State of the UK Video Games Development Sector
TIGA surveys 78 developers.
TIGA, the trade association representing the UK games industry,today released key findings from a new report ‘State of the UK Video Games Development Sector’. The report is a comprehensive survey of 78 UK games development businesses and provides an accurate picture of games development in the UK.
The report covers areas such as industry profile; platforms and genres; self-publishing; in-game advertising; outsourcing; the cost of games development; customers and markets; the main obstacles to business growth and policies to promote growth. The report was support by Train2Game.
Over the next week TIGA will be releasing a number of findings from different sections of the report. Today’s findings relate to the overall profile of the games development industry. To purchase a copy of the full report visit www.tiga.org.
Profile of the Games Development industry [report excerpts]:
The average size of an independent developer is 51. The average size of an independent developer who also publishes games is 45. The average size of a publisher owned studio is 245. Games development businesses on average employ a workforce comprising 88 per cent male and 12 per cent female. 12 per cent of the UK games development workforce is on average non-UK citizens. The average mean turnover of an independent development studio that develops games was £3,130,600. The equivalent figures for independent developers that also publish games and for in-house, publisher owned studios were £4,055,000 and £15,500,000 respectively. The average UK game development business has been in operation for 7 years. On average, developers surveyed spent £570,800 to develop a game over the last year. This figure is based on the cost of developing games on all types of platforms. There is a large difference between independent developers (£897,700), independent developers who also publish games (£133,700) and publisher owned studios (£3,000,000). For 72 per cent of UK game developers surveyed, the USA constitutes one of their most important geographical markets. For 44 per cent of developers, the UK is regarded as one of their most important market. 41 per cent cited the rest of the EU, excluding the UK, as one of their most vital markets.Dr. Richard Wilson TIGA CEO stated: “The State of the UK Video Games Development Sector Report is intended to provide the games industry with an accurate set of data that can be used to shape a model of the sector as a whole. The report clearly showed the incredible diversity that exists in the development community from size of studio to location, genre of game and distribution method. Games development is a real UK success story, we have an immensely talented workforce and we are at the cutting edge of changes in technology and business practices.”
Tomorrow’s report excerpts will focus on self-publishing. For more information visit www.tiga.org.
Ends
Notes to editors:
Note on data sources:
In 2008 there were 9,850 development staff in the UK. 4350 were in 47 in-house, publisher owned studios and 4,150 were in 166 independent studios. 550 staff were in 73 service companies. Additionally and estimated 800 freelancers were working in active development roles[1]. The majority of development businesses are small to medium-size enterprises. In this survey 45 per cent of participants were independent developers that only publish games, 51 per cent were independent developers that develop and publish games and 4 percent were in-house publisher owned development studios. This survey is therefore representative of the independent development sector.
About TIGA:
TIGA is the trade association representing the UK’s games industry. The majority of our members are either independent games developers or in-house publisher owned developers. We also have games publishers, outsourcing companies, technology businesses and universities amongst our membership. TIGA was awarded ‘Trade Association of the Year’ and the ‘Member Recruitment Award’ at the Trade Association Forum Best Practice Awards 2010.
TIGA's vision is to make the UK the best place in the world to do games business. We focus on three sets of activities: political representation, generating media coverage and developing services that enhance the competitiveness of our members. This means that TIGA members are effectively represented in the corridors of power, their voice is heard in the media and they receive benefits that make a material difference to their businesses, including a reduction in costs and improved commercial opportunities.
For further information, please contact Eva Field, TIGA PR Manager on: 07814 039 983, or email eva@tiga.org.
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[1]Gibson, R. And Gibson, N., Raise the Game (NESTA, December 2008), p. 9.