Written question WQ90437

Creative Wales considers the games industry a priority and we are supporting the sector to grow at pace. Since inception, Creative Wales has provided three rounds of development funding to games companies with more than £1.25m being made to 33 projects from games studios in Wales to develop new IP concepts.

We have also funded the Games Talent Wales programme for the last three years, alongside the UK Games fund Tranzfuser programme, awarding aspiring final year student cohorts with £2,500 in funding towards developing a new title for showcasing at a major UK games event such as EGX, alongside creating a new games company. Both programmes are key to the generation of new IP originating in Wales.

In early 2023, Creative Wales launched a production funding financial support route where studios producing larger titles in Wales, whether as inward investment or indigenous, can apply for significant funding to launch new games.

It has been recognised that there is a need to support smaller companies and to encourage growth. In 2023, Creative Wales launched a pilot accelerator programme, delivered by Indielab, providing six Welsh businesses with fully-funded places on a specialist development programme alongside businesses from Scotland and England. This delivered a series of supportive interventions in summer 2023, designed to help the participants raise investment and produce more successful games. We are planning to replicate and support the programme this year.

Creative Wales also leads a dedicated trade mission to the Games Developer Conference in San Francisco each year, to raise awareness of the industry and encourage trade and investment. In 2023, 18 Welsh games companies attended and benefitted from a fully supported programme of investment meetings and networking events, as well as subsidised premium stand space. Investment secured from 2023 is in the region of £1.3m, with further deals still in discussion. Following GDC 2022, Creative Wales played a leading role in ensuring specialist US gaming company Rocket Science chose Cardiff as its new European headquarters, creating 50 highly-skilled job opportunities for games industry graduates and professionals in and around the capital, providing a boost to Wales’ gaming sector generally.