The UK’s £4bn gaming sector is predicted to almost triple in value within the next three years to £10bn, with the current 27,000 employed by the sector expected to also triple within five years.
The findings come from a new report set to be released next month by global recruitment agency Robert Walters – Gaming: the perfect play for growth
The report highlights how gaming is the only industry within the leisure and entertainment sector to have defied the odds during COVID-19 - making more than video, music and the film industry combined during lockdown.
At the end of Q1 this year alone, digital downloading increased by 67% week-on-week and physical game sales increased by 218% - with widespread calls from as early as March for social contact to cease, further amplifying the demand for gaming.
Tom Chambers, senior manager technology at Robert Walters, commented:
“Covid-19 has had a profound impact on the games sector. In a world where blockbuster premiers, national sporting events, and hospitality and leisure were all vetoed – gaming has further infiltrated the daily lives of multiple generations as one of the only accessible lockdown past-times.
“With games now accessible on mobile, apps, and PC’s – accessibility was at an all-time high compared to the days when you needed a console.
“Where gaming really came into its own has been on the interactivity front, and during lockdown there was a substantial rise in new users looking to bridge the social limitation with friends and family by playing together online – this was particularly notable with the over 60’s market who took to gaming to ‘keep their brain in shape’ and play with grandchildren.”