20 PORTUGUESE VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY Ground Control Studios Gaming solutions for real-world problems Ground Control Studios is a Portuguese company that develops and publishes premium PC and console games. The company goes beyond video games, using gaming technologies to create innovative business solutions. Founded in 2014, Ground Control Studios started with a single desk in a coworking space in the centre of Porto. Initially focused on developing premium games for PCs and consoles, the company also explored emerging technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). Committed to efficiency and continu- ous value creation for clients, Ground Control Studios has grown in interna- tional markets, exporting an average of 65% to 70% of its business volume since 2021. Rui Guedes, founder and CEO, notes that video games are inherently global products due to their digital nature. Platforms such as Steam, the App Store and Google Play make products available instantly world- wide. Only console games (PlaySta- tion, Xbox and Nintendo) must un- dergo quality control and compliance checks before selling. "Our challenge is to make our prod- ucts discoverable by gamers on these platforms. We need to collaborate with specialised partners who can market and sell the games to our tar- get audience," says Rui Guedes. This aim and the need to secure capital for production make up 99.9% of Ground Control's internationalisa- tion efforts. Attending international fairs and events serves a dual purpose: meet- ing with publishers (distribution com- panies that fund the production and marketing of games) and showing to the public, press and influencers to promote the games. Ground Control Studios' most suc- cessful games include ZHED, a puz- zle game available for PC, Switch and mobile, and Return Zero VR, a racing game available for PC and mobile. An internal programme on strategy and management games with com- plex productions has recently been launched. The first release, Desert Adventure Races, is an independent retro-style production in which play- ers manage a desert rally team from northern Europe to central Africa. The next game, currently in development, will feature 3D graphics. This futuristic strategy game involves the manage- ment of a fleet of spaceships and will be announced shortly.
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