The South West has seen one of the biggest increases in employment in the UK video games development sector, according to new research published by TIGA – the trade association representing the games industry.

The report demonstrates that games industry talent is dispersed across diverse regions throughout the country, with the sector contributing strongly to the UK’s Levelling Up agenda. 

Almost 80 per cent of those working in the UK games industry are not based in London.

In the period from December 2021 to April 2023, the head count of staff working in video games in the South West grew by some 9.9 per cent. 

The region accounts for 2.5 per cent of the UK games development workforce in total, equivalent to 611 people.

Falmouth University’s Games Academy and Launchpad accelerator continues to record games start-ups in recent years, such as Hungry Billy and Glass Nomad Games.

Games studios in the area include Auroch Digital (Mars Horizon), Ndemic Creations (Plague Inc) and Opposable Games (Salvaged!).

Dr Richard Wilson, OBE, TIGA CEO, said: “The video games industry has immense potential to contribute to the Levelling Up agenda, not least due to the 44,000 people working in the games supply chain which is mostly based outside of London. 

“Providing high-skilled employment opportunities, the sector has established strong creative industry clusters right across the UK.”