During the London Games Festival, the new UK Game Fund will be launched, distributing £28.5 million to British studios over the coming years. Funding will be provided across three categories, with grants of £20,000, £100,000 and £250,000.
British studios can apply for the new funding from 14 April. The grants from the UK Games Fund are part of the Games Growth Package, which was announced last year as part of the Creative Industries Sector Plan. It makes perfect sense that the launch is taking place at the London Games Festival. The festival itself will receive £1.5 million in funding over the next three years from the £30 million fund.
The remaining £28.5 million is to be distributed among studios and projects. The funding is categorised into three tiers. The Entry Track offers start-up funding of £20,000 for newly established companies. In the Emergent Track, the creation of game prototypes will be supported with up to £100,000 each. And in the Expansion Track, there is up to £250,000 available as a production grant. Regardless of the new funding programme, the British games industry can continue to count on support from the British Business Bank, UKRI and the games tax relief.
“Video games are not only great fun, they are big business – and for too long their value to the British economy has been overlooked,” said Ian Murray, Creative Industries Minister. “That is why the government has thrown its full support behind the sector with £30 million of new funding. This will turbocharge the careers of some of our most talented game developers, creating more jobs and economic growth right across the country as their ideas come to fruition.”
British trade associations have also welcomed the support, just as they did when it was first announced. Nick Poole OBE, CEO of UKIE, says: “We have been pleased to work with the DCMS team to help shape this package of support, ensuring it reflects the needs of studios across the country. Targeted support across the development pipeline will help studios start, scale and stay globally competitive. As we look ahead to a defining year for games made in the UK, we will continue working closely with government to support growth, drive innovation, and create high-quality jobs across the country.”
And Dr Richard Wilson OBE, CEO TIGA adds: “Access to finance is a persistent challenge for many game developers. TIGA has previously called for more prototype and content funding to enable studios to access the investment they need to make great games. Today’s announcement of an increase in grant funding for newly formed companies, prototype funding and expansion funding is great news for studios, the games industry and the wider UK economy.”
Dr Marie-Claire Isaaman, CEO of Women in Games, welcomes the support, but urges that the money can only realise its full potential if, at the same time, structural barriers within the sector that limit women’s participation are also addressed: “We strongly welcome the Government’s continued investment in the UK games sector, which plays a vital role in driving innovation, creativity and economic growth. However, to truly unlock the full potential of this funding, it is essential that we address the structural barriers that continue to limit women’s participation and progression in the industry. Women-led studios receive less than 3% of total investment, highlighting a critical weakness in the sector’s growth pipeline. This is not only an issue of fairness but of lost economic opportunity. Without targeted support, the industry risks constraining its future pipeline of founders, innovators and high-growth studios. Addressing this gap would fuel entrepreneurship, broaden creative output and strengthen long-term competitiveness.”
