UK game industry returns to growth

Games employment up four per cent in 2012 after three years of decline

Trade body Tiga has today published research that shows a return to growth for the UK game industry.
The data, published in the report 'Making Games in the UK Today: A Census of the UK Developer and Digital Publishing Sector', shows that employment in the UK games development sector climbed four per cent in 2012, bucking a three year trend of decline in employment. Similarly, annual investment by studios rose from £411 million to £427 million in the period between 2011 and 2012.

The research is based on an survey of various UK games businesses, with input from Games Investor Consulting, and published by Tiga. The report also demonstrates that between 2011 and 2012 in the UK:
• Creative staff in studios grew from 8,888 to 9,224
• Jobs indirectly supported by studios rose from 16,250 to 16,864
• Studio numbers rose from 329 to 448;
• Direct/indirect tax revenues generated by the sector for the Treasury increased from £376 million to £400 million;
• The sector’s contribution to UK Gross Domestic Product increased from £912 million to £947 million.
“The UK economy may be on the verge of a triple dip recession but the recovery in the UK games development sector has taken off," said Tiga CEO Richard Wilson.

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