We are the voice of the UK’s games and interactive entertainment industry
The UK video games industry has grown to contribute over £6 billion to the UK economy and support 76,000 jobs.
Ukie’s mission is to grow this further, and with the Government’s support, supercharge the future of the UK’s video games industry across the next decade and beyond.
Whatever kind of games business you are, and wherever you’re based in the UK, we’re representing you.
We are making the voice of games and interactive entertainment heard across the Government, regions, and devolved nations.
We highlight the real challenges and opportunities within the video games and interactive entertainment industry. Through the experiences of our members, we shape our policy recommendations, ensuring they reflect the needs of businesses at every level.
We champion the issues that matter most to games businesses. From tax reliefs and access to talent, to online safety and diversity, we make sure policymakers understand the real-world challenges facing our industry, driving meaningful change.
From local studios to national industry leaders, our campaigning efforts make a difference to games businesses across the UK. We’ve successfully lobbied for key industry support, from funding and skills initiatives to influencing legislation that helps the sector thrive.
We work with policy makers and politicians, raising awareness of the issues affecting our members’ businesses and campaign for change.
Creating an environment where local game businesses can turn innovative stories into globally successful IPs. From indie studios to global publishers, British made games are played by millions worldwide. They aren’t just our nation’s most successful export, they’re artistic marvels that showcase our nation’s rich creativity.
Supporting game businesses in nurturing today’s storytellers and tomorrow’s creative entrepreneurs. As a cornerstone of Britain’s national success story, the video games industry exemplifies how home-grown talent can lead the way in industry-shaping innovations. We champion these game-changing creators and their extraordinary work, recognising them as pivotal to our global cultural influence.
Championing British made games as a force for good, ensuring they receive the recognition and support they deserve. For over 40 years, the video games industry has shaped our modern world, proving that games are as influential as they are inspiring.
From industry surveys and policy reports, Ukie is dedicated to championing games businesses of all sizes. We’re always working to ensure the UK games industry thrives -explore our archives to see how we’ve been advocating for the sector every step of the way.
The Ukie 2022 Annual Review highlights the work carried out over the past year to make the UK the best place to make, play, and sell games. It provides a comprehensive overview of the organisation’s efforts to support the industry, champion its interests, and drive growth.
The UK games industry is powered by a diverse and talented workforce, shaping one of the country’s most creative and innovative sectors. The UK Games Industry Census provides a vital snapshot of the people behind the games – offering insights into their backgrounds, experiences, and the industry’s overall makeup.
The Ukie Annual Review 2021 reflects a year of resilience, innovation, and growth for the UK games industry. Despite the challenges of the global pandemic, the sector continued to thrive, driving economic growth, creating jobs, and bringing world-class entertainment to millions.
Esports is a fast-growing sector within the UK’s creative industries, combining cutting-edge technology, entertainment, and competition. According to Ukie’s 2020 report on the Value of Esports in the UK, the sector contributed £111.5 million in GVA to the economy and supported over 1,200 full-time jobs, showcasing its increasing significance.
Following an extensive piece of research with Nordicity, the UK video games industry, a global leader in creativity and innovation, is urging the Government to reform the Video Games Expenditure Credit (VGEC) to ensure the sector remains internationally competitive and continues to drive growth.
It has been Ukie’s mission to make the UK the best place to make, sell and play games, and we want to work with the Government to ensure the conditions are in place to continue this success and overcome the challenges we face as an industry. The UK will only remain a world-leader for the video games industry if we have the right business and regulatory environment, combined with a talented and innovative workforce.
The 2024 Ukie Annual Review summarises the impact, insight and influence Ukie has had over the past 12 months.
A new report from FTI Consulting and Ukie is the first ever to put numerical value on the use and economic contribution of video game technology in sectors outside the games industry, itself worth £6 billion in GVA.
A new report from the Carbon Trust, commissioned in support of the Playing for the Planet Alliance, sets out best practices for video game companies to measure and reduce their carbon emissions.
With the next General Election looming, Ukie's Video Games Industry Manifesto sets out three priority areas for action that will ensure the UK remains a world leader in the video games industry.
The global video games industry has come together to publish the Power of of Play report, providing important insights into video games’ social and emotional benefit. 13,000 video games players across 12 countries surveyed, with findings showing 71% of players turning to video games to relieve stress.
The 2023 Ukie Annual Review highlights the extensive work carried out by the Ukie team over the past year to strengthen the UK’s position as the best place to make, play, and sell games.
Esports in the UK has made significant strides, but its potential remains vast, according to our new report with The Story Mob. This in-depth guide charts the journey of UK esports so far, featuring exclusive data from YouGov on the playing, buying, and viewing habits of UK fans.
The Ukie 2022 Annual Review highlights the work carried out over the past year to make the UK the best place to make, play, and sell games. It provides a comprehensive overview of the organisation’s efforts to support the industry, champion its interests, and drive growth.
The UK games industry is powered by a diverse and talented workforce, shaping one of the country’s most creative and innovative sectors. The UK Games Industry Census provides a vital snapshot of the people behind the games – offering insights into their backgrounds, experiences, and the industry’s overall makeup.
The Ukie Annual Review 2021 reflects a year of resilience, innovation, and growth for the UK games industry. Despite the challenges of the global pandemic, the sector continued to thrive, driving economic growth, creating jobs, and bringing world-class entertainment to millions.
Esports is a fast-growing sector within the UK’s creative industries, combining cutting-edge technology, entertainment, and competition. According to Ukie’s 2020 report on the Value of Esports in the UK, the sector contributed £111.5 million in GVA to the economy and supported over 1,200 full-time jobs, showcasing its increasing significance.
Following an extensive piece of research with Nordicity, the UK video games industry, a global leader in creativity and innovation, is urging the Government to reform the Video Games Expenditure Credit (VGEC) to ensure the sector remains internationally competitive and continues to drive growth.
It has been Ukie’s mission to make the UK the best place to make, sell and play games, and we want to work with the Government to ensure the conditions are in place to continue this success and overcome the challenges we face as an industry. The UK will only remain a world-leader for the video games industry if we have the right business and regulatory environment, combined with a talented and innovative workforce.
We work closely with policymakers to champion the needs of games businesses and help shape a supportive environment for our sector to thrive. Explore our our recent consultation responses.
Ukie’s response to the Scaling up: AI and Creative Tech inquiry highlights the UK games industry’s role as a global leader in creative innovation and technology adoption.
In a competitive market where safety and reputation directly influence success, Ukie call on companies to prioritise maintaining welcoming spaces whilst enforce clear terms of service to swiftly address inappropriate or illegal content.
Ukie calls on the UK Government to strategically consider how to support and leverage this thriving industry. This includes addressing key challenges such as maintaining competitive tax policies, facilitating access to finance, attracting investment, and tackling skills shortages.
Ukie has submitted its response to the government’s consultation on audio-visual tax reliefs urging a ‘do no harm’ approach to the Video Games Tax Relief (VGTR).
Ukie calls on Government to put digital and creative skills at the heart of its education system. This will ensure the UK remains competitive on the global stage, driving innovation and meeting the evolving needs of the games industry and beyond.
Ukie calls for further refinements to ensure the ICO guidance supports both compliance and functionality within the video games sector. Clearer definitions and practical examples would help businesses apply the regulations effectively while continuing to offer smooth and consistent gameplay to players.
Ukie welcomes Ofcom’s audit-based assessment approach and supports the introduction of a structured framework, however, we stress that any framework must be proportionate, practical, and account for the diversity of the video games sector.
Ukie urges the Government to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach to the subscriptions contract regime, and instead adopt the option which maintains current digital content refund waivers and ensures consistency for consumers.
Ukie has submitted a formal response to Ofcom’s consultation on its 2025/26 fees and penalties regime, advocating for a fairer and more proportionate approach that recognises the unique nature of video games services.
Ukie is calling for the Committee’s inquiry to focus on practical, evidence-based solutions that address financial barriers, enhance education and training pathways, and foster the development of new IP where the UK video games industry continues to thrive.
We have submitted evidence to the government’s new industrial strategy, Invest 2035, highlighting the key steps needed to support the UK video games industry -a £6 billion GVA powerhouse employing over 76,000 people. With the right support, the UK can cement its position as a global leader, ensuring the value created here stays here.
The UK's future success depends on equipping young people with a blend of digital and creative skills. That's why Ukie is calling for a Digital Creativity GCSE to bridge the gap betwee creative problem-solving with technical skill development.
Ukie’s response to the Scaling up: AI and Creative Tech inquiry highlights the UK games industry’s role as a global leader in creative innovation and technology adoption.
In a competitive market where safety and reputation directly influence success, Ukie call on companies to prioritise maintaining welcoming spaces whilst enforce clear terms of service to swiftly address inappropriate or illegal content.
Ukie calls on the UK Government to strategically consider how to support and leverage this thriving industry. This includes addressing key challenges such as maintaining competitive tax policies, facilitating access to finance, attracting investment, and tackling skills shortages.
Ukie has submitted its response to the government’s consultation on audio-visual tax reliefs urging a ‘do no harm’ approach to the Video Games Tax Relief (VGTR).
Ukie calls on Government to put digital and creative skills at the heart of its education system. This will ensure the UK remains competitive on the global stage, driving innovation and meeting the evolving needs of the games industry and beyond.
Ukie calls for further refinements to ensure the ICO guidance supports both compliance and functionality within the video games sector. Clearer definitions and practical examples would help businesses apply the regulations effectively while continuing to offer smooth and consistent gameplay to players.
We are a trade association representing the entire video games ecosystem – from indie developers to AAA studios, publishers, and the businesses that support them, in the UK and beyond.
