UK government commits £28.5 million to supporting local game developers
The UK government has committed to supporting the country's video game industry with £28.5 million in funding.
The financing is being distributed as part of the government's Creative Industries Sector Plan, which is designed to help "turbocharge economic growth."
The move represents a doubling in funding for the sector and will allow developers across the region to apply for targeted investments through the UK Games Fund.
As explained on the UK government website, grants will be issued across the following categories:
An Entry Track, with grants of up to £20,000 available to newly formed companies with limited track records but strong potential for growth.
An Emergent Track, with grants of up to £100,000 for prototyping new games.
An Expansion Track, with grants of up to £250,000—the largest ever provided by the Fund—available to take games forward to completion and enable studios to scale up.
The government will also invest an additional £1.5 million into London Games Festival over the next three years to help spotlight British talent.
There are currently more than 2,000 video game companies operating across the UK, including Grand Theft Auto maker Rockstar Games and Fable developer Playground Games.
UK creative industries minister Ian Murray said video games represent "big business" for the country, but have often been overlooked.
"This [funding] 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," he added.
More details on how to apply for financing via the UK Games Fund will be shared in the near future.
