TIGA’s research shows that employment surged by almost 25%, from 16,836 to 20,975, between April 2020 and the end of December 2021. This represents an annualised increase of 14.7%. Wider games industry employment, tax revenues and investment also grew dramatically over the period.

The findings come from TIGA’s report on the state of the UK video games industry “Making Games in the UK 2022”, 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 2020 to December 2021:

• the number of creative staff in studios surged by almost 25% and at an annualised rate of 14.7% from 16,836 to 20,975 full-time and full-time equivalent staff;
• the number of jobs indirectly supported by studios rose from 30,781 to 38,348;
• combined direct and indirect tax revenues generated by the sector for the Treasury are estimated to have increased from £907 million to £1,189 million;
• annual investment by studios rose from £993 million to £1,301 million (i.e. £1.3 billion); and
• the game development sector’s annual contribution to UK Gross Domestic Product increased from £2,200 million (i.e. £2.2 billion) to £2,884 million (i.e. £2.9 billion).

To read TIGA’s press release in full, click here.