Alumni Spotlight: Simran Whitham

Simran Whitham is the award-winning founder and CEO of creative production company FORMATGG. Since graduating from Futureworks, he’s grown an exciting and expansive career across the games industry, working at leading game studios and also creating his own video games.

Simran’s notable achievements, outside of FORMATGG, consist of working on multiple video game projects across console, PC, and virtual reality at studios such as Tri-Heart Interactive, Milky Tea, Rezzil, XR Games, The Game Production Company, and many more. He has also built Europe’s leading games industry nightlife event – FORMATGG Liverpool | The Ultimate Gaming Social. FORMATGG has been nominated and has won several awards within the game and tech industry collaborating with leading industry leaders such as Ubisoft, Sony, Lenovo, Escape Technology, MSI, Playtonic, Team 17 and more.

Simran enrolled at Futureworks in September 2015 and graduated the BA (Hons) Game Design degree course with a First Class Honours and he also won the student special achievement award at his graduation in 2018. Simran rapidly made moves in the games industry and he started his events and production company whilst as a first-year student at Futureworks. Within months of graduating FORMATGG became one of the largest community gaming events in the UK and now, years later, across the whole of Europe.

Additionally, Simran founded his own game studio during in his final year at Futureworks. Alongside fellow game design alumni Chris Taylor, Bradley Mayo, and Kieran Rogers, the four games entrepreneurs founded Tri-Heart Interactive and produced games such as The Otterman Empire, Terrawurm, and Vista Venus, for Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC and mobile.

Outside of hosting colossal games industry B2B and B2C consumer shows, Simran also worked on game titles such as HyperBrawl Tournament, Rezzil, Adventure in Aellion, and more. He’s assisted in the global marketing strategies for these games, helping studios maximise their marketing efforts whilst also gaining valuable industry experience, and he’s even ventured into product development. Working alongside energy drink brands such as Wraith Energy, he’s launched his own energy drink across the US and Europe, with another launch coming soon in 2024.

Due to Simran’s vast experience in games industry events, he’s been invited to join the Scottish Games Week advisory board in early 2024 to help grow and nurture Scotland’s largest games industry event.

Simran has achieved so much at a young age and in recognition he’s been nominated and has won several awards within the games and tech industry. In 2022 he was named one of MCV’s 30 Under 30, won the SME News CEO of the Year Award 2023, and was nominated for the Community Player Award at the Game Republic 2023 Anniversary Awards.

Simran has started 2024 off strong by announcing his latest achievement for FORMATGG: officially expanding its events outside of Manchester and into Liverpool, making FORMATGG one of the UK’s few multi-regional games industry events. He’s also working on some exciting new industry client projects for FORMATGG’s creative agency, FORMAT Forge.

 

Simran’s Liverpool event is now live, and due to its long history of working with Futureworks as a partner it’s offering students a whopping 25% off tickets using the code frm_lvp25 on the ticket link here

 

Simran had the following advice for students studying at Futureworks on how to maximise their time while studying:

“It’s not what you know; it’s who you know!”

“The most valuable thing I acquired from my time at Futureworks was the connections I forged both inside and outside the university, which have led to me working with so many fantastic people across my career.”

“Yes, your course work is important, but your network of contacts once you graduate is your life’s blood, and if you are studying, you need to start networking now!“

“Go to industry events, reach out to hiring managers and development teams on LinkedIn and other social platforms, and start having conversations now so that when you graduate, you’ll have a head start in finding opportunities for yourself, whether that’s getting a job, building your own business, or acquiring the experience you need to get to where you want to be.”

Want to keep up to date with Simran Whitham’s events or follow his work?

Check out FORMATGG’s website or his Linkedin