REPORTAGE

Game developer Harry enjoys "the Jörney"

Harry Heath from Cambridge, England, has a dream: to create a successful computer game that takes the world by storm. That dream is about to come true - in Jörn. This is the story of how the ancient train junction five miles northwest of Skellefteå became Game Village Jörn - home to aspiring computer game developers.

When the train stops in Jörn one morning in January 2022, a 29-year-old British man gets off. There is a thick blanket of snow over the region and the cold is biting his cheeks. For Harry Heath, who grew up in the university city of Cambridge, it's the start of something completely new and exotic.

- "I came from Stockholm, where I had studied game programming. When I heard about the game incubator in Jörn, I thought: why not? I didn't want to end up at a huge game company. I wanted to create something of my own," he says.

New times

Jörn has long been a thriving railway community, once home to six hotels. An old story claims that even Lenin stayed here. But that was then and now is now.

Today, visitors are instead greeted by a two-meter-high statue of Totoro, a Japanese forest spirit known from animated movie classics like My Neighbor Totoro. The statue stands outside the old People's House. Next to it is a sign, Game Village Jörn. Here, the company Mind Detonator runs a game incubator where small studios can live, work and develop with the support of mentors and local businesses.

- It is an initiative for early-stage investment in gaming companies. "That's the hardest thing for gaming companies, to find the early money," says Johan Linder, CEO of Mind Detonator.

He describes the initiative as unique: a combination of boarding school and business incubator where everything from accommodation to office space and leisure activities are subsidized. But running such a business is not easy.

- The gambling industry has had tough years with inflation and the world situation. But we think we have done something good and unique in Jörn. We want to continue developing the model," he says.

Likes to cook

Harry Heath rents a room in an old hotel that is now shared accommodation. He describes life in Jörn as simple, with work a stone's throw from home. He has always liked video games, but it wasn't until he moved to Sweden that Harry started dreaming of working in game development himself.

- "I realized that programming is basically a logic-based language and that anyone can learn it," he says.

In Jörn, he has found a good balance between work and leisure. He swims twice a week and likes to play guitar at home in his room.

- "I like that it's a quiet life here. One thing I appreciate a lot is being at home and cooking, it's almost meditative," he says.

In fact, cooking has inspired his current project, the development of the game Pawsta - a word game with the words 'paws' and pasta. He describes it as a cozy, stress-free game to relax with after work.

Harry's studio Cold Sector was the first northern company to be accepted into the prestigious European Videogame Accelerator, which supports promising game studios. Last spring, he traveled to Málaga in Spain for a kickoff together with 19 other companies.

- "It felt completely unreal. Many companies applied, and we in Jörn were one of those accepted. It's great," he says.

The working week inside the office upstairs in Folkets hus consists of programming, game design and marketing. On TikTok, under the name @cozy_harry, he shows glimpses of life in Jörn.

- The best thing about being an indie developer is that you get to be creative on so many levels. One day you're programming, the next day you're designing levels or doing marketing. It's never boring.

A place for community

Harry is one of three game developers who currently run a studio in Jörn. For many of the people who come here, the village becomes more than a workplace. Among other things, Harry is involved in hosting movie nights.

- He has been an important part of the Game Village. "Everyone becomes like family here," says Em Prieto.

She has worked as a site manager for Game Village Jörn since the start in 2022. Now she is working hard to start the café The Jörney on the ground floor of the building.

- "I have actually gathered everything I like in the same place. There will be a flea market and an arcade hall, and you will be able to play board games and have coffee. It's very geek-oriented but at the same time a place for everyone. It should be worth driving the extra miles to get here," she says.

Em describes how the whole village has helped with the renovation. Young people have painted, neighbors have welded furniture, associations have contributed materials.

- There has been nowhere to go and socialize here in Jörn for quite a while. But it is certainly something that is in demand.

Challenges

But there are challenges with a venture like Game Village Jörn. Developing games is difficult and the competition is fierce, emphasizes Johan Linder at Mind Detonator.

- "The challenges in the beginning are enormous - both in terms of finances, networks and organization. For Harry, it's now about finding funding and a publisher," he says.

Johan Linder hopes that Mind Detonator can find new ways to finance its activities in the future, and believes that game development has a place in Jörn even in the long term.

Harry himself hopes to launch Pawsta next summer, translated into several languages.

- "I have big dreams for this little game from Jörn," he says.

He admits that Jörn can feel a bit isolated at times - but at the same time sees great value in the community that arises in a small town.

- "There is a charm in recognizing everyone, greeting people in the shop and going to the flea market every week.

Believe in Jörn

For Jörn, the investment in the game incubator means a lot, says Johan Linder at Mind Detonator.

- "It has meant that people have moved in. Then it is important that we can keep them. Em's initiative with the café is part of that, to create meeting places. What happens outside work is just as important as what we do at work," says Johan.

And Harry Heath is keen to stay in Jörn, although he is now hoping to spend six months in Germany to get to know the gaming industry there better. And he believes in the future of Jörn.

- "Having traveled around the world, I know there is a demand to go somewhere quiet and cheap to develop games. I know many people who are interested. It's the perfect recipe for starting a studio and not having too many distractions. Especially international people are drawn to go to a place with snow and northern lights in the sky. I hope to see many more people coming here.

Text: Olov Antonsson

Photo: Jonas Westling