Jönköping recruits gamers — Their goal is to gamify the city

Jönköping has played host to the world’s largest digital festival, Dreamhack, since 2001. Now the city wants to step up and solidify their role in the gaming industry. Under May and June 2014 the city will employ two gamers assigned with the task of “gamifying” Jönköping.

Campagined as the ”Best Gamer Job,” Jönköping is now offering the job on the international market to two young gamers. The job entails two months of raising the city’s status as a hub in the international gaming community, whether it be through introducing potential gaming panels and conferences for the city to host or potential gamer profiles the city can collaborate with.

Workshops with Local Companies
The gamers will work with 10 different local businesses, sharing insights into the gaming industry and look at methods of gamifying to imbue their products, services and brand.

Compensation
In addition to 5000€ and Dreamhack tickets, the two gamers will be provided with lodging and a workspace at Science Park Jönköping for the duration. The gamers will get to experience Jönköping and its surroundings and in doing so present Dreamhack’s host city to the world.

Expanding Worth and Reach
The goal of the campaign is to give Jönköping’s enterprises a competitive advantage through the gaming industry, with a long term goal of augmenting entrepreneurship and recruiting talent to Jönköpings employers.

“This is the start of a long term process to raise Jönköpings appeal through emphasizing its place in the gaming industry,” claims Camilla Littorin, the Enterprise Manager of Jönköping Municipality.

The head of commerce hails gaming as an industry on the rise. In two years the turnover in Sweden has tripled, going from 1.2 billion SEK in 2010 to 3.7 billion SEK by 2012. Employment has under this period gone from 1200 to 1967 people.

“There are many cities looking to gain from the gaming industry and e-sports. After 12 years with Dreamhack in Jönköping, we’ve developed a symbiosis with the gaming industry, which we plan to take advantage of in future enterprises,” Littorin boasts.

The recruiting campaign is an initiative of Destination Jönköping in cooperation with Dreamhack and Science Park Jönköping. More collaborators are queued for the 2014 campaign.

About Dreamhack
Dreamhack is one of the world’s foremost hubs in the gaming industry. The conference is arranged biannually in Jönköping and generates 30,000 visitors from all over the world as well as millions of followers online. The bandwidth and connection speed established for the event is faster than that of many entire countries.

About Gamifying
Gamifying is the implementation of game-patterns within areas not traditionally associated with gaming. It is a way to increase engagement and interaction, and in many cases can be used to reach a higher level of commercial benefit and efficiency. Gamifying is used to change and enhance behaviors.

For More Information
Contact Camilla Littorin, Enterprise Manager of Jönköping Municipality: +46 (0) 705 53 66 70