The UK games development sector has grown in the past year, despite companies downsizing and studio closures.

Research published by TIGA, the trade association representing the UK video games industry, suggests that despite the global games industry downturn, the UK games development sector grew 4.8 per cent in the 12 months to May 2024.

Against a backdrop of companies downsizing and studio closures, the UK’s games development sector proved to be comparatively resilient, growing to 25,419 full time equivalent development roles by May 2024, which, at 4.8 per cent, was the lowest annualised rate of growth in the UK games industry since 2012.

The UK’s fastest growing games clusters in the 12 months to May 2024 were London (468 new staff), North East (280 staff) and North West (247 staff), but five regions contracted.

The findings come from TIGA’s definitive report on the state of the UK video games industry Making Games in the UK 2024 (TIGA, 2024), which is based on an extensive survey of UK games businesses, with analysis by Games Investor Consulting.

TIGA’s research shows that in the period from April 2023 to May 2024:

• Over 28,500 people make games professionally in the UK: The number of freelancers working for UK games development sector companies (including studios, publishers and service companies) grew substantially from 1,102 (April 2023) to 3,625 (May 2024) as very large companies downsized full-time roles and switched to freelancers. The total games development workforce grew to 28,516 including 3,625 freelancers and 24,891 full time development roles. Employment in the games development sector has grown by an average of 9.5 per cent every year over the period December 2014 to May 2024.
• Job growth outweighed company downsizing and closure: 400 extant companies shed 2,353 full time development jobs between April 2023 and May 2024; but 678 companies grew over the same period, adding 3,932 full time development jobs. 1,070 extant companies neither grew nor shed staff.
• Overall games company numbers declined: The UK had 2,148 trading games development companies in May 2024 (down from 2,175 in April 2023). This includes 1,697 games studios, 60 publisher studios, 109 publishers, 4 broadcasters and 278 service companies. Total studio numbers fell from 1,801 in April 2023 to 1,757 in May 2024.
• Games company mortality rises to record levels: 248 companies closed down or exited the games industry during the survey period, the highest ever recorded. On an annualised basis, this represents 10.4 per cent of all companies during the research period.
• The number of start-up studios fell: 166 new games development companies were founded between April 2023 and May 2024. This compares to 251 new games development companies that were set up beween December 2021 and April 2023.
• Large and console studios are main growth drivers: Studios with 41 to 149 development staff grew at an average rate of 19 per cent over the research period. Console studios grew by an average of 18.1 per cent over the same time frame.
• Overseas owned studios now employ 62 per cent of the UK games development workforce: Studios ultimately owned by overseas companies employ 12,743 full-time staff, compared to 7,854 employed by domestically owned studios. While some overseas studios continued to grow strongly, some of the largest employers’ creative headcount fell substantially as entire teams were made redundant.

Dr Richard Wilson OBE, CEO of TIGA, said:

“The UK games development sector has continued to grow in very difficult economic circumstances. Our sector is weathering the storm. This is a remarkable achievement.  Our games development sector has a number of strengths including world-renowned studios, a deep talent pool and TIGA accredited games courses equipping highly skilled graduates for the industry. The UK has the largest development workforce in Europe.

“We need to enable more start-ups to scale-up, continue to enhance our skills base and improve access to investment to enable our sector to fulfil its potential. If the UK Government retains and enhances the Video Games Expenditure Credit, this will help to sustain a favourable environment for games development, create more high skilled jobs and boost investment. A successful video games industry will in turn contribute to the Government’s objective of securing the highest sustained growth in the G7.”

UK regions (2024 share of UK development workforce)

• London (23%)
• South East (18.7%)
• North West (12.3%)
• West Midlands (9.9%)
• Scotland (9.3%)
• North East (6.3%)
• East of England (5.9%)
• Yorkshire & Humber (5.8%)
• East Midlands (4.5%)
• South West (2.7%)
• Northern Ireland (0.6%)
• Wales (0.6%)

Jason Kingsley CBE, TIGA Chairman and CEO and Creative Director at Rebellion, said:

“TIGA’s report is reflective of what is currently a challenging environment for some parts of the games industry. However, it also highlights that UK games development is faring better than certain areas of the global games industry. We need the Government to continue to improve the environment for games development in the UK so that our industry in turn can contribute to economic growth across the country.”