TIGA, the independent game developers association has released its annual survey of the UK’s games industry, created by Games Investor Consulting.
The report shows that the games sector in Scotland is flourishing. New studios, growing numbers of employees and greater investment are all recorded, along with growing revenues.
According to the report, employment in the Scottish games industry has returned to levels last seen in 2008, with a rise of seven per cent in 2013 representing a five-year high. Scotland’s games development sector also now contributes more than £99 million to the UK’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
TIGA’s research shows that for Scotland’s games industry, between 2012 and 2013:
- The number of game development studios grew from 81 to 94, an increase of 16%
- the number of creative staff in studios grew from 766 to 964, an increase of 26%
- the number of jobs indirectly supported by studios rose from 1,497 to 1,762, an increase of 18%
- combined direct and indirect tax revenues generated by the sector for the Treasury increased from £35 million to £41 million, an increase of 17%
- annual investment by studios rose from £38 million to £45 million, an increase of 18%
- the game development sector’s contribution to UK GDP increased from £84 million to £99 million, an increase of 18%
- This means that Scotland now represents 11.4% of the UK’s total games companies, up from 8.8% in 2012, and 9.7% of the UK’s total developer headcount, up from 9% per cent in 2012.
- The total Scottish games industry headcount is 2,726 – 10% of the entire UK videogame industry headcount.
Thanks to this ongoing growth, TIGA also predicts that the implementation of games tax relief will have a major impact on the Scottish games sector in the coming months. The organisation indicates that in the next five years games tax relief will:
- safeguard 160 studio jobs and create a further 200
- create over 360 indirect jobs and protect nearly 300 indirect jobs
- create and protect approximately £49 million investment expenditure by Scottish studios
- generate £48 million in new and protected tax receipts to HM treasury
- increase the Scottish games industry’s GDP contribution by £65 million
- protect an additional £51 million GDP contribution that could be lost without games tax relief
