A combination of the Jantelage and Martin Luther's ideals. This is how Per Strömbäck, operations manager for the Computer Games Industry, explains the Swedish industry's international success.
- Luther teaches us that if we work hard in this life, we will get a reward in the next - maybe. It's a bit like making a game. You have to work hard and then maybe you will be successful, he says, and continues:
- Jante teaches us that whatever we do, it's not enough. We can always do it a little better. The two settings are exactly what is required to make games.
As an export success, Swedish computer games have already received their recognition. The industry's turnover has increased every year since 2009. The world's best-selling game – Minecraft – is created in Sweden.
But in the world of culture, the games do not yet have an obvious place.
This year, the Gothenburg Book Fair is doing its best to change that. By inviting celebrities from the game industry and arranging talks about writing for games, the fair hopes to both attract new visitors and make literature lovers discover another world.
Per Strömbäck sees a chance to broaden the image of games in the public eye, in an age characterized by criticism of digital screens and social media. When the poor Pisa results were recently published, Education Minister Simona Mohamsson spoke of a "screen pandemic" and the importance of going "from screen to cover".
- Games are not technology. Games are entertainment and culture and an artistic expression and a community. Then they happen to be on the same screens as social media, but the games themselves as a cultural expression in people's lives have a completely different function, he says.
The writing, the narration and the room for interpretation unite literature and the world of games, according to the director of operations. But unlike books, games are co-creative – the player controls the story.
- It is a unique cultural expression that we would like to tell you about. But our goal is not to turn the Book Fair into the Games Fair. We see ourselves as guests in that part of fine culture.
The fair's gaming theme also includes board games. Emma Ihre will be there to represent the company Asmodee, which among other things created "Ticket to ride", "Catan" and "Dixit". She says that board games are related to computer games as well as books and movies.
- I think it is very fun and exciting that the Book Fair makes what is called transmedia more visible. Today we see how our games become series or movies and that books become games. The different forms flow together – the same world and the same characters move across different media, she says.
Emma Ihre hopes that the fair will make more people discover the diversity within the gaming world.
- It is easy to compare with the film industry. No one would say that all movies are one way. There's drama and romance and horror and all kinds. It's the same with games – there's a whole rainbow.
Recently, more and more Swedish politicians have opened their eyes to the gaming world. Last winter, all eight parliamentary parties agreed that the industry needs more support. A first initiative for what could become the game world's equivalent to the Swedish Film Institute was taken a couple of years ago in Region Skåne. During the Book Fair, industry representatives and politicians will gather at a "gaming political summit".
Emma Ihre says that it is important to discuss how the gaming industry can be strengthened and developed. This could, for example, be about educational initiatives and targeted support.
- I represent a large listed company - so we do not ask for contributions. In that case, these should perhaps go to the academy, association life or to give financially weak groups access to games as a form of culture.
As a representative of the computer game industry, Per Strömbäck is not only positive about the interest of politics. A game institute would have to have a completely different mission than the Swedish Film Institute, he says.
- The Film Institute can be described as a way to guarantee that there are films in Swedish, because the Swedish audience is so limited. Not so with games. Swedish games are played all over the world. So we have a completely different starting point.
Per Strömbäck is concerned that the industry will be limited by legislation and cites what is known as the EU's Kids Act as an example. The proposal, which Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented last week, aims to reduce young people's use of social media. But it would also limit access to online games.
- If the things she mentioned in her speech were to be implemented... Then it is difficult to see that the Swedish companies could continue to develop in this way, says Per Strömbäck.
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