The UK’s video gaming market was valued at £7.05 billion in 2022, in response to the UK Interactive Leisure commerce affiliation (UKIE’s) newest Shopper Market Valuation report.
UKIE notes that this represents a stabilisation following a interval of unprecedented development. The determine represents a decline of 5.6% in comparison with 2021, nonetheless it stays 17% above pre-pandemic ranges. In 2019, the market was valued at £5.3 billion in 2019, or £6.03 adjusted for inflation.
“We’re happy to see the UK video video games client market has maintained its development trajectory and stays in-line with the place we anticipated it to be in 2019,” stated CEO of UKIE, Dr. Jo Twist OBE. “Though we could have seen a pure levelling off following elevated spending through the lockdown years, it’s clear that the urge for food for video games and video games tradition within the UK continues to be robust.”
Regardless of the slight decline within the trade’s valuation, cell recreation gross sales climbed 11% to £1.43 billion. This makes cell gaming the second most worthwhile section by way of gaming software program income, behind digital console downloads at £1.98 billion.
Rises and falls
Outdoors of cell gaming, there have been a number of areas of the trade which noticed vital rises in 2022.
Movie and tv variations and soundtracks generated £54.8 million in income, representing a 66% improve from 2019’s determine of £33 million. The report notes that 2022 was the largest yr for movies based mostly on online game IPs in UK historical past, nonetheless this determine doesn’t account for streaming reveals, similar to Halo.
Toys and merchandising bucked the development of a 3% decline within the wider toy market, as an alternative climbing 7.7% year-on-year to £196 million. That is attributed partly to the Pokémon franchise, which was recognized as the highest performer. And was additionally helped by a number of excessive profile entries within the multimedia franchise.
Books and magazines additionally noticed a major rise, climbing 17% year-on-year to £13.9 million. The yr additionally noticed a rebound by way of occasion revenues, which stood at greater than triple the 2021 determine. Occasions similar to Insomnia and the Pokémon World Championships in London helped to drive this robust efficiency.
Earlier this yr, UKIE additionally launched its new UK Video games Map providing perception into the area.
