Report highlights importance of mobile games in UK game industry
The United Kingdom may soon serve as a strong example of what the future of the game industry will look like in the coming years. TIGA, a UK trade association representing the game industry, has released a new report highlighting the various aspects of the UK game sector. The report shows that much of the market is comprised of independent developers that have a strong focus on mobile games rather than traditional console games. Many of these developers believe that mobile games are undoubtedly the future of gaming.
A focus on mobile helps several studios find success
The report, which is titled “Making Games in the UK Today: A Census of the UK Developer and Digital Publishing Sector,” shows that more than half of the development studios in the country were founded only four years ago. Despite the relative youth that these companies have when compared to others in the game industry, they now account for 60% of the UK market. These independent studios account for 83% of the independent games that were released in the UK between 2011 and 2012, many of which were mobile games.
Mobile games are gaining traction throughout the market
The report shows that approximately 37% of all studios in the United Kingdom are making mobile games currently, this is up from the 19% that were focused on mobile development in 2010. Several of these development studios are focused exclusively on mobile games, forsaking console games entirely. This may be due to the fact that mobile games are typically less expensive to develop than their console counterparts. Mobile games also offer promising profit opportunities for developers that are not generally seen on other platforms.
Independent developers still face significant challenges
TIGA notes that the UK game sector is young, independent, and highly focused on the mobile space. Strong smartphone and tablet sales have helped encourage developers to focus more heavily on mobile games. Despite the strong performance these studios have seen over the years, TIGA notes that many face significant financial challenges. The report shows that approximately 21% of the studios that were founded between 2010 and 2012 have closed their doors due to lack of finances.
