[UPDATE: Develop has contacted NESTA to clarify which sectors are included in the DCMS definition of ‘Software, Computer Games and Electronic Publishing’, following a comment at the end of this story which claims that our original story had misconstrued the definition.

NESTA has supported that argument. It couldn’t provide extensive details but claimed that ‘Software, Computer Games and Electronic Publishing’ is based on three broad sectors:

· Reproduction of computer media

· Publishing of software

· Other software consultancy and supply

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As such, Develop’s original claim that “45 per cent of all creative industry expansion comes from the games sector” should be regarded as incorrect.

Develop apologises for the error.]

The game industry represents nearly half of Britain’s growing creative firms, new research suggests.

But the new study – conducted on the behalf of NESTA – has found that only 7.5 per cent of creative UK firms are experiencing ‘high-growth’; a classification for businesses that have grown by over a fifth in the last three years.

The report states that 45.3% of all high growth creative firms are based within the game sector; from publishing to development.

“Just a handful of creative businesses were responsible for the expansion of Creative Britain between 2005 and 2008,” says NESTA CEO Jonathan Kestenbaum.

“Without them, we would be telling a story of economic loss not gain.”

But though the game industry represents nearly half of creative industry growth in the UK, only 8.4 per cent of the game sector itself is experiencing high growth.

NESTA recently found that only six per cent of all British businesses are classified as experiencing high growth.