Member Article

EENW encourages region’s games specialists to shoot for success

From console mobile games developers, publishers, and CGI experts, the North West is a hub for gaming specialists and boasts some of the best in the industry.

The biggest global gaming fair Gamescom is on the horizon and Enterprise Network North West (EENW) is helping North West gaming specialists to attend the expo in Cologne (13-17 August).

The region’s digital and creative sector is one of the largest in Europe and collectively the UK is estimated to have the fifth largest video games market after the US, China, Japan and Germany. Furthermore, the industry was worth close to £3.5bn in 2013.

For the second year running, EENW will support the crème-de-la-crème of the North West’s gaming industry. Companies attending the expo hail from all over the North West and include Salford-based Carbon Digital, Runcorn-based D3T, Manchester’s Flipbook, Chester-based Paw Print Games and the Fylde’s ReatimeUK.

Rodolphe Soulard, senior European business adviser from EENW, said: “The North West has always been strong in the gaming sector. With a worldwide video games market reaching over £50billion last year and still growing fast, the North West innovative games specialists have enormous growth potential.”

Whether it’s all about strategy or simply a case of how quick you are on the trigger, the gaming sector is a winner in terms of growth and Gamescom is an opportunity for the region’s best gaming experts to grow their networking database through meetings and networking sessions set up by EENW.

There are now also financial benefits to developing a company in the gaming sector. The introduction of Games Tax Relief (GTR) was finally confirmed in this year’s budget after a long battle by the sector.

The result is that video game development companies, registered in the UK, can now claim GTR for the development of a new game.

The introduction of GTR will be game changing for the sector and has been supported by the Association for UK Interactive Entertainment (UKIE), which sees it as a major step forward in bolstering the industry.

CEO of UK games industry trade body UKIE, Dr Jo Twist said: “The UK’s long awaited Games Tax Relief scheme is the most innovative, competitive and accessible in the world and adds to the fantastic ecosystem we already have for businesses.

“The UK games industry, wider creative and tech sector is world class, producing the biggest selling and most creative entertainment products across a number of platforms. We have a particularly rich mobile development scene creating globally recognised and award winning games for new audiences.

“Couple this with the right business environment, hubs across the UK, and a fantastic blend of creative talent making globally successful exports and it is clear to see why the UK is the best place in the world to make and sell games. There has never been a better time to be a games business in the UK.”

M. Soulard added: “Those market conditions make this the right time to invest in the gaming industry to ensure the UK regains its position in the top three developers in the world.

“Gamescom is the best opportunity for companies in the North West to find partners to develop the next big game.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .