Sidhe Interactive
Wanted: Games Tester! But before hordes of enthusiastic gamers rush the door at Wellington based Sidhe Interactive it should be pointed out that playing games all day is not all it might sound.
What's in a name?: Sidhe, pronounced 'shee', is the name given to the faeries (supernatural beings) of Ireland and Scotland. There are different types of sidhe with different attributes or roles such as the ban sidhe (banshee) which wails to warn of impending death.
Testing is a very repetitive process but vital given the potential economic impact of a successful game. The computer and video game industry is a world wide multi billion dollar affair which employs thousands of people and continues to grow.
While New Zealand is a small player on the global scene, (the New Zealand Game Developers Association has 21 members) it is definitely making an impact and earning millions of dollars in overseas trade.
Sidhe Interactive is New Zealand's largest interactive games company. Managing Director Mario Wynands and partners started Sidhe while holding down day-jobs as IT consultants. In July 2006, the company had a core development team of 54, plus administrative support which brings staff numbers to over 60, with more people joining as a project progresses.
At the 2006 Australian Game Developers Awards Sidhe's original game Gripshift was awarded 'Best Level Design', Best Game Design' and 'Best Handheld Game'. The company also won the 'Industry Contribution Award', presented in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the growth of gaming in Australasia.
