New Develop feature explores the city’s growth prospects
While the UK game industry may have recently struggled to hold ground on an increasingly competitive global stage, a new Develop feature shows its Capital City is thriving.
London has become the birthplace of games such as Moshi Monters, SingStar, Bow Street Runner, Pet Society and Football Manager.
The firms behind some of these titles speak their minds on the capital in a new Develop feature.
“It’s where the culture and the talent is, and that’s what we care about,” says Margaret Robertson, former Edge editor and development director of Hide&Seek, which not only makes games for console, smartphone and browser, but also for playground and tabletop.
“It’s the place with the critical mass of people who understand the crossover of gaming and culture,” she adds.
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“We don’t think there’s anywhere else in the world we could be doing quite what we’re doing here.”
The latest feature gets insight from the social start-up director Paulina Bozek, along with Simon Fenton, Rob Hendry, Alice Taylor, Michael Acton Smith, Ed Fear and Paul Croft.
Seeing as its a relatively new industry and new start ups are happening all the time surely encouraging growth in places OTHER than London should be encouraged
Why should London have any extra focus what so ever? There is talent in the whole of the UK, focusing on the capital of England robs the north and Scotland of it's home-grown talent, and why should we be expected to have to move to London to get a worthwhile job? In my experience, London is expensive, unwelcoming and draining.
Surely everywhere has its upsides and downsides in different ways? Are there some interesting companies in London -yes. Does London have everything? -No: Expensive, crowded & impersonal are definitely ticks in the negative box.
The point about London is not that there are huge numbers of games companies but that those companies that are converging with, or looking at servicing, other media like tv and film find it very convenient to be on their doorstep. Whilst the games industry is relatively decentred and spread across the UK, something like two thirds of tv activity is based in London. London is expensive yes, but in terms of strategic alliances with other media AND commissioners it can make good sense to set your games company there.
Dear Develop,
There is actually an entire United Kingdom outside of the capital city of England.
Yours Sincerely,
The Rest of the U.K.
But a little cheeky joking sarcasm aside, we are about to enter a time where VAT is being increased to 20%, and with no tax breaks (or other government-led incentives) for the foreseeable future. Right now, moving one's business to London would only be a good idea if one were able to make full use of the facilities and networking oppertunities offered by having such a large number of like-minded people in the same city, to the point where they would be able to offset any moving costs and future taxes.
>>Can London drive growth in the UK games industry?
In Australia the games industry flourished in Melbourne and Brisbane, not Sydney.
Not sure whether this had to do with the rent - Sydney is much more expensive to rent-in.
Or the fact that you are more likely to get distracted, or offered a well paying job in an IT company if you are a games programmer working in the city.
Interestingly, the best developer in Sydney is Team Bondi, which relocated here from London many years ago...
