Regional Economic Impacts of the UK Games Industry
Contents
Gross Value Added
Gross value added (GVA) is the measure of the economic value of goods and services. This can be used to compare the economic impact of different sectors or compare the impact of the same sector in different geographic areas. All measures of GVA in this article relate to data originally from the BFI's Screen Business Report (October 2018). The methodology of this report explains how direct and total GVA figures are calculated.
Regions with the Highest GVA from Games Companies
Region | Games Companies | Full-Time Employees | Direct GVA (£M) | Total GVA (£M) |
---|---|---|---|---|
London | 588 | 5107 | 729.2 | 1390.2 |
South East | 376 | 3266 | 197.3 | 356.3 |
North West | 174 | 1315 | 89.9 | 157.3 |
Scotland | 113 | 1156 | 75.0 | 131.2 |
West Midlands | 134 | 1209 | 74.6 | 130.8 |
North East | 52 | 518 | 56.7 | 99.9 |
East Midlands | 95 | 906 | 42.3 | 74.1 |
East of England | 166 | 1209 | 30.9 | 54.3 |
Yorkshire and the Humber | 149 | 767 | 24.5 | 42.9 |
South West | 152 | 423 | 18.5 | 32.5 |
Wales | 54 | 172 | 8.2 | 14.4 |
Northern Ireland | 35 | 77 | 3.2 | 5.6 |
Scotland
Location | Games Companies | Full-Time Employees | Direct GVA (£) | Total GVA (£) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dundee | 33 | 306 | 17.6 | 30.9 |
Edinburgh | 32 | 657 | 45.9 | 80.3 |
Glasgow | 38 | 116 | 7.2 | 12.5 |
Scotland | 133 | 1156 | 75.0 | 131.2 |
Game Development Meetups & Groups:
- Game Dev Ed (Edinburgh)
- IGDA Scotland (Scotland)
- Scottish Games (Scotland)
- InGAME (Dundee)
Key Facts:
- Around three quarters of Scottish games companies are based in Edinburgh, Dundee or Glasgow.
- There are however, small games companies throughout the rest of Scotland
Wales
Location | Games Companies | Full-Time Employees | Direct GVA (£) | Total GVA (£) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bridgend | 5 | 53 | 3.0 | 5.2 |
Cardiff | 26 | 66 | 2.7 | 4.8 |
Wales | 54 | 172 | 8.2 | 14.4 |
Game Development Meetups & Groups:
Key Facts:
- Around half of games companies in Wales are based in Cardiff, with the remaining other half operating throughout the rest of the country.
- Games companies provide a higher proportion of overall GVA in Bridgend than in any other Welsh town or city.
Northern Ireland
Location | Games Companies | Full-Time Employees | Direct GVA (£) | Total GVA (£) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Belfast | 21 | 48 | 2.0 | 3.5 |
Northern Ireland | 35 | 77 | 3.2 | 5.6 |
Game Development Meetups & Groups:
Key Facts:
- 5 of Northern Ireland’s 6 counties have games companies operating in them.
- The majority of games companies in Northern Ireland are in Belfast
North West
Location | Games Companies | Full-Time Employees | Direct GVA (£) | Total GVA (£) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Crewe | 8 | 558 | 16.4 | 28.6 |
Liverpool | 35 | 152 | 21.7 | 38.0 |
Manchester | 82 | 369 | 37.7 | 66.1 |
North West | 174 | 1315 | 89.9 | 157.3 |
Game Development Meetups & Groups:
- Gamedev Liverpool (Liverpool)
- Gameopolis (Greater Manchester)
- Liverpool Games Cluster (Liverpool)
- WA Games (Warrington)
Key Facts:
- Crewe, Liverpool and Manchester are hubs for games development.
- With around 1,300 games industry jobs in the north west, the region comes 3rd for number of games jobs
- The region also comes 3rd for total GVA from the industry
North East
Location | Games Companies | Full-Time Employees | Direct GVA (£) | Total GVA (£) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Newcastle upon Tyne | 20 | 372 | 48.6 | 85.8 |
Sunderland | 12 | 84 | 3.0 | 5.3 |
North East | 52 | 518 | 56.7 | 99.9 |
Game Development Meetups & Groups:
- Game Bridge (Middlesbrough)
- Women Making Games North East (North East)
Yorkshire and The Humber
Location | Games Companies | Full-Time Employees | Direct GVA (£) | Total GVA (£) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Leeds | 27 | 187 | 6.4 | 11.2 |
Sheffield | 43 | 331 | 9.9 | 17.3 |
Wakefield and Castleford | 7 | 92 | 1.6 | 2.8 |
York | 14 | 30 | 1.2 | 2.0 |
Yorkshire and the Humber | 149 | 767 | 24.5 | 42.9 |
Game Development Meetups & Groups:
- Badonkadonk (Bradford)
- Ga-Ma-Yo (Yorkshire)
- Game Republic (Yorkshire)
- HumberBundle (Hull)
- Leeds Games Toast (Leeds)
- Shindig (Sheffield)
West Midlands
Location | Games Companies | Full-Time Employees | Direct GVA (£) | Total GVA (£) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Birmingham | 35 | 86 | 4.6 | 8.0 |
Leamington Spa | 34 | 907 | 57.4 | 100.7 |
West Midlands | 134 | 1209 | 74.6 | 130.8 |
Game Development Meetups & Groups:
- Brum Indies (Birmingham)
- Leamingston Spa: Arch Creatives (Leamington Spa)
- Leamington Unity Developers (Leamington Spa)
East Midlands
Location | Games Companies | Full-Time Employees | Direct GVA (£) | Total GVA (£) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Burton Upon Trent | 8 | 113 | 9.7 | 17.0 |
Derby | 11 | 46 | 2.6 | 4.6 |
Lincoln | 8 | 328 | 15.3 | 26.7 |
Nottingham | 31 | 194 | 10.6 | 18.5 |
East Midlands | 95 | 906 | 42.3 | 74.1 |
Game Development Meetups & Groups:
- East Midlands Indies (Nottingham)
East of England
Location | Games Companies | Full-Time Employees | Direct GVA (£) | Total GVA (£) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cambridge | 47 | 853 | 16.4 | 28.7 |
Chelmsford | 10 | 26 | 1.4 | 2.4 |
East of England | 166 | 1209 | 30.9 | 54.3 |
Game Development Meetups & Groups:
- Cambridge Game Creators (Cambridge)
- Cambridge Indies (Cambridge)
- Norfolk Indie Game Developers (Norfolk)
London
Location | Games Companies | Full-Time Employees | Direct GVA (£) | Total GVA (£) |
---|---|---|---|---|
London | 588 | 5107 | 729.2 | 1390.2 |
Game Development Meetups & Groups:
South West
Location | Games Companies | Full-Time Employees | Direct GVA (£) | Total GVA (£) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Falmouth | 5 | 27 | 1.5 | 2.6 |
Bristol | 46 | 139 | 5.5 | 9.7 |
South West | 152 | 423 | 18.5 | 32.5 |
Game Development Meetups & Groups:
- Bristol Games Hub (Bristol)
South East
Location | Games Companies | Full-Time Employees | Direct GVA (£) | Total GVA (£) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Basingstoke | 12 | 88 | 1.3 | 2.2 |
Brighton | 65 | 277 | 13.7 | 24.1 |
Crawley and Horsham | 24 | 579 | 47.8 | 83.7 |
Guildford and Aldershot | 64 | 855 | 36.6 | 64.0 |
Oxford | 26 | 312 | 8.0 | 14.4 |
Medway | 4 | 146 | 12.3 | 21.6 |
Milton Keynes | 5 | 95 | 9.5 | 17.7 |
Reading | 14 | 162 | 4.8 | 8.5 |
Slough and Heathrow | 62 | 595 | 58.8 | 116.2 |
South East | 376 | 3266 | 197.3 | 356.3 |
Game Development Meetups & Groups:
- Brighton Game Collective (Brighton)
- Brighton Indies (Brighton)
- Brighton Unity Group (Brighton)
- Guildford Game Developers (Guildford)
- Oxford Indies (Oxford)