Ukie Games Growth Programme

VGGP launches this Thursday: Next week Ukie will kick of the 1st week of the Games Growth Programme in partnership with Tencent Games and the Department of Business. The premier business program designed to support the UK’s video games industry is also revealing this year’s cohort featuring 30 founders and leaders of the next generation of UK video games startups and scale ups. The 2024 cohort showcases the best of British game talent including Yaldi Games, who aim to enrich life through crafting game worlds infused with actionable knowledge;, Emmy award-winning studio, No Ghost limited; Bonsai Collective - a studio passionate about storytelling and representation; and Dragon Scale Studios, which has successfully transitioned from the UK Games Fund to continue developing their game 'Set Sail!.?Find out more.

This is where that story began

DCMS x Ukie CEO interview: In a new series by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Department takes a look at what makes DCMS what it is. "This is where that story began", reflecting on the past, looking to the future.?Ukie?CEO Nick Poole OBE shared his passion for video games, coding and keyboards when DCMS sat down with him at the Science and Industry Museum to understand why video games are so important to DCMS and all of us.?

Watch the interview.

In the news

???PocketGamer.Biz : ?Ukie's 2024 Video Games Growth Programme in partnership with Tencent gets Department for Business and Trade backing.

?? Asia News:? A pioneering study titled “Causal effect of video gaming on mental well-being in Japan 2020-2022,” published in Nature Human Behaviour, has conducted the most comprehensive investigation to date on the causal relationship between video gaming and mental well-being.

???Gi Biz: ?Over?335,000 attendees visited Gamescom 2024 with more than 32,000 trade visitors and 1,463 exhibitors attended the event.?

Stories from industry

Ukie goes worldwide: More than 32,000 trade visitors and 1,463 exhibitors attended the Gamescom 2024.?We welcomed 70 members on to the Ukie stand this year, with hundreds more who came for meetings and B2B networking at the stand.?It was fantastic to see so many businesses showcasing the best of UK video games on a global stage. From innovative indie studios to industry giants, the creativity and talent on display were truly inspiring. Gamescom was also a great opportunity to catchup with industry leaders about the future of our industry.

75% of video game players in Europe are adults: Video Game Europe and the European Games Developer Federation (EGDF) have released this year's Key Facts Report, a "comprehensive and definitive picture of Europe's video game sector" in 2023. Top stats included,?75% of video game players in Europe are adults and the average age is 31, 53% of Europeans play video games and the overall workforce in Europe is up by 6.7% to nearly 115,000.?Read the report.

Acknowledging cultural artefacts:?The Aldiss Award is here to celebrate excellence in world-building across literature and gaming in the science fiction & fantasy genres! Launched with the blessing of Brian Aldiss' Literary Estate, this award honors cultural artifacts that push the boundaries of imagination. Submissions open every year on August 18th, Brian Aldiss' birthday. Join us in recognizing the best in immersive storytelling and creative worlds! Read more.

Campaign corner

A tech superpower:?Britain could be a sci-tech superpower – if the Treasury stopped holding it back. The UK has the research base, the startups, the venture capitalists, but its presence in the global market is pitiful. The chancellor must step in.?In tech sector after tech sector British representation is painfully thin or just nonexistent, even while there has been the opportunity for it to be very different.

Read more

Industry events

Ukie 2024 AGM: Ukie members are invited to this year's Annual General Meeting, which will be held on Thursday 3rd October 2024 from 10am at the Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. The AGM is open to all Ukie members and their staff, bringing together members from across the UK. It is also an opportunity or Ukie members to put themselves forward as potential Ukie Board members. Apply today and make a difference! Apply today

Green Game Jam returns:?This year marks the 5th edition of Green Game Jam organised by the Playing for the Planet Alliance.?In the last four years they've planted over 2.5 million trees and raised over $700,000 for wildlife conservation. But in 2024, they want to do things a little differently. They are asking studios to go one step further, and rally their players to take action in the real world for the environment. The 2024 activations are currently in production and can be expected to go live the week of September 9th 2024. Make sure to keep an eye on the participating games so that you can catch their activation later in the year.?Find out more.