Despite Brexit, British Gaming Expects Exciting Growth In 2020

With under three weeks to go before the U.K. supposedly leaves the European Union on January 31, British businesses are meticulously studying the effects that Brexit could have on their livelihoods–a political force that continues to raise more questions by the day, to the point that some companies have resorted to stockpiling goods.

However, this apprehension does not seem to have swept the video gaming industry of its feet. Today (January 13), TIGA, the organization that represents game developers in the U.K. and Europe, revealed the results of its Business Opinion Survey, discovering that 75% of respondents plan to grow their workforces during 2020.

In its research, carried out at the end of last year, TIGA asked for the thoughts of 57 small, medium and large businesses creating games on console, PC, VR and mobile platforms. Not only did the overwhelming majority plan to expand their operations, but just 4%–two of the developers surveyed–believe they’ll downsize in the coming 12 months.

Despite the B-word looming over the nation, a further 65% of companies felt the current economic and business environment is good for the video games industry; one in four were neutral, while one in ten felt cause for concern. 

However, it’s not all sweetness and light for British game creators. Despite a decisive general election, just 37% say they’re more optimistic about their company’s prospects when compared to the preceding 12 months; 40% feel the same as they did at the same time the previous year, while one in five (21%) are less optimistic.

When asked about “obstacles to success”, two-fifths of respondents (39%) named “limited access to finance” as a key problem–something undoubtedly affected by Brexit-related cautiousness. Over a third (36%) cite “discoverability”, 20% are worried about “skills shortages and skills gaps”, while others point to tough competition and “the slow growth of the virtual reality market”.

In order to counteract concerns for his industry, TIGA CEO Dr. Richard Wilson OBE called on the British government to “strengthen the sector by taking three actions”:  

Firstly, retain Video Games Tax Relief to fuel growth in the sector. Secondly, introduce a Games Investment Fund to improve studios’ access to finance. Thirdly, increase the supply of well-educated graduates who are able to work in the games industry and enable our employers to recruit highly skilled people from abroad.

The news comes days after Royal Mail announced it was celebrating the early stars of the British gaming scene through a range of stamps depicting the country’s most famous titles of the 80s and 90s, including Worms, Wipeout, Micro Machines and Tomb Raider.

It also follows good performance for British developers, who’ve grabbed headlines in the last couple of years with games like Forza Horizon 4, Red Dead Redemption 2, 11-11: Memories Retold, Overcooked 2 and Two-Point Hospital.