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UK games industry "fundamentally misunderstood", new report calls for unified research framework
UKIE and OKRE have proposed a unified research framework to better understand and demonstrate the economic and social value of the UK games industry. The report highlights significant research gaps, particularly in understanding the third-party use and exploitation of games, and calls for collaboration between industry, government, and academia to address these issues. The framework aims to provide a more sophisticated understanding of games as a cultural phenomenon with impacts across healthcare, education, and culture.
"Those of us who joined in the early 2000s, we had it very good": Monument Valley boss says it's getting harder to give workers full-time stability
Ustwo Games CEO Maria Sayans believes the company has been too idealistic about providing full-time employment, leading to a shift towards using more contractors. Sayans, who also chairs Ukie, noted that the industry has changed significantly since the early 2000s, making long-term job stability for all employees more challenging. Ustwo Games is now prioritizing PC development after Monument Valley 3 was removed from Netflix.
UK government begins rollout of £30m Games Growth Package
The UK government has launched a £30 million Games Growth Package to support the domestic video game industry. The funding includes £28.5 million for the UK Games Fund, aimed at early-stage developers and studio growth, and £1.5 million for the London Games Festival over three years. The package is divided into tracks for new studios, prototyping, and expansion, with an additional £20 million designated for the Tay Cities region.
UKIE: UK games market reaches £8.7bn in 2025
The UK games market reached £8.7 billion in 2025, driven by digital software and hardware sales, including the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2. While the mobile segment and game-related merchandise saw growth, the UK games industry experienced a significant decline in employment, with hundreds of companies cutting jobs.
LONDON GAMES FESTIVAL 2026 OPENS FOR BUSINESS WITH RECORD-HIGH UK MARKET VALUATION REVEALED
The London Games Festival 2026 has commenced, highlighting a record-high UK video games market valuation of £8.7bn in 2025, according to Ukie. The festival features numerous consumer and business events, including the Games Finance Market, and aims to bolster London's position as a global gaming capital with support from the Mayor of London and government initiatives.
LONDON GAMES FESTIVAL UNVEILS ITS 2026 ENSEMBLE COHORT
The London Games Festival has announced its 2026 Ensemble cohort, highlighting Black, Asian, and underrepresented ethnic creatives in the UK games industry. The program, curated by Sharna Jackson, features eight individuals in roles ranging from game directors to audio designers, with an installation at Trafalgar Square and features at New Game Plus.
PONCLE KEYNOTE LEADS EXPANDED B2B PROGRAMME AT LONDON GAMES FESTIVAL
The London Games Festival has expanded its B2B program, featuring a keynote from Poncle, the studio behind Vampire Survivors. The event includes a two-day Games Finance Market with £247 million in potential investment, a Self-Publishing Toolkit live session, and the first Games For Change London Summit focused on social impact through games. A 'Games meets film' convergence event, Screen Play, will also explore collaborations between creative industries.
Copyright trolling kept evidence of Japanese cult classic Cookie's Bustle offline, until now
The Video Game History Foundation has successfully defended the obscure Japanese point-and-click game Cookie's Bustle against copyright trolling by Graceware. Graceware had repeatedly used DMCA takedowns to remove content related to the 1999 game, but the VGHF pushed back, leading to Ukie ceasing its takedown services for Graceware. This victory helps preserve the game's history and online presence.
