Game“, which will be taking place on 12th July 2012.
For full details please click the links above.
