"Breda Is the New Game Capital of Europe."

Name: Breda Business
Telephone: +31 (0)6 11 71 63 81

Game Studio

Did you know that the gaming industry is the highest-earning entertainment niche in the world? In fact, its revenue tops those of the movies and music industries combined.

Robbie Grigg Technical Direct Game Studio Game Studio

Did you know that the gaming industry is the highest-earning entertainment niche in the world? In fact, its revenue tops those of the movies and music industries combined. That’s exciting news for the West Brabant region because the city of Breda is quickly becoming the game development capital of Europe.

Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUAS), which offers both a Bachelor and a Master degree in Game Technologies, plays a pivotal role in putting the city on the game design map. The coursework, taught fully in English, has been rated number 2 in Europe and number 3 worldwide by GAMEducation in 2023.

But ultimately it’s the people who work in this industry that are the heart and soul of creativity and innovation in this field. People such as Robbie Grigg, an educator and leader in game technology, who joined BUAS over 12 years ago after working in his native Australia as well as the United Kingdom and the United States. We interviewed Robbie about his experience of living and working in the West Brabant region and how he sees the future of Breda as a catalyst for the games industry in Europe.

Hi, Robbie. Can you tell us about how you ended up in Breda?

I’ve been in Breda for the past 12 years and I don’t have any plans to leave. We enjoy a high quality of life here and I find the atmosphere of the city to be friendly, welcoming and supportive.

I first came to work in the games program at the Breda University of Applied Sciences. The university is home to an international team doing exciting things. And together we helped make the games program rank amongst the top 10 in the world in multiple rankings

What makes Breda attractive to game companies?

The university presents us with top talent that would otherwise be difficult to attract. The network in Breda is very supportive of game companies and the industry network is growing rapidly.

The university has also been a catalyst for bringing together new movements in the games industry. Initiatives such as the Breda Game Hub and Breda Game City are really helping take the community here to another level. Events such as the Everything Procedural conference, hosted in Breda, are now known worldwide in our industry. It’s very exciting to see the city creating a community around game development.

Robbie, tell us a bit about the game studio that you work for.

I’m part of the director team at a relatively new studio in the heart of Breda. We’re working on Triple A content for console and PC. The decision to create the studio in Breda had a lot to do with the international environment of the city itself. Top talent comes here through the university or is trained at the university.

As a studio, we’ve attracted back a lot of talent that had left Breda after graduation to join top studios abroad. They brought back the skills and knowledge that they had acquired in those prestigious studios.

Do you have any favorite spots in the region?

I really enjoy all the different events that take place in and outside the city. We go to the Wolfslaar petting farm as a family quite often.

I also enjoy listening to live music, so having the largest jazz festival in Europe right on our doorstep is very exciting. The performances are so impressive, both in number and in quality.

What do you like to do on a day off in Breda?

I love football, and when I got here I was amazed at the quality of football infrastructure. I joined the local football club and made great Dutch friends. I also have a season ticket to NAC, the football team of Breda. Avondje NAC, an evening watching the local football team play, is one of my favorite highlights in the city.

How about family life in the city?

The city offers me and my family a great quality of life. There’s a great education system and good infrastructure for enjoying life. I love my neighborhood because everything is conveniently located. I can walk to work and to my gym and there’s a park down the road. In Breda, you can throw away your car, which is a nice and un-stressful way to live your life. I’m happy that I landed here in Breda 12 years ago.