167 games received final certification for UK games tax relief between October 2015 and September 2016, according to a new report from the BFI.

That’s more than double – a 117% increase – from the same period the previous year. These games had a total budget of £350 million, a rise of 933% from the previous year.

Total UK/EEA spend on these projects was £253.1 million, a 686% increase on the previous year. 170 games also received interim certification during the period.

Between Q1 to Q3 2016, 128 games received final certification on a total budget of £158 million. That's close to the 152 games that received final certification between April 2014 and May 2016.

A huge boost to the UK games sector

“These stats clearly show what a huge boost the Video Games Tax Relief is to the UK games sector,” said UKIE CEO Jo Twist.

“The incredible year-on-year increase in certifications proves that the support has become a critical driver for growth in the industry, and we are pleased to see the variety of budgets from big to small benefiting.

“This is a clear signal to government that the continuation of the VGTR in a post-referendum world is critical to our sector in order to remain competitive globally.”