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WEATHERING THE STORM: TIGA RESEARCH REVEALS UK GAMES DEV SECTOR CONTINUES TO GROW, DESPITE GLOBAL SECTOR DOWNTURN

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TIGA’S Making Games in the UK 2024 report reveals that UK development sector grew 4.8 per cent despite global sector downturn, led by large console studios in London, North East and North West

LONDON, Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The UK games development sector has grown in the past year, despite companies downsizing and studio closures, according to new research published today by TIGA, the trade association representing the UK video games industry.

Despite the global games industry downturn, the UK games development sector grew 4.8 per cent in the12 months to May 2024, according to new research published today by TIGA, the trade association representing the UK video games industry.

Against a backdrop of companies downsizing and studio closures, the UK’s games development sector proved to be comparatively resilient, growing to 25,419* full time equivalent development roles by May 2024, which, at 4.8 per cent, was the lowest annualised rate of growth in the UK games industry since 2012.

The UK’s fastest growing games clusters in the 12 months to May 2024 were London (468 new staff), North East (280 staff)and North West (247 staff), but 5 regions contracted.

The findings come from TIGA’s definitive report on the state of the UK video games industry Making Games in the UK 2024 (TIGA, 2024), which is based on an extensive survey of UK games businesses, with analysis by Games Investor Consulting.

TIGA’s research shows that in the period from April 2023 to May 2024:

Over 28,500 people make games professionally in the UK: The number of freelancers working for UK games development sector companies (including studios, publishers and service companies) grew substantially from 1,102 (April 2023) to 3,625 (May 2024) as very large companies downsized full-time roles and switched to freelancers. The total games development workforce grew to 28,516 including 3,625 freelancers and 24,891** full time development roles. Employment in the games development sector has grown by an average of 9.5 per cent every year over the period December 2014 to May 2024.Job growth outweighed company downsizing and closure: 400 extant companies shed 2,353 full time development jobs between April 2023 and May 2024; but 678 companies grew over the same period, adding 3,932 full time development jobs. 1,070 extant companies neither grew nor shed staff.Overall games company numbers declined: The UK had 2,148 trading games development companies in May 2024 (down from 2,175 in April 2023). This includes 1,697 games studios, 60 publisher studios, 109 publishers, 4 broadcasters and 278 service companies. Total studio numbers fell from 1,801 in April 2023 to 1,757 in May 2024.Games company mortality rises to record levels: 248 companies closed down or exited the games industry during the survey period, the highest ever recorded. On an annualised basis, this represents 10.4 per cent of all companies during the research period.The number of start-up studios fell: 166 new games development companies were founded between April 2023 and May 2024. This compares to 251 new games development companies that were set up between December 2021 and April 2023.Large and console studios are main growth drivers: Studios with 41 to 149 development staff grew at an average rate of 19 per cent over the research period. Console studios grew by an average of 18.1 per cent over the same time frame.Overseas owned studios now employ 62 per cent of the UK games development workforce: Studios ultimately owned by overseas companies employ 12,743 full-time staff, compared to 7,854 employed by domestically owned studios. While some overseas studios continued to grow strongly, some of the largest employers’ creative headcount fell substantially as entire teams were made redundant.

Dr Richard Wilson OBE, CEO of TIGA, said:

“The UK games development sector has continued to grow in very difficult economic circumstances. Our sector is weathering the storm. This is a remarkable achievement.  Our games development sector has a number of strengths including world-renowned studios, a deep talent pool and TIGA accredited games courses equipping highly skilled graduates for the industry. The UK has the largest development workforce in Europe.

“We need to enable more start-ups to scale-up, continue to enhance our skills base and improve access to investment to enable our sector to fulfil its potential. If the UK Government retains and enhances the Video Games Expenditure Credit, this will help to sustain a favourable environment for games development, create more high skilled jobs and boost investment. A successful video games industry will in turn contribute to the Government’s objective of securing the highest sustained growth in the G7.”

Meanwhile, the TIGA report has highlighted that the UK’s fastest growing games clusters were London (468 new staff), North East (280 staff)and North West (247 staff).

London extended its lead as the largest cluster to 5,931 full time and full time equivalent staff in 584 companies. Five clusters (East of England, South East, East Midlands, Scotland and Northern Ireland) lost headcount between April 2023 and May 2024, the East Midlands for the second consecutive year. All areas saw reduced start-up activity, but London (81), South East (48) and the South West (22) added the most start-ups.

UK regions

2024 share of UK development
workforce

London

23 %

South East

18.7 %

North West

12.3 %

West Midlands

9.9 %

Scotland

9.3 %

North East

6.3 %

East of England

5.9 %

Yorkshire & Humber

5.8 %

East Midlands

4.5 %

South West

2.7 %

Northern Ireland

0.6 %

Wales

0.6 %

Dr Richard Wilson OBE, TIGA CEO, said:

“While London remains the biggest and fastest growing games cluster in the UK, almost 80% of all games development is carried out outside of the Capital. In addition, there has been impressive growth in the North East and North West between April 2023 and May 2024.

“At the same time, although London saw the greatest number of new start-ups, we also witnessed strong entrepreneurial activity in the South East.”

Jason Kingsley CBE, TIGA Chairman and CEO and Creative Director at Rebellion, offered:

“TIGA’s report is reflective of what is currently a challenging environment for some parts of the games industry. However, it also highlights that UK games development is faring better than certain areas of the global games industry. We need the Government to continue to improve the environment for games development in the UK so that our industry in turn can contribute to economic growth across the country.”

* Full time equivalent roles: FT roles above plus a pro-rated % of all the freelancers we recorded in the survey.

** Full time roles: 100% full time roles recorded by companies in our survey.

 

Notes to editors
The findings in this press release come from TIGA’s definitive report on the state of the UK video games industry Making Games in the UK 2024 (TIGA, 2024) which is based on an extensive survey of UK games businesses, with analysis by Games Investor Consulting.

Research methodology
Games Investor Consulting in conjunction with TIGA and its partners conducted surveys concluding in July 2008, September 2010, November 2011, December 2012, December 2013, December 2014, March 2016, November 2017, November 2018, April 2020, December 2021, April 2023 and May 2024 of all known games companies involved in the creation of games (including developers, publishers, publisher studios, service companies and broadcasters with games divisions) in the UK. Assessments of every database entry are made on a company-by-company basis with strict vetting and verification rules to ensure each entry is discrete (to prevent duplication via subsidiary or parent companies) and confirmed to be active in games development. The survey counts staff working in development and development support roles in games studios, games publishers and development service companies. A broad array of additional data is also captured including studio location, primary platform focus and company ownership structure as well as company start-ups and exits/closures.

Games development
Games development is defined as including all production staff, QA, support, localisation and technical staff but excludes admin, finance, sales, marketing and commercial staff not directly involved with games production. Full-time equivalent staff comprise multiple part-time staff aggregated based on typical usage throughout a year to represent a single full-time employee.

About TIGA
TIGA is the trade association for the UK video games industry.  Since 2010, TIGA has won 28 business awards and commendations. Our vision is to make the UK the best place in the world to develop video games. Our core purpose is to strengthen the games development and digital publishing sector. We achieve this by:

influencing Government policy via political representation to create a favourable business environment;driving excellence in education and skills through our accreditation programme, the TIGA Games Education Awards and our education conference; andpromoting best practices through our membership services, including the TIGA STAR Employer Award and the TIGA Games Industry Awards.

Get in touch:

Tel: 0845 468 2330
Email: info@tiga.org 
Web: www.tiga.org
Twitter: www.twitter.com/tigamovement
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TIGAMovement
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/tiga 

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Competition Bureau publishes report on Canada’s Competition Summit 2024

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GATINEAU, QC, Nov. 14, 2024 /CNW/ – Today, the Competition Bureau published a report highlighting the key takeaways from “Canada’s Competition Summit 2024: Market Dynamics in the AI Era,” which took place in Ottawa and virtually on September 16, 2024.

The event featured experts from domestic and international competition authorities, regulatory bodies, businesses and non-governmental organizations, as well as the legal and academic communities. The discussions focused on:

the current AI landscape;the impacts of AI on competition across markets; and,international and domestic regulatory approaches to AI.

The report published today summarizes 5 key takeaways from these discussions:

AI is having an impact on competition across sectors of the economy, presenting both opportunities and risks.Regulatory frameworks need to adapt to address the unique challenges posed by AI.International cooperation is crucial for effective regulation and enforcement in AI-driven markets.There is a need for transparency in AI systems to ensure accountability and consumer trust.The role of big tech in AI development is contentious.

The Bureau thanks all attendees, panelists and speakers, who helped advance the conversation on these emerging issues related to AI. We look forward to continuing to discuss competition policy issues and opportunities at Competition Summits in the years to come.

Quotes

“As Canada’s competition watchdog, the Competition Bureau needs to be at the forefront of AI and understand its impact on the competitive landscape. I am thankful for the important contributions from our panelists and speakers at this year’s Summit, as they will help us continue to build our understanding of AI’s impacts on competition.”

Matthew Boswell,
Commissioner of Competition

Quick facts

This year’s event was the fifth annual edition of Canada’s Competition Summit. Previous Summits covered digital enforcement (2020), competition and growth (2021), green growth (2022), and whole-of-government approaches to policy (2024).Over 500 participants from Canada and abroad attended the 2024 Summit.This year’s Summit is part of our ongoing work to better understand AI, how it might affect competition, and how we can address potential anticompetitive harm from AI and promote competition in AI markets. This work also includes cross-governmental collaboration through the Canadian Digital Regulators Forum and a consultation on the Discussion Paper on Artificial intelligence and competition earlier in 2024.In keeping with the theme of this year’s Summit, this report was drafted using a combination of human effort and AI technology. This is a first for the Bureau. We used an artificial intelligence program to summarize the discussions held at Canada’s Competition Summit 2024 and to develop the first draft of these key takeaways. The final content was fact-checked and quality-controlled by Bureau personnel.

Related products

Report on Summit 2024: Competition in the AI EraCanada’s Competition SummitCompetition Bureau to host summit on competition and artificial intelligence this SeptemberCanada’s Competition Summit 2024: Competition Bureau releases details about panels and expert participants

Associated links

Exploring policy approaches to unlock competition (2023)The Competition and Green Growth Summit (2022)The Competition and Growth Summit (2021)Digital Enforcement Summit (2020)Artificial intelligence and competition: Discussion paper (2024)Canadian Digital Regulators Forum

General information:

Request for information | Complaint form

Stay connected:

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The Competition Bureau is an independent law enforcement agency that protects and promotes competition for the benefit of Canadian consumers and businesses. Competition drives lower prices and innovation while fueling economic growth.

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Shipt Saves the Season with Unbeatable Convenience, Exclusive Promotions, and Membership Savings

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Get everything from gifts to hosting essentials reliably delivered via Shipt

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — This holiday season, Shipt is spreading cheer with delightful same-day delivery, unmatched deals, and everything customers need all season long. From hosting family dinners to searching for the perfect gifts to grabbing last-minute holiday essentials and toasting to the new year*, Shipt helps ease the stress with exclusive promotions and 50% off its annual membership for a limited time.

To sweeten holiday shopping, Shipt is launching Season of Savings, an annual event packed with discounts and surprises on the products customers want all season long. Plus, Shipt has added over 2,000 new retail locations nationwide this year, including Ulta Beauty at Target, The Fresh Market, Lowe’s, and local favorites like Giant Eagle and Save Mart, giving members even more curated options. These new additions join favorites like Target, CVS, and Petsmart, as well as beloved local grocers.

SHIPT MEMBERSHIP: CONVENIENCE MEETS HOLIDAY MAGIC
Shipt’s $49 annual membership promotion (regularly $99) is now available through January 4, 2025, making it easier than ever to enjoy same-day delivery from your favorite stores. With an annual membership, customers get unlimited same-day delivery on orders over $35 and exclusive savings, and a range of members-only perks.

DEALS ACROSS ALL HOLIDAY NEEDS

In addition to the membership promotion, Shipt’s Season of Savings also features incredible deals across a wide variety of popular holiday categories, including:

Season-Long Deals (November 1-January 1)

$15 off your order of $60 or more with code HOLIDAY15**Half-off annual membership $49 (reg. $99) with code SHIPTGIFT

Thanksgiving Deals

November 10-16, at Target and all grocery stores***:Spend $25, get $10 on household essentialsBuy one, get one 50% off on bath and body productsBuy one, get one 30% off on cough, cold, and flu, pain and fever, vitamins and supplements30% off kitchen and diningSpend $20, save $5 on baby essentials30% off pet essentials10% off turkeyNovember 17-23: $10 off order of $50+ for those with Shipt student membershipsNovember 25-27: spend $35, save $10 on on last-minute Thanksgiving essentials at all grocery stores and Target****

December Holiday Deals

December 1-14: 25% off orders of $40 or more from Ulta Beauty at Target, CVS, Walgreens, PetSmart, Petco, Lowes, Carters, Office Depot, and Office Max (max savings of $10)*****December 8-24: 20% off top gifting categories at Target + Meijer (Shipt members only)******

ALL-NEW GIFT CARD EXPERIENCE
Not sure what to give that special someone? A Shipt gift card is the perfect gift!

A Shipt gift card never expires, and with an all-new digital facelift, including multiple card designs and e-gifting options, a Shipt gift card lasts beyond the holiday season. And even better, take advantage of the season-long 50% off membership offer when purchasing an annual membership gift card. Terms and conditions apply. Please check out shipt.com/gift for more information.

SHIPT TO THE RESCUE: HOW IT WORKS
No matter how hectic the holiday calendar gets, Shipt makes shopping stress-free:

Download the Shipt app or visit Shipt.com to sign up for a membership or take advantage of a 14-day free trial**. Target Circle 360 members can enable access to the Shipt marketplace by visiting shipt.com/target-circle-360. Choose the store you wish to order from.Build your shopping list with a wide range of categories, from fresh groceries to festive decorations.Select a convenient delivery window and a trusted shopper with Shipt will shop your order, communicating with you about out-of-stocks, relevant substitutions and where they are in the shopping process (option to select back-ups for products out of stock ahead of time).

To learn more about Shipt’s holiday offers and start saving today, visit www.shipt.com or download the Shipt app.

About Shipt
Shipt is a retail tech company that connects people to reliable, high-quality delivery with a personal touch. Through the power of technology, Shipt connects customers to the things they want from the stores they love, workers to new earning opportunities, and retail businesses to more satisfied customers. Headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, Shipt brings people the flexible solutions they need with the above-and-beyond service they expect. Shipt is an independently operated subsidiary of Target Corp. and is available to 80% of the U.S. population. For more information, please visit Shipt’s Newsroom.

*States with alcohol delivery availability: Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho and Mississippi

**Offer valid for new customers only, returning customers are ineligible. 14 day trial will renew at the applicable membership rate at the end of the trial. Cancellation available free of charge anytime during trial. Offer is subject to Shipt Promotion Terms and Conditions. Deliveries under $35 with a membership will incur a $7 fee. All orders with alcohol (where available) may incur a $7 alcohol fee. Service fees may apply and will vary by retailer and location. See Terms of Service

***Offer expires 11/16/2024. Discount available at select retailers and applies to select items. Discount applied automatically at check out for qualifying orders. Limit one per order. Promotion is subject to Terms and Conditions.

****Purchase of qualifying products at select retailers of $35 or more must be placed by 11/27/2024 at 11:59 p.m. HT to qualify for $10 off, which will automatically apply to qualifying order at checkout. Limit 1 credit per member. Offer is subject to Shipt Promotional Terms and Conditions.

*****Store availability varies by location. Offer valid 12/1/24 through 12/14/24. Carter’s, CVS, Lowe’s, Office Depot OfficeMax, PetSmart, Petco, Walgreens, or Ulta Beauty at Target order of $40 or more must be placed by 12/14/24 at 11:59 p.m. HT to qualify for max savings of $10, which will automatically apply to qualifying order at checkout. Offer not valid for orders containing alcohol items. Limit 1 credit per member. Offer is subject to Shipt Promotional Terms and Conditions.

******Purchase of qualifying products at Target or Meijer must be placed by 12/24/2024 at 11:59 p.m. HT to qualify for 20% off, which will automatically apply to a qualifying order at checkout. Limit 1 credit per member. Offer is subject to Shipt Promotional Terms and Conditions.

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Kearney Launches Geopolitical Service Line to Give Executives New “One-Stop-Shop” for Navigating Elevated Global Uncertainty

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WASHINGTON, Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Kearney, a leading global management consulting firm, today announced the launch of its newest offering, aimed at helping clients steer their companies through our ever-changing world. Kearney’s Geopolitical Dynamics provides executives with a holistic solution to navigate today’s elevated instability and its impact on business.

In a new era marked by persistent economic uncertainty, regulatory shifts, great power competition, and corresponding escalations, executives face an unprecedented volume of challenges and new opportunities. A recent Kearney assessment determined that fewer than 20% of Fortune 500 companies are ready for this “new era,” defined by heightened geopolitical and economic volatility, a shift from globalization to regionalization, and the emergence of artificial intelligence.

While traditional geopolitical advisory models served clients well in a more stable environment, today’s persistent uncertainty calls for a new approach. Kearney is stepping up with a comprehensive, end-to-end solution that enables executives to proactively navigate complexity and transform it into a catalyst for opportunity. Geopolitical Dynamics offers clients a path to accelerate the development of their in-house capabilities to navigate the implications for their strategy, operations, and people, mitigating risks and capitalizing on emerging trends along the way.

“After 40 years of operating in a globalized landscape, executives now face the urgent challenge of building internal capabilities to navigate heightened geopolitical instability. They must address immediate threats to business while managing long-term planning of markets, supply chains, and the broader enterprise,” said Drew DeLong, Global Lead of Geopolitical Dynamics at Kearney. “This new service is designed to give executives a one-stop shop to navigate with confidence and stay ahead.”

Geopolitical Dynamics offers a comprehensive suite of services that covers every stage of geopolitical management:

Granular Business Intelligence: Anticipating the “what’s next” and “what’s to come” at a granular level in partnership with an expansive global network of intelligence, government, and industrial partners.

Executive Priority Setting: Aligning executive teams and boards around where and why priorities should be set based on all readily available intelligence and business-specific nuances using tabletop exercises, granular scenario planning, and targeted diligences.

Operational Execution: Mobilizing supply chains and enterprise footprints to respond to immediate and long-term needs (including contingencies), leveraging nearly 100 years of Kearney’s heritage and excellence in strategic operations.

Geopolitical Org Ownership: Defining who and how geopolitics are owned and managed within the business today—at the board, CEO staff, and management levels—including the charting of Geopolitical Units and deploying Government Affairs to drive business outcomes through targeted government engagement that drives competitive industrial strategy.

This approach provides a simple but powerful solution to anticipate, plan, and respond faster to emerging threats and opportunities with clarity, speed, and ownership while minimizing disruption to the business—something that is critical to the executive agenda today.

“Boards and leadership teams can no longer afford to treat geopolitical matters in isolation from the standard course of business,” noted Colette LaForce, independent Board Director, Kearney advisor, and former CXO of Dell Services and AMD. “The C-suite needs a streamlined solution that cuts through generic intelligence, aligns our teams, and enables rapid response. Kearney has built a model that is designed to do just that for organizations of all sizes and in all sectors.”

This offering will draw on Kearney’s expansive capabilities to offer executives truly differentiated insights: product design analysis from PERLab, on-the-ground data from reshoring experts, market insights from the Consumer Institute, detailed trends from the Supply Chain Institute, and macroeconomic forecasts from the Global Business Policy Council.

For more information about how Kearney’s Geopolitical Dynamics capability will help you navigate the road ahead, please visit Geopolitical Dynamics or contact one of our experts listed below.

Drew DeLongDrew.Delong@kearney.com

Doug MehlDoug.Mehl@kearney.com

Ben T. Smith, IVBen.Smith@kearney.com

About Kearney

Kearney is a leading global management consulting firm. For nearly 100 years, we have been a trusted advisor to C-suites, government bodies, and nonprofit organizations. Our people make us who we are. Driven to be the difference between a big idea and making it happen, we work alongside our clients to regenerate their businesses to create a future that works for everyone. To learn more about Kearney, please visit www.kearney.com.

Press contact 

US media contact:
Meir Kahtan
MKPR
mkahtan@rcn.com
+1 917-864-0800

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