Six independent game development studios in Wales have been awarded a significant £850,000 through the new Games Scale Up Fund for Wales. This initiative, a collaboration between Creative Wales and the UK Games Fund, aims to help these companies transition their game projects from pilot stages to more substantial and self-sustaining commercial models – a pioneering example of regional government support for the games industry.
The studios set to benefit from this investment are: Cloth Cat, COPA Gaming, Goldborough Studios, Rocket Science, Sugar Creative, and Wales Interactive. The funding is designed to allow these developers to significantly grow the scope, reach, and impact of their current projects, fostering growth within the Welsh games ecosystem.
This move has been met with enthusiasm in Wales. Osian Williams, director of COPA Gaming, described the support as a “true game changer,” stating, “It gives our team the confidence and resources to move forward, grow sustainably and to proudly create uniquely Welsh games for a global audience.”
The Senedd’s Minister for Culture, Jack Sargeant, also commented on the strategic importance of The Games Scale Up Fund For Wales:
Wales has an incredibly talented and ambitious video games industry that’s making its mark on the global stage. This investment is about giving our homegrown studios the financial backing to level up their operations and reach new audiences worldwide.”
After meeting Welsh developers at GDC in San Francisco, he added:
The feedback they received from international publishers confirms what we already know – Wales is becoming a significant player in the global gaming landscape.
For the Scottish games industry, this development in Wales offers valuable points of comparison and timely food for thought. It aligns closely with ongoing strategic efforts within Scotland, including the development of the dedicated Games Action Plan by the Scottish Games Network, where securing specific, targeted funding for the sector is a key recommendation.
Furthermore, with the forthcoming review of Creative Scotland set to examine how the organisation engages with funding across different creative sectors, initiatives like The Games Scale Up Fund for Wales present a relevant example of tailored sectoral support.
The focus of this Welsh fund on helping studios achieve self-sustainability and global reach through targeted financial backing is a model that will no doubt be observed with interest by industry stakeholders across the UK, as Scotland continues to explore and enhance its own support mechanisms for its rapidly-evolving games ecosystem.