The global gaming landscape is an ever-changing one, with those hoping to make their mark on the bigger canvass having to be ever adaptable and willing to constantly re-invent themselves. The latest role player hoping to dominate the gaming industry is none other than Scotland. The country is slowly establishing itself as a major role-player well on its way towards dominating the gaming industry in the United Kingdom.
It’s always difficult to substantiate a statement of this nature, but the industry as a whole supports this notion. Consider for instance, the estimated 27% increase in the number of people employed by the gaming industry in 2017. Even more telling is the fact that this comes on the back of the 25% increase that was noted during 2016.
TIGA Paints A Positive Picture
The above figures were gleaned from a study undertaken by The Independent Gamers’ Association (TIGA), which revealed that in 2017, a total of 1,540 people held down jobs as full-time game developers. This was the situation that prevailed during November of 2017. The study was performed across the scope of a total of 91 software development companies.
What’s more, there are also 2,814 people employed in positions that directly support the gaming development sector. This too, is on the constant rise, with the figure considerably up from the 2,408 that were recorded towards the end of 2016.
Richard Wilson, chief in charge at TIGA, is especially excited about the improvement in numbers, saying that considering that the economy was showing steady growth across the United Kingdom at a rate of approximately one or two per cent per year, growth exceeding 25% (or a quarter) in one single industry was quite remarkable.
Wilson added that at this stage it would be quite arrogant to try and attach a figure to the coming year, but that he assumed that it was safe to say that there would be even more growth during the months to come.
Benefits For All
The immense success is thanks to a diverse range of games and projects, from major gaming giants like Rockstar to smaller, independent Indie developers. According to Korina Abbott, who is employed as a marketing consultant in Scotland’s booming gaming industry, the news comes as no surprise. Abbott is of the opinion that Scotland is the perfect incubator for game development projects of all shapes and sizes.
Abbott puts a lot of the success down to a marked improvement in the quality of university courses as well as major investments being made into the overall development of the gaming sector in the country, something which did not enjoy quite as much priority in the past.
Many in the business, including Ant Workshop’s star Indie developer, Tony Gowland, welcome the news of the immense growth in the industry in Scotland. Gowland said that the best bit was that it wasn’t only major developers benefiting from the boom, but also the smaller guys on the street.
