Ukie times gdc 2013

GDC Times

UK is open for business Come and join the best

Inside the Ukie Times:

Some of the world’s best games businesses are already working in the UK. Many major multinational publishers have their European HQs in Britain and a new breed of businesses has emerged that successfully sell games as a service in crowded digital marketplaces.

Despite the rise and fall of many MMOs and console titles, eSports has gone from a niche world to a highly competitive mainstream attraction. >page 3

In 2012 the UK consumer games market accounted for 47% of entertainment sales.

The UK is the best place in the world to make and sell video games, says Dr Jo Twist, CEO of British games trade body Ukie.

GDC is one of the world’s most exciting gatherings of games developers. That’s why we’re here this year with our UK stand, to show the world how much the British games industry has to offer.

The UK already has a proud heritage in making games and continues to lead the way in creating and selling world class interactive entertainment by offering a unique blend of the digital services, skills and creative content that are needed to make the best games in the world.

Tax breaks Britain already has one of the best business environments in the world and the lowest corporation tax rate in the G20

as well as R&D Tax Credits. We will also soon have a world leading tax relief system in place that truly reflects how games are made today; making it the only place in the world that allows businesses to claim for post-release production costs.

Top talent The UK has a highly talented workforce and an education system that will lead the world in teaching people how to create technology. The UK games industry has been behind fundamental improvements that will ensure that the English education system continues to produce the top quality programmers, artists, designers and project managers that the games industry needs.

Biggest games market in Europe The UK is the biggest consumer market for games in Europe with 33.6m gamers, accounting for 53% of the population, generating 55 million total hours of gaming in the UK every single day.

We also have a thriving and creative development scene, from large established studios like Rockstar North and Media Molecule making Triple-A console titles, to large independent developers such as Mediatonic and Splash Damage, to small digital creative businesses making world class casual and mobile games.

The UK in numbers •

The UK video game market is worth £2.9bn, the third biggest consumer market in the world.

•

The sector generated £2bn in global sales, contributed £1bn to the UK GDP and is predicted to grow at 9% a year.

•

There are currently 485 video game companies in the UK with a total of 7000 employees within the industry.

•

The UK has access to world class talent: with 56 universities providing 141 video games specialist courses throughout the UK. (Wired)

We’ve got lots to offer, so if you want to hear more about the UK games industry come and speak to us and the companies on our stand. And if you’re a UK developer make sure that you come and say hello too, we’ve got free wifi and you can sit on our inflatable furniture…

Exclusive interviews and features: Andy Payne OBE: “Investors should take a look at what the UK’s got: key skills, a legal system which works, attitude, entrepreneurial drive, a history of making successful games and tax breaks.” >page 10

Ian Livingstone CBE: “Today’s UK industry reminds me very much of the early days when there was a proliferation of starts-ups and excitement” >page 6

Byron Atkinson-Jones: Jam on a plane: how one UK dev is turning the flight over into a game jam. >page 12

Multiplay step out from behind the servers

Big history, big games, big success Tantalisingly, Exient are working with some of the biggest names in mobile – but can’t tell us about them because they are under NDA. Meanies. >page 5

Fayju want to save your brain Fayju, a two man micro studio, are at GDC for one reason only. Well, three really: to kill bears, throw green slimy things and save your brain on the OUYA. >page 4

Local skill, Universal vision With a background in AI and virtual realities, Vickie Peggs is one woman, with one vision. It’s a Universal vision, if you will: to make her localisation team the most agile, most responsive, and of the highest quality in the world. >page 5

Phoenix from the ashes We all know how much of a challenge getting your game discovered is in a crowded creative marketplace. But getting a job in the games industry can be just as tricky a business. >page 3

Come and visit us at GDC Play Stand MR25

2

Ukie Times

Get global insight from the new GameTrack report What is GameTrack?

GameTrack is a multi-country survey, providing a complete view of the video games market in the UK, France, Germany, Spain and the USA. Run by the Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE), it includes data for all devices – from PCs, laptops and games consoles through to smartphones, tablets and smart TVs.

“Games businesses looking for a global view of the games market should take a look at the new GameTrack report.”

GameTrack includes all types of game formats too – from packaged (new, preowned and rental) to apps (paid and free) to online games (including downloads, subscriptions, browser games and games on social network sites).

The report measures the market in three ways, with each breaking down the total market by specific devices and types of games: •

Time - the amount of time that is spent gaming

•

Volume - the number of games that are acquired (both paid and free)

•

Value - the amount of money spent on games

Each month, 1000 surveys of people aged 6 and over in each country are completed (either online or face to face).

Comparing countries There is no other research available on the market that provides such a broad and robust data set for multiple markets, allowing users to directly compare between countries.

Using the three key metrics mentioned above, GameTrack allows users to visualise every shift in the market and helps to identify trends at an early stage. A better understanding of the market dynamics is crucial in times when the games industry is transforming rapidly.

GameTrack headlines Boxed product sales are declining but they still make up the majority of the value of the market, but the volume share taken by apps is greater

Weather forecast

The fall in packaged gaming is reflected by lower numbers playing on consoles and computers compared to Q4 2011. The device that has seen the most growth for gaming is the tablet.

9% of the 6+ population use one for gaming compared to 4% in Q4 2011.

Apps contribute the largest share of volume in the games market (nearly half), representing a significant increase on their share in Q4 2011. Online downloads drive a fifth of overall volume in the market.

• 33% of the UK population are gamers • 9% of the population game on tablets • Online downloads account for fifth of market • 143m hours spent gaming in typical week Sign up today Current subscribers include Activision, Disney, Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Namco Bandai, Nintendo, Sony, SEGA and Ubisoft.

If you’re interested in joining them and getting hold of the latest GameTrack report then get in touch with Simon Little (simon.little@isfe.eu) at ISFE.

It’s good weather ahead for games businesses throughout the UK. We’ve got tax breaks heading in from Europe and the whole country can expect to see more world class development talent coming from the UK’s schools and universities.

Ukie Times

Multiplay step out from Phoenix from the ashes behind the servers We all know how much of a challenge it is to get your game discovered in a crowded creative marketplace. But getting a job in the games industry during a disruptive time of change can be just as tricky a business. Catching the eye of studios or publishers, sometimes requires the eye of the experts.

Covering all areas of recruitment, from Creative, Technical (including IT), Commercial (including HR/Finance/ Admin), Production and Executive appointments, MPG Universal is here at GDC to hook up the ideal people with the ideal jobs – especially in these challenging times of transition.

“The UK is currently like the fabled Phoenix rising from the ash,” says MPG Director Noel Krohn.

“We have sadly seen a number of casualties in the UK gaming scene this past year, however disconcerting this may appear at first hand for every action there has to be a positive reaction which has come in the form of the birth of a number of studios developing some truly innovative and exciting titles.”

MineCon 2011 by the Mojang Team (Flickr, Creative Commons)

Despite the rise and fall of many MMOs and console titles, eSports has gone from a niche world to a highly competitive mainstream attraction. Competitive gaming has spawned mega stars on the tournament scene but sometimes it’s easy to forget the stars behind the screens – or servers for that matter.

Will Lowther from Multiplay is one such superstar. His company provides a complete service for games, from actively hosting full game platforms to organising events for players and their communities. “We’re the only company of this kind in the world”, says Will as he prepares for his GDC trip.

“When you work with people who love your product, anything is possible” It’s not just hard work that goes into keeping millions of players game-happy, but a true love for competitive games: “We’re made up of incredibly passionate, professional gamers most of whom we sourced from our own communities and the rest from years of experience with Triple-A Games Publishers,” explains Will.

“We are small, but we are strong. For example we produced Minecon for 7,000 attendees with an in-house team of just 5. When people come and see what we do, they simply can’t understand how we do it.”

Minecon (mineconparis.tumblr.com), a

global convention for all lovers of Minecraft, was held in Disneyland Paris in November 2012, and saw over 4,000 of the world building game’s most committed fans gather to celebrate the pixelated masterpiece that has taken the world by storm.

Producing Minecon was definitely a highlight for Will and the Multiplay team, but it is just one of their success stories. Events aside, Multiplay hosts more than 23,000 online game servers and is one of the leading GSPs (Game Service Providers) in the world. Hosting players from 195 different countries, Multiplay’s servers can hold a PCU (Peak Concurrent Users) of over 25,000.

Great future “The truth is when you work with people who love your product, anything is possible.”

“We currently power the ESET UK Starcraft Masters and are delighted to see how popular it has become. The future is looking great for gaming, and we are lucky to be a part of it.”

His mission at GDC Play is simple: it’s time to step out from behind the servers and spread the word about Multiplay.

They have been a well-kept British secret so far, but are growing fast. “It’s really time for us to reach out to partners around the world and help even more companies achieve their goals.”

To speak to Will and Multiplay come to the UK stand at GDC Play.

And for MPG, this means that the talent splintering out of these closures can find new and fulfilling roles.

3

“The growth, passion and excitement about currently is infectious and we are pleased to be working with developers of all variations. The point of entry to the market has decreased significantly with mobile games which leads to a serious wealth of industry talent and experience from recent closures being able to produce fantastic games at a fraction of the development cost of Triple-A without losing the quality and gameplay.”

“Let’s grow the industry together and make good things happen” Having 40 year of experience in the jobs game combined all under one roof can be a great help, and with that 4 decades of knowledge collectively, MPG are well placed to recognise and understand the cycles, the talent needs: and most importantly, you are more likely to understand what companies need at any given time in that cycle – or rather who you need.

Take their newest recruit, George Bray.

“I am sure my experience of actually working within numerous global games

4

Ukie Times

studios on many platforms which covers most models from core games, casual games, F2P and social games brings a level of knowledge, expertise and comfort that no other recruitment company can offer.” George tells Ukie Times.

No time wasters He is the newly ensconced Head of Technology Recruitment as they make their way out to exhibit at GDC Play, and sees his role as the perfect play to use his experience and more importantly his global reach to help people not only find their dream job, but also help his clients find their dream team member.

“We are delighted to have George on board as he brings a wealth of experience (from each side of the fence both as a recruiter and developer respectively) and is widely respected in the video games industry.” says Noel.

“From our very first meeting I knew I wanted to work for such a forward thinking recruitment company who not only understands current gaming and industry models, they actively work in them successfully,” adds George.

“All this knowledge coupled with their great reputation within the games industry fills me with enthusiasm and confidence. Plus they’re all gamers!”

MPG prides itself on being the go to team

of recruiters for those roles that seem harder to fill than others. They have a fresh approach to the industry, and to the business of finding the right people.

“Many recruiters will tell you what you want to hear - but fail to adhere to your requests as soon as they return to their desk just so they hit weekly KPIs,” says Noel. And as cynical as that may sound, it seems to be true.

Like many games themselves, MPG see themselves as giving people a service rather than just a passing glance. They say they simply refuse to waste precious time, when you could be making and selling games, spamming clients with applications that just do not fit the bill.

“We refuse to submit any candidate’s application for any role without having first obtained their express permission to do so and having interviewed the candidate thoroughly beforehand to get a good understanding of what they are looking for,” says Noel.

You would be forgiven for assuming this is what most other recruiters see as their job, but according to Noel, it isn’t.

His ultimate aim in this time of change is simple: “Let’s grow the industry together and make good things happen.”

Come and see MPG Universal at the UK stand at GDC Play: who knows – they might be able to help you find that diamond in the rough.

Fayju wants to save your brain Fayju, a two man micro studio, are at GDC for one reason only. Well, three really: to kill bears, throw green slimy things and save your brain on the OUYA. OK – that’s a lie: they are here for another reason. They want you to play their three new Ouya titles before they come out shortly after GDC: Goldilocks and the 3000 bears, The Amazing Frog and Cascade.

For a small team, the UK studio has had a strong track record so far, with 10 million app store downloads across several top 10 iOS titles like Fayju Ball, Monster Ate my Homework and Dune Rider. But this is only the start and they typify the classic, quirky, new breed of micro studio that the UK is currently spawning: “Games are being seen in a more serious light in the UK and people are beginning to appreciate that we have some serious indie talent here,” says Gaz Bushell, the self-confessed art programmer with a penchant for the “mathematical poetry inherent in explosive game physics”.

The team embodies the new reenergised UK indie spirit, and it’s very clear they have a keen passion for their art, and for making people smile.

“Our games evolve through play. Physics is like a toy box of magic for us, we

Fayju: bringing games to Ouya - image by Ouya

love cause and effect,” he explains. “That a tiny action can Cascade out of control into an Amazing display of un’bear’ably hilarious physics fun.”

Fayju started life in the head of Gaz after he spent 15 years building games for other people.

An artist with a passion for technology, interactivity, and poetry, Gaz birthed Fayju after spending time creating interactive art installations in the name of squidsoup.

“Physics is like a toy box of magic for us” Harry Jackson joined the team with the main aim of injecting awesomeness into games. And you certainly get the sense these chaps know their stuff, and know what awesome looks like.

“He has always enjoyed the escape of video games, perhaps he may have done too much ‘research’. It’s all the little hidden things he puts into the game that makes him happy,” Gaz explains.

Sounds familiar. You will be able to search for those hidden things yourself soon after GDC when the games will be out.

Catch the guys at the UK stand at GDC Play and let’s see if we can’t kill some of those bears together.

Local skill, Big history, Universal big games, vision big success With a background in AI and virtual realities, Vickie Peggs is one woman, with one vision. It’s a Universal vision, if you will: to make her localisation team the most agile, most responsive, and of the highest quality in the world.

After 14 years of experience in development and publishing, Vickie found her niche in games services and started Universally Speaking in 2002 after recognising the huge trend for globalisation and development services.

“The UK has always been recognised for its creativity and innovation in gaming” As CEO and Founder, her all female management team is intent on keeping the company on top of the massive transitions the games industry is undergoing whilst maintaining their vision of being the most agile in the world.

The team is at GDC to meet developers and publishers who want localisation across platforms, and to promote their new round the clock service to clients in the Pacific Time Zone: “Our localisation services are now available to clients for projects that need same day return within the US working day. This round-the-clock service means that there will always be somebody available for translation services on projects. We will also soon be extending this to Asia,” says Vickie.

Fast movers And it’s their ability to adapt to massive and fast changes in our industry - particularly the shift to mobile platforms - that Universally Speaking prides itself on. To Vickie, it is why they have loyal customers who trust what they have to offer. It is also in large part to do with the expertise and breadth of experience the team has, including Ops Manager Anna Wojewodzka, who came from EA, SCEE, Jagex and Mind Candy.

“Over the past few months, we’ve been extending our testing services to accommodate new platforms including iPad Mini, Blackberry Z10, Windows Surface and Wii U,” explains Vickie.

“We’re most proud of our success with

Tantalisingly, Exient are working with some of the biggest names in mobile – but can’t tell us about them because they are under NDA. Meanies.

“I can say that we are currently working with Rovio, Activision, Natural Motion and others on some of the biggest IP in the Industry but I can’t go into any further details at the moment,” explains Mike Cox, Business Development Director for Exient.

And it’s no surprise they are working with some of these better known mobile developers, because they have a strong history and pedigree in cross platform technology. Now more than ever, that experience and heritage is in great demand with the rise of smartphones and tablets as the platform of choice for many who are new to games.

The team are no strangers to GDC, and they consider the event to be an extremely important one. This year they are showing off two new games designed in house by their creative team. client retention and long term partnerships. We’re lucky to have a strong client base and contacts who stay with us, even when they move on to new positions and companies.”

Increasingly in the UK, the new companies are smaller scale independent studios who are perhaps more agile than their predecessors, and this is something that offers some tantalising prospects for the industry.

“There is a lot of change and growth in the UK games scene which is leading to significant new opportunities for publishers and developers.” explains Vickie.

“Digital distribution in particular is creating a real level playing field, so it’s exciting to see how things develop in this area. The UK has always been recognised for its creativity and innovation in gaming and new business models in digital distribution are creating a place where game development talent can really thrive,” says Vickie.

No matter what size you are, she says, and what platform you are on - from indie start up with an eye on mobile to large MMO - Universally Speaking seems to thrive on variety.

Track them down on the UK stand at GDC Play, at Game Connection, or bump into them at some of the key GDC sessions including the localisation summit.

Feedback from potential publishing partners is what they will be looking for, and having some face time with their US clients will be just as important.

Culture of fun Exient has worked with high value IP, game design, and F2P production for more than 12 years so they consider themselves well placed as developers to transition into the next generation of high production value cross platform games.

“Smaller ‘boutique’ developers are able to compete with the larger independents and publisher owned studios” “We currently have two studios. Our head office and original studio is based in the beautiful and historic University City of Oxford, and we have recently opened a new studio in the city of Brno in the Czech Republic,” explains Mike.

And with up to 70 people across both studios, the team is still expanding. Although from different backgrounds, the skills of the teams are complementary,

Ukie Times

5

and this is an important aspect of a harmonious culture to Mike: “It’s really important for us to keep our studio culture intact as this helps us recruit high quality team members and makes working on the diverse range of games we have in production even more fun.”

They are currently working on console games, including their Angry Birds Trilogy release on 3DS which they have been told is the best version of this highly successful game, and they are working with SCEE on the WonderBook title, Diggs NightCrawler, which is “looking awesome”.

But the team is also excited by the accessibility and snack playability of the current generation of F2P mobile games, and Mike thinks these games have helped to build the UK indie scene and games industry in the UK more generally.

“Smaller ‘boutique’ developers are able to compete with the larger independents and publisher owned studios on a level playing field and it’s not about development spend anymore – it’s much more about gameplay and design,” thinks Mike.

“I think the UK has always been full of genuinely creative talent, and with the current focus on smaller games with more design-lead features this can only be a good thing for UK developers.”

Come and say hello to Exient at the UK stand at GDC Play.

6

Ukie Times

Ian Livingstone CBE says UK industry is ‘as exciting as the early days’ ing times. We are in the second Golden Age of games right now,” he explains.

And with the enlivening of the ecosystem for businesses and the talent pipeline in the UK which should help British developers compete with the likes of Canada, and the mending of the talent pipeline, as far as Livingstone is concerned, the table is set for awesomeness.

“The exciting thing is that Indies are able to express themselves in original ways, evolving the craft and the art form”

Games Workshop, Fighting Fantasy and video games legend Ian Livingstone CBE, Life President of Eidos, and Ukie Vice Chair, has to be one of the busiest, as well as one of the most connected and influential men in the UK games industry.

This year he is unable to attend GDC, but in the year that sees the UK industry getting long awaited tax credits, and the year that coding became the core Fourth Science on the school national curriculum, this man has a lot to celebrate.

GDC: the future This week he’s busy talking to the world’s press about the release of the highly-acclaimed new Tomb Raider developed by Crystal Dynamics, and is disappointed not to be able to make it to GDC. “GDC is a very important conference because it’s all about the future, focussing on creators, content and new ways of playing.” he told Ukie Times.

“It’s always a very relevant and inspiring conference. You leave it feeling very excited about the future against a backdrop of the mainstream media still talking foolishly about the problems of the past. Of course the games industry is in transition, and GDC helps people understand the challenges and the opportunities that are there. You learn from people at the cutting edge of the industry who are pushing the boundaries, finding new audiences on

new platforms, offering original creative content, and taking games to the next level.

This change was very evident at the recent BAFTA Games Awards in London where Indies won 11 of the 14 Awards, reflecting the winds of change blowing through the industry. GDC is always focussed on new trends, highlighting each year a topic that is right on the money. It is a very different proposition to other major events in the games calendar such as E3, which is a more traditional trade show, more focussed on new and up-coming releases.”

“These are exciting times. We are in the second Golden Age of games right now” Livingstone recently levelled up in the New Year’s Honours List to a CBE in recognition of his work in promoting the games industry in the UK. He introduced role-playing games to the UK in the 1970s, got a generation of reluctant readers to enjoy his Fighting Fantasy gamebooks in the 1980s, and is now trying to get the current generation of kids to code. He wants kids to turn their passion of playing games into a career of making them. Turn them from digital users to digital makers. Getting the next generation of talent learning the right hard skills, developing games to compete globally on a level playing field with the help of production tax credits is

vital in his opinion. He argues that there has never been a better time to get into the games business. This is in part down to the change in how businesses can interact and transact with players with a shift to digital consumption, but also because global audiences can be reached through high speed broadband with a dizzying array of snackable and more casual entertainment experiences.

From boxes to digital “The industry is moving from a boxed product sold at retail to a digital service.

The supply chain has been reduced to the point whereby creators can now interface directly with their audiences. They can develop totally original games, with their artistic expression finding new audiences. They learn, iterate and evolve quickly! These are excit-

If you ever speak to Livingstone personally, he will make sure you know that the UK is arguably the most creative nation in the world. Right from the birth of the games industry in the UK, from Manic Miner and Populous to Tomb Raider and GTA, through to PC titles like Football Manager and Runescape, to present day interlopers such as Moshi Monsters, Village Life, New Star Soccer and CSR Racing, these Great British creations have all been great success stories the country can shout about.

Creative UK indies He recognises in the UK scene a real sense of originality in the output from the current crop of disruptive UK Indies in particular. And as an investor in such talent, he should know: “The exciting thing is that Indies are able to express themselves in original ways, evolving the craft and the art form. They are not burdened by history or need to work for three years on a sequel. You never know what next is going to bubble up from their primordial soup of ideas!” he observes.

In order for the new kids on the block to succeed, it’s not just the art, code and technical skills. With developers becoming publishers themselves, it’s also about entrepreneurial, marketing and business skills. Making a great game is the first part of the journey. Discovery is the challenge before scaling to global audiences backed by the right talent and finance.

“The UK has always had the talent but not always the ambition, the ability or the finance, to scale,” he says. “In the past it was sometimes down to a cottage-industry mentality; and sometimes down to not being able to raise finance. However, today’s small, agile teams are no longer forced to give up ownership of their IP in return for project finance, and that builds value in their businesses. But everybody must be focussed on getting the message out there about their products. For every Angry Birds there are an awful lot of Dead Birds out there. The App Store is the world’s smallest shop window,” he stresses.

Government support There is now more appetite from government to support of home-bred IP. A lot of the work he has been doing over the years has been about raising the profile of the industry to policy makers, helping them to fully understand and recognise the cultural and economic impact of games in helping to drive the digital economy as a whole.

“The democratisation of funding through crowdfunding opens up the opportunity for consumers to fund the content they want to play” This work is incredibly important to Livingstone who says, “If you have strong support coming from government about the games industry, this positively influences the media, which in turn influences parents, teachers and the investment community about the career and investment opportunities the industry has to offer.”

A good investment This bleeds out to those who aspire to dedicate their careers to the industry and inspires a new generation of talent. This new talent is what Livingstone, with his investor hat on, looks for and he is more than willing to impart some wise insight from his vast experience as a businessman, a developer and as an investor.

As an investor in successful and rapidly growing digital studios such as Playdemic, Mediatonic, PlayMob, Midoki and Hooplo, Livingstone is on the bleeding

edge of start-up world. He is Chairman of the Board of Playdemic and PlayMob and loves the innovation and opportunity in the Indie space. Playdemic’s social game Village Life, for example, is one of the fastest-growing games on Facebook with nearly 5 million MAUs. “I believe I’ve invested in some fantastic talent. However, many other studios I’ve seen do not know how to build their business, or where or how to get funding. Some creative entrepreneurs are not very good at making themselves investor ready,” he says. “And of course it doesn’t help that investors don’t understand content creators and vice versa.”

“When I am investing I look at the people. What is their track record? What tech are they using? Do they own their IP, is it an original idea or a ‘me too’ offering? Can they demonstrate their game? Do they have ‘skin in the game’ as the Americans would say? What is their ambition and are they able to deliver?

Do they fully understand acquisition, retention and monetisation of their audiences?” he asks. Not a lot then.

He stresses the importance of being able to demonstrate the offering in some form. As strange as that may sound, it’s otherwise difficult for an investor to fund anything from something that only exists in a GDD, and he would always advise at least getting part way down the development road before starting to cast around for money. “Bootstrap it to the point of being able to demonstrate the offering. You then use that as your portfolio to get your investment. Otherwise, for investors who do not understand the space, it is just a punt. Without a demonstrable offering, you won’t get fair value, if anything at all.”

“Showing commitment is really important,” he explains. This, coming from the man who in the early days of Games Workshop slept in a “stinky old van” for three months, shared with Steve Jackson when they were unable to raise finance. That was the sacrifice they were more than willing to make for something they believed in.

Fail fast Thankfully they didn’t fail, but that’s not to say everyone will be as fortunate. Livingstone is adamant, however, like many investors, that failure should be redefined and that people should not be afraid to fail. Instead, UK developers and investors should take a leaf out of America’s book and look at the benefits of failure.

Livingstone cites Albert Einstein who said that “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”

Failure is success in progress.

“If you are investable, Angel investors and VCs enable early stage finance. The high street banks are not worth talking to really. Equity investment or even project finance of creative output is just

not their thing.” However, crowdfunding offers many start-ups, and indeed those with a long tail of IP, to raise finance in an entirely new way, without the usual gatekeepers getting in the way.

“Free-to-play games are only free at the point of delivery; somewhere along the line somebody has to pay” “The democratisation of funding through crowdfunding opens up the opportunity for consumers to fund the content they want to play,” Livingstone explains. “For the content creator, it is a brilliant opportunity to let the market decide if your proposition is worthwhile without having to incur production costs. If it is, you’ll get the money.”

Funding isn’t the only challenge facing those looking to make a name for themselves in the industry. Of course there are the usual discovery problems - for developers and their games – in a crowded marketplace, but there are also big questions around monetisation and keeping players interested in your game once they find it – especially in a F2P world.

Free to play

Ukie Times

7

“Free-to-play games are only free at the point of delivery; somewhere along the line somebody has to pay,” says Livingstone. “Understanding the business models and monetisation of content is the difference between success and failure.”

Although Livingstone won’t tell Ukie Times what his favourite game of the last three years is (“it’s like asking me which is my favourite child!”), we have often seen him of late whip out his iPad to play Words with Friends and compare his Clash of Clans empire, Supercell’s combat strategy game, with that of Ukie Chair, Andy Payne.

He references Clash of Clans as a superb example of developers creating a very polished product relevant to a specific platform, targeted at a strategy gamer on the move, using analytics and metrics to drive monetisation on an enormous scale.

For him, social mobile gaming is one aspect of the games industry’s exciting future, complementing Triple A console gaming on the next generation of hardware which is just around the corner as the market for games continues to grow. New platforms and content diversification continue unabated. When true cross-platform gaming services meet democratised crowdfunding on a large scale, there will be a power shift to the game makers. “If cash is king, then content is King Kong,” he concludes.

8

Ukie Times

Kiosk: MR28 Web: exient.com Twitter: @exient Contact: Mike Cox Email: mike@exient.com Telephone: +44 (0)186 572 2655 Address: 2-3 Cambridge Terrace, Oxford, OX1 1RR

platform technology XGS. Over the last 10 years we have grown considerably, producing quality games for every major hand-held platform and more recently expanding into the mobile market.

One of the world’s leading independent video game developers staffed by highly-skilled, creative and passionate professionals.

Renowned for reliable delivery of high quality games.

Exient is a well established AAA quality independent development Studio. With in-house tech that spans ALL current platforms and a track record of on-time, on-budget delivery - we are the perfect partner for high-quality multi-platform development. FTP is our speciality and we’re currently working with the Industry leaders including Rovio, NaturalMotion and SCEE on their top franchises. Come and see us to find out how we can help you.

An extensive network of trusted outsource partners providing specialist skills and services.

Licensed developers for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, Wii U, 3DS, iOS, Android and Windows 8.

Exient develops both original and contract (license / conversion) titles for publication on consoles, handheld devices and mobile platforms using our in-house, cross-

Regular attendees at industry events, including GDC, Game Connection, Develop, and are always happy to meet with Publishers or Developers interested in outsourcing development, licensing our original games or to discuss contract projects.

Kiosk: K69

What we offer

Web: fayju.com

We are a two man team working on 3 ambitious games built in Unity:

Twitter: @fayju Contact: Gareth Bushell Email: gaz@fayju.com Telephone: +44 (0)776 969 2533 Address: Create Studios, Wyvern Theatre, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN1 1QN

• Goldilocks and the 3000 Bears • Amazing Frog • Cascade What we are looking for We want people to come and play our new games and hopefully get as excited about them as we are.

Unity Development

Lots of Press if possible, we want the world to know about our unique brand of games.

At Fayju we are all about making playful, enjoyable and intensely awesome game experiences.

To explore potential delivery platforms or new downloadable game markets.

Fayju was formed in early 2009 and our specialisation is in Unity. We have a background in iOS development, for now though we are building games for the OUYA.

Check out tools that can help us make our games more awesome.

Our initial delivery platform will be the OUYA as we really believe in it. We intend to show the games on our dev OUYA. Also to show our games on our iPads and mobile devices.

Kiosk: MR23 Web: mastertronic.com Twitter: @Mastertronic Contact: Andy Payne Email: andy.payne@mastertronic.com Telephone: +44 (0)207 502 4450 Address: 2 Stonehill, Stukeley Meadows, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE29 6ED

Mastertronic is one of the UK’s best known independent games brands with a heritage over 25 years. As well as being a highly successful developer and publisher of games it also provides voice, marketing, sales, and fulfilment services to the digital entertainment industry, along with B2B and B2C e-commerce and games download services.

Mastertronic’s brands include the simulation specialists Just Flight and Just Train; value labels Sold Out and M.A.D., GetGames digital download service and the Mastertronic label that develops and publishes games on PC, Xbox, XBLA, PS3 and Nintendo platforms.

To investigate and seek out potential funding or support opportunities.

To meet other Developers out there, share / swap experiences and learn.

Kiosk: K71 Web: mpg-universal.com Twitter: @MPGuniversal Contact: Noel Krohn Email: noel@mpg-universal.com THE HOME OF RECRUITMENT FOR VIDEO GAMES & FILM CONNECTING PEOPLE GLOBALLY EVERY DAY www.mpg-universal.com

Telephone: +44 (0)147 383 3444 Address: Suite 4A, Broomvale Business Centre, Great Blakenham, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP8 4JU

MPG Universal Ltd is a specialist recruitment agency for the Video Games and Film industries; recruiting top tier talent, for permanent and contractual opportunities, on a Global scale for two very niche industries. We secure mid to senior level positions for candidates across the following disciplines: Creative | Technical | Commercial | Production and Executive Appointments.

Spanning all Continents of the World, our client roster is incredibly diverse and unique, from small indie developers, through to large multi-national corporations. We are extremely proud to work in close colKiosk: MR27 Web: multiplay.co.uk Twitter: @Multiplay

Ukie Times

9

laboration with an extensive array of Developers and Publishers, helping them hire the best possible talent across the following platforms: Social | Mobile | Handheld and Console including current and nextgen.

Since our inception in 2008 MPG Universal has, through trust and discretion, created an honest and reliable service for job seekers and clients; our professional and discreet conduct has ensured we are entrusted with important and highly confidential information from studios and candidates respectively, resulting in us being recognised as the ‘go to’ agency for staffing and those all too often hard to fill positions.

Technological advances permit business to be conducted on a worldwide basis. MPG Universal recognize no amount of electronic information can compare to conducting business face to face, which is why our Recruitment Team attend a significantly high number of International industry specific events throughout the year.

MPG Universal: Connecting People Globally Every Day. We organize the UK’s leading gaming event, the Insomnia Gaming Festival with Europe’s largest gaming community surrounding on our events and gameservers.

Contact: Will Lowther Email: will@multiplay.co.uk Telephone: +44 (0)207 100 1337 Address: Unit 7 Whitefield, Lepe Road, Blackfield, Southampton, Hampshire, SO45 1XR

Multiplay are a leading service provider to the Games Industry, providing Hosting, Events and Consultancy. We were the events company behind Minecon2012 on behalf of Mojang and also provide high availability game platform hosting in 23 worldwide locations, for companies like EA, Activision, Ubisoft and more.

We are a leading service provider to the games industry, a consultant and promoter to major publishers and gaming companies, having worked with many Triple-A titles over the past 15 years.

Kiosk: K70 Web: usspeaking.com Twitter: @USSpeaking Contact: Chris Chambers Email: cchambers@usspeaking.com

We deliver custom gaming events, including Minecon 2012 for Mojang as well as press events, game launches and live video / stage production across the UK, Europe and the USA. We also work with Developers and Publishers to provide worldwide high availability game hosting solutions, including websites, multiplayer instances and complete game platform hosting, including Unity based platforms.

Our team also develop the industry leading control panel, Clanforge, allowing you to manage global hosting scaled to your needs. With rapid deployment and automatic resource allocation, Clanforge can be integrated into your hosting requirements with ease.

Our specialised internal teams and extensive global network of game linguists translate into all languages.

With an emphasis on quality, we ensure our translations are always performed and reviewed by qualified and experienced native speakers. We work with the latest tools ensuring consistency of the final text as well as providing savings to our clients.

Telephone: +44 (0)148 021 0621 Address: Knowledge Centre, Wyboston Lakes, Bedfordshire, MK44 3BY

Universally Speaking are experts in localisation and quality assurance. We are a leading provider of specialist development services to the worldwide games and digital entertainment industry.

We are a trusted partner to some of the industry’s biggest publishers and leading game developers. Our experience is second to none, having globalised thousands of games across all platforms and genres. We ensure that your games launch successfully into the international games market.

Our quality assurance department is equipped with hardware to test on all traditional console platforms Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony - as well as mobile devices based on both iOS and Android. We have a wealth of experience in testing MMOs, Facebook games and titles developed for both PC and Mac. We are looking to meet with game developers and publishers who have content that needs localising and testing. We work on all platforms, genres and on any size project from large MMO translations to small app store descriptions and everything in between.

10 Ukie Times

The future according to Andy Payne OBE Hearts and minds In terms of the big picture, we need to ensure that games continue to win the hearts and minds of people and thus win the battle of entertainment.

We do compete with passive entertainment such as film, TV and music and that will always be a challenge. But we also compete for our players’ time with books, social networks and the internet in general, so we must ensure we never take the need to play games for granted. So we must be innovative and simple in equal measure. In short, always think about the player and who and where that player actually is. Without willing and committed players, we are nothing.

Next-Gen in the UK

With over 20 years of making and selling games under his belt, MD of Mastertronic and Ukie Chairman Andy Payne, gives his views on the future of the industry.

There are some major changes which have happened in the last four years which have meant that making games has become both more accessible and potentially more rewarding for smaller groups of games developers.

A new digital service The first is digital distribution. Now any games developer can get access to mass marketplaces whether it is for connected mobile devices via Apple, Google and Amazon’s platforms, or for the PC via Steam, Origin, Good Old Games, Greenman Games, Get Games or any of the other download shops. Access to these markets is less restrictive than before and actually far more democratic. Even the tra-

ditional publisher focused consoles are now opening up to independent developers, and we expect that to become a key driver for the new PlayStation and Xbox when they eventually arrive.

“We need to ensure that games continue to win the hearts and minds of people and thus win the battle of entertainment” The second key factor that makes things really interesting is that games are transitioning from a product to a service. The concept of actually being in direct touch with your players and fans is exciting and challenging.

It means as games makers we need to fundamentally rethink our approach.

The good news is that we can get out of the bunker we used to be in for years whilst making a game and now listen, watch and learn what players want from us. It really has become a truly interactive industry in ways no one could predict.

Thirdly, and as importantly, we now have the realistic opportunity to carry our games with us on connected devices and without any lag. We can play in the sitting room and continue to play on the move. This is a challenge for games developers to think how specific devices can be used to add to the player’s experience. So rather than simply being a smaller or bigger screen version of your game, how can we enhance the playing experience?

How can we allow players to get a better return on their time investment?

How can we increase the social interactivity? There are more questions than answers right now, but yet another reason to be so excited.

In terms of the smaller picture, in the UK we must ensure we foster the skills, passion, and creative talent and signpost them to our wonderful industry. We have to build forward thinking relationships to capital markets, policy makers, educators, statisticians and the media. We have to highlight the wealth creation opportunities and the good that connected games can do. We have to be joined up.

We must build businesses that care for their players and fans and foster positive communities which can deliver purpose and a sense of belonging.

Aside from the aspirational capitalist wealth creation opportunities, games communities can be a force for social good. All of this needs signposting and advocacy. We need to build a new sense of confidence and pride based on actually recognising the talent and achievements we have made.

Confidence, without arrogance, is so essential.

“UK games are all about self-deprecation, humour and general quirkiness which makes them stand out” As games developers, I am not sure the UK scene is specifically unique.

I do think our games are about selfdeprecation, humour and general quirkiness which makes them stand out. Above all we do tend to produce original and balanced characters and communities within the UK games industry. Being on the inside, I would say it is often difficult to know what makes some of our games great. On reflection I think humour may well be the one overriding factor that our

games carry more than most others.

I mean Moshi Monsters really should be made in Japan, but it has our humour which probably explains why it does so well in English speaking places.

When investors are looking at potential businesses to back, they only need to look at our 30 years of heritage, key skills, a legal system which works, attitude, entrepreneurial drive, a history of making successful games and now we’ve got tax breaks.

We love sports and games. Many global sports and the rules that govern them were developed in Britain.

It’s in our DNA and we should never forget that. Indeed Napoleon called us a nation of shopkeepers and he was right. The Creative Revolution is happening right here, right now and it is happening because small groups of dedicated, passionate individuals are able to set up their business easily and trade their wares via direct access to international, connected, digital markets. Britain is a creative place, it has always offered creative people from all over the world a haven. That heritage is both important and known.

All about the money That is not to say we are not without challenges. I have run my business for 25 years. We have always had a bank, as we do need to put our money somewhere, but we have only ever called upon our bank for an overdraft facility. I look at the ways of funding differently. When we first started selling our games direct to our fans in 1997 people thought we were mad. But two things happened.

Firstly we built up a trading and trusting relationship with our fans and secondly we got paid in real time for our games.

“When we first started selling our games direct to our fans in 1997 people thought we were mad” When we launched our direct download service in 2004 it made cash flow even better as we did not have to invest in stock up front and hope to sell it. Trading direct with customers has its challenges of course, but the upside is that in digital you can really drive your cash resources that much harder. Investing in the packaged goods console model meant paying a huge amount of cash up front to the platforms and hoping that stock would sell. Those days are now for us, thankfully over.

Alongside this, crowdfunding is also incredibly interesting and has already proved to be a key driver for our industry amongst independent games developers. It is democratising finance in a way we have not seen since the advent of building societies. It is giving us another way of interacting with people who are interested in what we want to do. They are the Green Light committees of the 21st century and they have more insight and passion for the games than any publisher, developer or retailer groups could ever have. Far from caring about the profit and bottom line, the crowdfunders are empowered to fuel the creative process.

This is so significant on a macro level, I don’t think that some of the big companies actually get it. We have a world of user generated content, we now have the beginnings of true fan funded content. Excitement levels for me are off the scale. I just wish I was younger!

“Crowdfunding has already proved to be a key driver for our industry amongst independent games developers” The political game The UK Government has a very important role to play not just for games development in the UK but for games making and selling on the world stage. Helping to create a country which welcomes and encourages creative, knowledge based industries such as ours is vital. We need to show them what we do, why we do it and the wealth that we can create. I coined the term ‘digital design and manufacturing’ a while back and it seemed to open key Ministers’ eyes to what we actually do. We need statistical data collection points that are modern, reflective and actually fit for purpose. What relationship do we have with the Office for National Statistics for example? Let’s face it, we are not sitting on loads of natural resources are we. Oil and gas are running out, so we need to ensure that we actively build on the brains in this country.

We need a Government that will invest in infrastructure such as proper speed broadband networks, invest in education and skills and encourage innovative digital companies to base themselves here through a regime of properly targeted tax breaks or grants. We need a government that looks out for the smaller businesses too and ensures that when

Ukie Times 11

you start a business and run it, you can get help and not hindrance from national and local government. We need to help the Government understand the new world of opportunity in digital, so that just like Governments from the past, they can play their part in fostering a new golden age of creativity.

Tax breaks The tax credits that were announced for the industry in 2012 are going to be a big boost. On a practical level

it means we can get some of our tax back if we make a profit on our games. That is great because other sovereign nations have been doing this for years. It will also signal to the big multinational companies that it is worth their while investing in the UK development scene because they can get some tax efficiencies.

And it will also be a signal to high net worth individual investors that it may be worth taking advantage of the EIS and SEIS schemes to invest into games and not just films. It’s a massive win.

Plane jam could get messy 12 Ukie Times

“I’ve worked in the US and Canada but every time I am around UK developers I feel incredibly inspired by the sheer amount of creativity and imagination that we all have. We are making games that break boundaries and create new genres that will sustain the games industry for years to come,” he explains.

One plane, one transatlantic crossing, a handful of brave British developers, and 10 hours of battery life.

It’s not the plot of the latest Morgan Freeman blockbuster, but the GDC 2013 Plane Jam, brainchild of British games developer Byron AtkinsonJones.

By the time you read this, the intrepid developers will have made their games, sustained by plane food. Undoubtedly there are going to be some interesting results, and Byron is certain that the British developers can produce the goods, even from 30,000 feet off the ground.

“I wanted to do something rather than just sit there trying to watch a film on a bad screen with even worse sound system” But we wanted to know what on earth possessed Byron, who is at his first ever GDC this year, to deprive these talented individuals of sleep on their journey to the best developer gathering in the world in the first instance.

“I had done one by myself previously when flying to Canada for a holiday”, he explained.

“I wanted to do something rather than just sit there trying to watch a film on a bad screen with even worse sound system. I got hold of an external battery that boosted my Mac’s running time to 10 hours and set to creating a game on the 7 hour flight.”

Although an innovative way to spend some air time, the idea has been tried before. “I guess getting bored on aircraft is a common theme that most of us can relate to,” says Byron. “I hope that those people will be taking part in this one. It’s not about who came up with the idea but just taking part that counts and most importantly - have fun!”

There are no strict rules to the plane jam, and no particular theme, other than the game has to be made on the GDC journey.

“It can be a computer game, a card game, a board game - anything really as long as you have fun making it and we have fun playing it”, says Byron.

Crunch time Having cut his developer teeth over the last 15 years with the likes of EA, SEGA Sports Interactive, Lionhead Studios, Kuju, PomPom and Introversion, and now working on his own game - Cyberstream Fugitive which is due out next month - Byron is no stranger to crunching.

“The reality is that it’s not going to be easy to make a game on an aircraft but that’s where the fun is, it’s like extreme game making” So crunching on a plane should be a piece of cake then, with the time pressure giving an added sense of urgency.

“This is the exciting part about all this, seeing what people can come up with under extreme constraints”, he says.

“For example, mine is going to be full of coder art so won’t look the prettiest. The reality is that it’s not going to be easy to make a game on an aircraft but that’s where the fun is, it’s like extreme game making.”

Fun in the air Sounds fun enough but in case fun in the air is not enough of an incentive, there are some prizes for the

best games, including a year’s licence to the Marmalade Indie SDK. YoYo Games are also offering $500 to the best game made using GameMaker studio.

The winners will be chosen by a panel of experts including Ukie CEO Dr Jo Twist.

Come to the Ukie UK Industry stand at GDC Play on 28 March from 4pm to see the games presented, play them, and see who the winners are. The jam will be covered on develop-online.net by Develop Editor and plane jam participant Will Freeman.

Ukie Times 13

PEGI for APPS: How Does It Work? advised for a game.

The games industry rightly prides itself on taking child safety very seriously with age ratings systems being an important tool for parents.

Ukie Times takes a look at the how the PEGI system is adapting to the demands of the mobile market.

PEGI is already well established as the standard rating system for the “traditional” boxed video games market, being well known to parents and Governments across Europe.

Faster, more flexible However, PEGI is evolving with the industry and has launched PEGI for APPS to make sure that mobile and online games can be covered as well.

PEGI for APPS is specifically designed to give age ratings to all apps, including but not limited to games, on digital platforms. It applies the existing, well-recognised PEGI ratings but it is a more flexible and quicker procedure.

On top of that, it adds feature descrip-

tors that inform a consumer about certain types of functionality in an app.

Built for developers PEGI for APPS is built to the needs of app developers and platform operators. It can cope with a very high volume of submissions and has a quick turnover time to match the flexibility of digital distribution. It is currently in use by Microsoft, who offer it for free for apps on its Windows Phone platform. Any mobile or online platform on the market is welcome to use the new PEGI for APPS system.

PEGI for APPS offers the following: •

the methodology: the same tried and tested method of self-declaration based on a questionnaire followed by review (post-release instead of pre-lease) is used.

•

the consumer experience: users will always see the same set of icons, indicating the minimum age that is

The new feature descriptors are: The app contains elements enabling the consumer to purchase additional content or functionality when the app is active, regardless of whether the app itself was acquired for free or not.

The app contains the option to share exact location on a map when using the app. The location information may be shared publicly or with a specific network inside the app or elsewhere online.

The app gives its developer (or a third party) access to personal data such as home address, contact details or bank account numbers.

The app includes an option for a user to chat with other users of the app. These users may operate under a pseudonym or anonymously.

•

the criteria: the proven fundamental criteria for determining a game’s PEGI rating remains the same

•

the workflow: PEGI for APPS uses a post-release audit system to verify ratings. This means the license for a rating is issued immediately after the publisher has submitted an app. It will not delay the release of an app but ensures that correct ratings are used: if an improper rating is given, this can be corrected instantly.

•

the price: in the case of Windows Phone, there is no charge for a developer/publisher.

• the user interface: PEGI for APPS is designed to be intuitive and fast. Submitting games is very quick. Apps with barely or no inappropriate content for children are classified at once.

Only as the amount of potentially inappropriate content increases, a few more questions need to be answered.

• Feature descriptors: many apps include functionality to improve the user experience, but consumers are not always aware of the scope of these features, like in-app purchasing or location data sharing. PEGI for APPS includes descriptors to indicate the presence of such features.

The descriptors are not linked to specific age ratings, but operate alongside the age rating and its corresponding content descriptors.

Want to get a PEGI rating for your app?

It’s simple. Go to the rating tool (apps. pegi.eu/) and complete the different steps of the classification. After that, you’ll immediately receive a rating license in the form of a pdf document.

For Windows Phone, this can be uploaded during the app submission process to certify that you have a PEGI rating.

14 Ukie Times

The world’s first official digital games chart New chart shows PC download sales matched their boxed counterparts

No one knows the how big the digital games market is. There is research based on asking consumers how many games they are playing – flawed because it isn’t based on actual sales data - and there are platform specific charts which don’t give the actual number of units sold. Neither add-up to give games businesses the market data that they need.

“for the first time ever, the games industry will have digital market data based on actual sales” There is good news around the corner with the imminent launch of the official Ukie PC Download chart.

This chart, which has been in Beta for a year, will for the first time provide the games industry with actual

sales data for the key PC market.

This new chart will be industry approved and 100% verified by independent data analysis experts Ipsos Media CT.

“The new PC Download Chart is industry approved and 100% verified by data experts IPSOS” This actual digital sales information will be available for free to any business that supplies data to the digital chart - giving them a real insight into the PC digital market and a substantial competitive advantage. Other businesses can buy the full data separately and charts, without actual figures, will be available for free to anyone who requires them.

The new PC Download Chart measures: full downloads, DLC, subscriptions and a variety of price points – ranging all the way down to free.

Whilst the PC Download Chart is a good start, it is only one step towards

Ukie’s aim to have separate digital charts for each platform.

Unique data The BETA of the PC Download Chart has already given unique market insight. In June 2012, the Chart showed that, for the first time ever, recorded PC download sales matched their boxed counterparts. And that adding digital to boxed sales shows that the PC is an advanced platform for digital sales and is thriving and expanding.

Sam Collins, who is behind the project at Ukie said, “Of course, we know instinctively that PC has made a successful transition to digital, but being able to drill down into real sales data is an analyst’s dream come true. This is only the start, as the chart matures, highlighting key trends, the data will become an integral part to a business’s decision making. All PC games makers need to be involved so get in touch with me to get free access to this data’.

Contact: sam.collins@ukie.org.uk

UK PC Download Chart: Full Game SALES RANK (UNITS)

April 2012 TITLE

PUBLISHER

1

Guild Wars 2 Standard Edi on

Ncso

2

Guild Wars 2 Digital Deluxe Edi on

Ncso

3

Mass Effect 3

Electronic Arts

4

Ba lefield 3

Electronic Arts

5

Star Wars: The Old Republic

Electronic Arts

6

FIFA 2012

Electronic Arts

7

Gotham City Impostors

WB Games

8

Supreme Commander 2

Square-Enix

9

Warhammer 40000: Space Marine

10

Sims 3

Electronic Arts

11

Dragon Age 1

Electronic Arts

12

Saints Row: The Third

THQ

13

Dawn of War Pla num Edi on

THQ

14

Company of Heroes

THQ

15

Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor

THQ

16

Bas on

WB Games

17

Crysis 2

Electronic Arts

18

Guild Wars Trilogy

Ncso

19

Titan Quest Gold

THQ

20

Mass Effect 1

THQ

Electronic Arts

Dr Twist prescribes Ukie Times 15

Ukie CEO, Dr Jo Twist answers your questions about the UK games industry

What are the opportunities for investing in the UK games industry?

What makes the UK such a great place to make games?

The UK games industry is growing fast and offers lots of investment opportunities. From investing in new start-ups to working with established businesses offering cutting edge creative content, products and services. And with overall corporation tax being amongst the lowest in the G20, and government incentives like the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme offering investors generous tax relief on investments into new businesses, the UK is a great place to invest.

It’s an incredibly exciting time for the games industry in the UK, there are new studios appearing all the time, creating some of the most innovative titles in the world. Put simply we’re incredibly creative, we have a strong talent pipeline and we know how to do business. Tax breaks add to this mix to make it all add up to make the UK the best place to sell and make games.

How will the tax breaks work?

Follow and contact Jo @doctoe or @uk_ie

Tax breaks are a very clear sign that the UK is open for business. Games businesses will be able to claim back money that they spend on the production of games in the UK. The proposed rate of production tax relief is 25% for all UK games development.

There will be no minimum budget threshold for games to qualify for relief and the proposed tax relief scheme recognises the new business models and ways of making games which stretches beyond ‘release’.

Who do I speak to find out more about the UK games industry?

If you want to speak to UK games businesses then the first people to speak to is the team at Ukie. We represent 160 businesses in the UK, from major publishers and all the main console manufacturers, to some of the best development studios, creating world class content across all platforms and devices. We also have great links with UK government who can help you to invest in the UK.

16 Ukie Times