UK Games Developers Choose Adventure

LONDON, May 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

TIGA, the network for games developers and digital publishers and the trade association representing the video games industry, released a new report today which showed that almost a quarter of games developed by UK development studios in 2015 were action and adventure games.

TIGA's report, Appetite for Adventure, is based on extensive research of nearly 200 games released in 2015 by 154 UK studios. The report looks into games released on various desktop, console and mobile platforms.

The report reveals the following key findings.

• The most popular genre of game released in 2015 was action/adventure, making up 24 per cent of all games studied in the report, followed by traditional arcade titles on 18 per cent, and puzzle/trivia games on 15 per cent.
• The two most popular platforms for UK studios during 2015 were iOS devices and Windows desktop, accounting for a combined 41 per cent share of all game releases at a near even split. Android was also popular, with 17 per cent of all games released in the last year also appearing on the mobile operating system. The marketplaces on these platforms offer comparatively open stores for developers and provide a large consumer base, hence their popularity.
• Focusing on a niche, building experience and establishing a reputation for a particular genre of games is important for success. For example, Junkfish focuses on horror games, Fish in a Bottle on educational games, Futurlab and Naked Penguin Boy on arcade games, Lockwood Publishing on 3d virtual world social networking, Distinctive Developments on sports games, Terra Tek Studios (a TIGA Award winner) on action and adventure, Wired Productions on music games and Space Ape Games (a TIGA Award winner) focuses on Real Time Strategy games.
• Some studios are able to successfully develop games across a variety of genres. For example, in 2015 Rebellion (a TIGA Award winner) released Evil Genius Online (strategy), Raceline CC (racing) and Nazi Zombie Army Trilogy (action). However, this is perhaps one of a few exceptions to the rule as Rebellion is one of the biggest independent UK studios and adopts a portfolio approach to genres and platforms.

Dr Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO, said:

"TIGA's report reveals three principal findings. Firstly, UK developers have an appetite for adventure: almost a quarter of all games examined in our report were action and adventure games. This is due to the popularity of the genre amongst consumers and developers.

"Secondly, the most popular platforms for UK studios in 2015 were iOS devices and Windows desktop, accounting for a combined 41 per cent share of all game releases. These platforms are relatively easy for developers to access and they offer a significant consumer base.

"Thirdly, to survive, subsist and succeed in games development typically means focusing on a niche.  Games developers interviewed in our report repeatedly emphasised the importance of establishing a niche within a particular genre. This approach is adopted by a range of UK games development studios, including Lockwood Publishing and Space Ape Games."  

About TIGA 

TIGA is a not for profit network for games developers and digital publishers and the trade association representing the video games industry. 80% of our board members are developers and/or from UK owned businesses, and 50% of our board are UK business owners themselves. Since 2010, TIGA has won 24 business awards and commendations, an achievement which demonstrates our drive to meet and to exceed best practice. TIGA focuses on three sets of activities: 

·         political representation;

·         profile raising; and

·         business services.

This means that TIGA members' voices are heard in the corridors of power and positively represented in the international, national, regional and trade media. TIGA's activities also serve to enhance the competitiveness of our members by providing benefits that make a material difference to their businesses, including a reduction in costs and improved commercial opportunities.

Get in touch: 

·Tel: 0845 468 2330

·Email: [email protected] 

·Web: http://www.tiga.org 

·Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tigamovement 

·Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TIGAMovement 

·LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/tiga 

·Dr Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO: [email protected] 

Media Contact:
Dr Richard Wilson
[email protected]
+044-0845 468 2330
TIGA CEO
[email protected]

SOURCE TIGA