UK Games Industry Well Prepared For A Mostly Digital Future

TIGA, the trade association representing the UK games industry, revealed today that UK games developers are well prepared for the sector’s digital future, with 77% of UK games companies already working either exclusively or predominantly on network gaming. With 35% of UK video game sales being digital in 2012, up from 27% in 2011, and similar increases expected this year and next, Britain’s game developers are already well ahead of the curve.

The extensive survey of the UK’s games businesses shows developers have rapidly adapted to the ‘death of the high street’, with only 23% of UK game companies now working exclusively on retail games.

Key findings from TIGA’s research include:

• 94% of independent studios that started up in 2011 – 2012 are focused exclusively on network gaming
• Across the UK games industry as a whole, 77 per cent of British games companies now work either exclusively or in part on network gaming – a rise of 10% over the last year.
• Continuing a five year trend, the UK games retail market fell again in 2012, generating £1.6 billion, a 17.4 per cent fall from 2011.

“The research shows the UK games development industry is already well ahead of the curve when it comes to digital distribution. Over nine-tenths of new UK game companies are working exclusively or in part on network gaming, such as mobile, massively multiplayer and social gaming. When you consider that digital video game sales grew 7.7% in 2012, making video games the most valuable digital entertainment sector in the UK, it’s clear how hard British developers are working to future-proof an industry that will become increasingly important to the UK economy.” Said Dr. Richard Wilson, CEO, TIGA

“The figures clearly illustrate the rapid movement that has happened in the UK over the last few years towards digital gaming and away from physical retail game development. The UK has a rich history developing some of the biggest retail games of all time, but sadly too many of the famous UK studios no longer exist. It’s great to see so many exciting new start-up studios focusing on digital platforms. Our key goal at TIGA is to deliver services that improve developers’ access to finance and enhance their commercial skills, to help these new studios grow, learn to publish successfully, and hopefully, become the famous UK studios of the future.” Said Patrick O’Luanaigh, Chairman of TIGA’s Self-Publishing Committee and MD of nDreams.

It’s certainly something that has been gaining traction over the last few years, PC gamers are already more than familiar with this format as services like Steam have been the popular choice for millions of PC users, with the pending release of next-gen consoles, we could be shifting away from a high street orientated market much sooner than you think.