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TIGA wants an extra 5,000 people employed in the UK games industry by 2022

Trade body wants best deal possible post-Brexit

TIGA wants an extra 5,000 people employed in the UK games industry by 2022

UK games industry trade body TIGA has set out its plan to help grow studio employment in the UK games sector by nearly 5,000 staff by 2022.

The trade organisation set out the plan in its manifesto for the 2017 General Election, which states that the industry currently employs 12,600 people in the UK, which TIGA wants to grow to 17,500.

It also wants to increase the number of game studios from 800 to 1,200, expand the development business overall – including publishers, service providers and broadcasters – from 1,000 organisations to 1,400, and increase annual investment by game studios from £600 million to £840 million.

On top of this, its goal is to see an increase in GDP contribution from £1.3 billion to £1.8 billion per annum and for the UK to become a globally recognised centre for games education and continuous professional development in the workforce.

The plan

The manifesto’s plans for achieving this goal include retaining video games tax relief and R&D tax credits and introducing a Video Games Investment Fund to provide pound for pound match-funding up to £200,000.

It also wants an EU-UK trade deal post-Brexit that avoids, to the greatest extent possible, quotas, tariffs and other barriers to trade.

“TIGA’s 2017 General Election Manifesto sets out a clear, cogent and concise policy agenda for reinforcing our successful video games industry,” said TIGA CEO Richard Wilson.

“As we negotiate a new course following Brexit in favour of a ‘global UK’, it will be vitally important to support those industries where the UK already has a competitive advantage, which provide high skilled employment and which are export focused. The UK video games sector is one such industry. The sector already has a critical mass of talent, with 12,600 skilled development staff employed in 1,000 companies, supported by a world class higher education system.

“If we can provide a competitive tax regime, improve access to finance, and deepen our talent pool while retaining the ability to recruit highly skilled overseas workers, then the UK video games industry has the potential to grow significantly. TIGA looks forward to working with the new Parliament and Government that is elected on June 8th to advance this vision.”


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Craig Chapple is a freelance analyst, consultant and writer with specialist knowledge of the games industry. He has previously served as Senior Editor at PocketGamer.biz, as well as holding roles at Sensor Tower, Nintendo and Develop.