"INTERPLAY SUMMIT V2.0": A TURNING POINT FOR THE VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

The InterPlay Summit v2.0, held in Banja Luka, stands as the largest event in Bosnia and Herzegovina dedicated to the video game industry to date.

"I believe this is a turning point for our industry, as there have been no major events, projects, or investments until now. I truly believe we have taken the first step towards changing that," said Stefan Filipović, co-founder of Legit d.o.o, the first registered mobile game development company in Banja Luka. In collaboration with the Banja Luka Regional Chamber of Commerce, Legit organized the InterPlay Summit, a regional conference that brought together experts from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Croatia.

Filipović emphasized that gaming is a massive global industry that is gradually developing in the region.

"In Serbia, the gaming industry generates nearly 200 million euros in revenue, while in Croatia, it reaches close to 60 million euros. Jobs are being created, and major careers are being built. This conference is an opportunity to open similar doors in Banja Luka, Republika Srpska, and Bosnia and Herzegovina," Filipović stated.

He noted that, up until now, the gaming industry in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska has largely relied on the enthusiasm of individuals. He hopes that institutions in Republika Srpska will offer financial support for projects, which would, in turn, positively impact other sectors of the economy.

Dijana Đaković, Secretary of the Council for Cultural and Creative Industries at the Banja Luka Regional Chamber of Commerce, highlighted that the InterPlay Summit is part of the activities carried out by the Committee for Video Game Production and Design.

"The goal is to showcase local potential in the gaming industry, gain insight into experiences from neighboring countries—especially Serbia and Croatia—exchange ideas, explore how we can help one another through networking, and improve the business environment for gaming companies," said Đaković. She also pointed out that the conference was recognized by the LER project in Bosnia and Herzegovina, implemented by Swiss Caritas and Niras and funded by the Swiss government.

Tarik Čatić, Market Access and Public Affairs Manager at pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk and one of the panelists, explained that Legit and Novo Nordisk collaborated on a project to develop the first video game designed for children with diabetes and their peers.

"The goal of the game ‘Lea and Leo’ is education—helping children better understand the needs of those with diabetes and what they go through in life. We managed to present a serious condition to this demographic in an engaging and accessible way," said Čatić. He highlighted that Novo Nordisk recognizes the importance of such an approach in communicating with its users.

"Through our partnership with Legit, we have seen the vast potential of the gaming industry. More systemic support is needed, as this is a growing industry with great capacity. The Legit project demonstrated that an entire game can be developed using local resources," Čatić emphasized.

The InterPlay Summit opened with speeches from Rade Mrđen, Director of Legit d.o.o., and Goran Račić, President of the Chamber of Commerce of Republika Srpska. Panel discussions featured insights from Benjamin Noa Maričak (Croatian Audiovisual Centre), Ramiz Trtovac (GameBiz Consulting), Mihailo Miljanović (storyBorder), Belma Ramić-Brkić (Sarajevo School of Science and Technology), Katarina Amižić (Cluster of Croatian Video Game Producers), Andreja Šeperac (Regional Coordinator of Sisak-Moslavina County), Branislav Trajković (Emotion Spark Studio), Dragomir Leko (Insert Coin Podcast), as well as Stefan Filipović and Željko Žilić (Legit).