As part of Shine Week, the national festival to celebrate talent in children and young people, Electronic Arts and Shine hosted a videogaming masterclass to inspire Britain’s next generation of creative talent to consider a future career in the gaming industry. The masterclass took place in Pall Mall London yesterday where children from Berger Primary School, Hackney, and Lady Margaret School, Parson’s Green became gaming developers for the day and created their own levels on the latest game from Electronic Arts, Boom Blox Bash Party.

The BAFTA award winning game franchise Boom Blox, designed by Steven Spielberg provides editing tools for players to create their own levels and gives them a taste of what it’s like to be a games developer.

The development team for Boom Blox flew over from the EA Studio in Los Angeles to hold the masterclass and taught the lucky children an insight of what it’s like to be a games developer. Each school was shown first hand what it takes to create fun and entertaining videogame levels and then given the chance to create their own.

The children were joined by Siôn Simon, of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and upcoming urban music artist Master Shortie who attended the event to encourage children to embrace the creative industries as a possible future career option and offer some personal advice about breaking through in the industry.

Siôn Simon said “It is in the creative industry’s interest to foster and develop the next generation of talent and clearly, it is in the government’s interest as well.”

Electronic Theatre couldn’t agree with the principle of the exercise more, and hope to see future, similar events taking place. As ever, you’ll be kept up-to-date with any future events.

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