When thinking about the video game industry, most people’s minds are drawn to American or Japanese shores. The three biggest game console creators belong to these countries, after all. Both Sony and Nintendo are based in Japan while Microsoft’s Xbox is an American invention. Therefore, it is easier for development companies to gain traction in these countries.
However, that does not mean that other parts of the world are left out. In fact, you may be surprised by just how much Scandinavia has impacted the current video game landscape. Denmark, Norway, and Sweden have all made their contributions to the industry, so let’s look at some of the best video games that have come from this part of the world.
Minecraft
Both kids and adults alike have revelled in the world of Minecraft for over ten years now. This block-building game places the player in an open plane where they have the freedom to interact with their surroundings in any way they see fit. You can deconstruct specific areas to build your own village, explore and slay monsters, or play with other Minecraft players on an online server. It is this autonomy that has made Minecraft the popular title that it has been for ten years, and players have the Swedish studio, Mojang, to thank for this innovation.
There is no understating just how important Minecraft was for the gaming industry, and it has since been praised for its educational values. The servers are still going strong, and the studio has released several spin-offs and updates since the game’s initial release. There have also been a ton of copycats released, but none of these can live up to the might of Minecraft.
Battlefield Series
The Battlefield series is the first-person shooter series for anyone that wants a bit of destruction in their war games. Starting in 2002, this modern shooter follows a series of soldiers fighting through blood-soaked missions in the single-player and features an all-out brawl in an online multiplayer mode. These may all seem like the characteristics of an American game; however, the main Battlefield titles are Swedish in origin.
EA Dice is the Scandinavian arm of the Electronic Arts brand. This means that, while Battlefield has its roots in American video game culture, it is in fact a Swedish game through and through.
Age Of Conan
Not every video game starts with a unique idea. Some games are based on popular films, comics, and T.V shows. Age of Conan is a 2008 title that kicked off a series of games that were loosely based on the Conan the Barbarian books.
This third-person melee combat game allowed players to create their own sieges using the engine developed by Funcom, a Norwegian company. While the series has come to a halt in the present day, the first game does have its fans thanks to the Dungeons and Dragons aesthetic and online mode.
Hitman Series
Another hugely successful series, the original game has received several sequels, a reboot, and even two movies based on the initial concept. Hitman is the game you expect it to be. The player is placed in a series of maps and is tasked with taking out their assassination target. The joy of this franchise comes from the fact that the player is given free rein over their Hitman abilities. This means that they can choose to play the map stealthily for more points or go on a rampage using all manner of weapons in the game’s sandbox.
The Hitman series is still going strong today, but it would not be possible without IO Interactive. This Danish-based company released the original Hitman game, Hitman: codename 47, back in the year 2000 and they haven’t looked back since.
Nitropolis
The concept of a video game can be expanded to mean anything nowadays. That is why Elk Studios should be praised for their development of Nitropolis, a sci-fi online slot game that has been in the public consciousness for the last two years. It is rare to see a simple casino game with so much imagination, but these Swedish developers have outdone themselves this time.
The core gameplay of this slot game remains the same as all the others. The player must spin the reels and line up a series of matching symbols to win a prize. The difference here is that you are doing so in an alternate future where gangs of vicious dogs, cats, and rats have taken over. You can try the game yourself by researching online casinos at https://www.onlinecasinos.co.uk/and it is definitely worth a look. Just remember that you have to put forward money first to stand a chance of winning any prizes in this type of game.
Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Amnesia: The Dark Descent is another game on this list that is over ten years old, yet it still retains a strong fanbase to this day. That is because this is one of the scariest horror games to ever be released. Horror games aren’t for everyone, but this eight-hour romp through a dark castle, while the protagonist tries to regain their memory, is enough to satisfy both gamers and horror fans alike. The player is constantly pursued by strange monsters and unsettling scenarios, some of which are yet to be recreated on players’ screens since.
This titan in the horror genre was conceived by Swedish developer, Frictional Games. They have since released a sequel to the original title as well as a sci-fi horror game known as SOMA. All three of these titles use the studio’s patented HPL game engine, something those other studios have borrowed for other horror games, such as Gone Home.
Summary
These are just a taste of the games that have come out of Scandinavia in recent years. As you can see, there are some top titles in this list, many of which have proven to be influential in other markets. Therefore, Scandinavia can proudly claim that they are helping to shape the future video game landscape just as much as America or Japan. Maybe it’s time we give them their due.
