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Government report values UK games industry at just over £1bn

Ukie suggests that figure might be substantially higher

The games industry contributed £1.069 billion to the UK economy in 2017, according to figures form the Department for Digital Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS).

It represents a solid 7.3% growth from 2016, and 148.9% increase since 2010.

While the games industry appears to be going strong, it still only accounts for a slither of the UK's £101.5 billion creative industries economy.

However, Ukie suggested that government's games industry figures were substantially lower than the actual number.

According to the industry trade body, government research uses Standard Industrial Classification codes in its calculations, which ignores roughly half of UK game businesses.

In October this year, the British Film Institute released the Screen Business report which found that UK development and publishing contributed over £1.35 billion to the economy in 2016.

Additionally, the "more comprehensive" study found the games industry in total contributed £2.87 billion that year, compared to just £996 million as reported by the DCMS.

In response to the government figures, Ukie said the Screen Business report gave a "more accurate core data set". The report also included game retail and esports "to better reflect the true value" of the UK games industry.

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Ivy Taylor avatar
Ivy Taylor: Ivy joined GamesIndustry.biz in 2017 having previously worked as a regional journalist, and a political campaigns manager before that. They are also one of the UK's foremost Sonic the Hedgehog apologists.