1. The UK gaming industry is worth £5.3 billion.
(Statista, WePC)
The gaming industry has been enjoying unprecedented growth for decades, with many corners of the globe seeing a steady rise in video game sales. According to video game market statistics, the UK is the sixth-largest market in the world. Within five years, the value of the UK’s gaming industry grew from £3.7 billion to £5.3 billion and is expected to reach £7 billion within the next four years.
2. The video game industry contributes £2.2 billion to the UK’s GDP.
(Statista)
Video games have become a valuable UK export. The many games developed each year are an important contributor to the country’s gross domestic product. From 2018 to 2019, the industry’s contribution to GDP grew by £400 million, according to UK gaming industry statistics. Although that’s lower than the spike recorded between 2017 and 2018, the growth trend looks set to continue.
3. Mobile gaming brings in £1.5 billion annually.
(Statista)
Mobile games have already overtaken PC and console games when it comes to both revenue and popularity. The games are free and don’t require anything more than a smartphone. This opened the doors for millions to try them out. Not every free-to-play game brings in cash via ads or in-game purchases, but those that do often rake in millions.
4. During 2020, Brits spent £4.4 billion on video games.
(Entertainment Retailers Association)
Gaming industry statistics reveal that pandemic-induced lockdowns contributed to video game sales in the UK. While Brits spent £9.2 billion on entertainment during that whole of 2020, nearly half of that total went on video games, resulting in a 17% year-on-year increase in profits.
5. There are 2,286 gaming companies in the UK alone.
(Ukie)
The UK has a long tradition of developing popular video games. Some of the most well-known game developers, like Codemasters and Gameloft, are headquartered in this country. Of course, major gaming companies like Activision and Ubisoft have offices in the UK alongside many independent developers. These are all major contributors to gaming industry growth statistics.
6. The video game industry employs more than 27,000 people in the UK.
(Statista)
Given the fertile ground for game development, thousands of people work in this industry. Among the long list of employers, Rockstar North is the most successful brand, and its game Grand Theft Auto V is the best-selling entertainment property of all time.
7. There are 44.3 million gamers in the UK.
(Statista)
There have never been as many gamers in the world as there are today, and according to video game industry statistics, nearly two-thirds of the UK’s population plays games. That includes serious competitive titles, hyper-casual mobile games, or the latest AAA blockbusters. The latest research shows that many of those who picked up video games during lockdowns plan to continue playing.
8. 92% of Brits aged 16 to 24 play video games.
(Statista)
Although video games aren’t kids’ games anymore, they’re still popular among the younger crowd. A lot of games are tailored to the aforementioned age group, which explains why many of those people consider themselves gamers. Delving deeper into UK gaming statistics reveals that 82% of those surveyed in the 25 to 34 age group said they play video games, while that figure stands at 30% for those older than 65.
9. 21% of UK women play video games.
(Statista)
Thanks to the constantly expanding list of video game genres and styles, today’s selection of titles offer something for everyone. 2020 and 2021 witnessed a spike in the number of women who are playing video games. Of course, in addition to the growing number of female UK gamers, statistics show that the number of male gamers also grew from 24% in 2019 to 32% in 2020/2021.
10. On average, UK gamers spend 6.8 hours per week playing video games.
(Limelight Networks)
UK gamers spend a little more time playing video games than many of their counterparts in other countries. There are many marathon gamers, too, with 10% of respondents saying they play games for 20+ hours per week. Meanwhile, 19.6% of those surveyed play games for two to four hours on a weekly basis.
11. Most UK gamers play video games for one to three hours at a time.
(Limelight Networks)
According to gaming statistics by Limelight Networks, 27% of players spend up to 3 hours with a video game per session. Those that play for 3-5 hours at a time account for 26.2% of gamers in the UK. Meanwhile, 8.6% said they play video games between 10 to 15 hours straight.
12. Mobile gaming is the most popular, with 39% of UK gamers playing games on their smartphones.
(Statista)
Ever since 2014, smartphones have dominated the UK market as the most popular way to play games. The latest mobile gaming industry statistics reveal that among those aged 16 and older, consoles are the main gaming device in 26% of cases, just 1% more than PCs. But only 3% of surveyed gamers play on a VR device. Even with recent price drops, it seems that virtual reality is still too novel of a concept for many.
13. 42.7 million games were sold in the UK during 2020.
(GamesIndystry.biz)
Despite the global pandemic, 2020 was a good year for gaming, both globally and in the United Kingdom. An increase of 34% of game sales was recorded during that year compared to 2019. According to gaming industry stats provided by both GSD and GamesIndustry.biz, this number includes both physical and digital releases.
14. Brits bought 24.5 million digital games in 2020.
(GamesIndystry.biz)
Digital distribution is on the rise. With all three console manufacturers offering digital downloads, it’s only natural that many people who own a console or PC purchase games digitally. In fact, this is how the majority of games are sold in the UK.
15. With 2.18 million units sold, FIFA 21 was the best-selling game of 2020.
(Statista)
FIFA has always been big in the UK, and the latest iteration, FIFA 21, is no different. It was released in October, and within just a few months, it was dominating the video game sales charts. By the end of the year, more people played FIFA than any other console game. Here are the top 10 best selling video games of 2020:
- FIFA 21 - 2.18 million units
- Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold war - 1.42 million units
- GTA 5 - 1.12 million units
- FIFA 20 - 903,000 units
- CoD MW - 897,000 units
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons - 810,000 units
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla - 665,000 units
- TLOU2 - 539,000 units
- NBA 2K20 - 481,000 units
- R6 Siege - 436,000 units
16. Video game sales statistics reveal that 71% of all physical game sales were made via home delivery in 2020.
(GamesIndustry)
Last year saw a massive increase in online orders, especially for gadgets and games. People were sitting at home most of the time, so it was faster and simpler to just order stuff online. Brick and mortar video game stores accounted for just 16% of all sales in the same time frame.
17. Digital game sales grew by 19.7% in 2020.
(Entertainment Retailers Association)
UK gamers have been embracing digital game distribution within the past year, according to gaming industry statistics. Numerous distribution platforms have helped bring more games to players at a faster rate than traditional retail methods. In total, digital game sales made £3.78 billion for the UK’s gaming industry during 2020, or 85% of all game sales revenue. Physical sales brought in £645 million.
18. UK gamers spent £669 million on digital PC games in 2020.
(Ukie)
The PC gaming landscape looks a lot different than it did just a decade ago. Digital distribution platforms like Steam, GOG, and Epic are the main channels through which people purchase PC games now. One of the more interesting facts about gaming is that the PC scene has moved so far past physical media that those buying a brand new PC actually have a hard time finding one with a disc drive. Additionally, subscription services like Microsoft’s Game Pass have made it even more affordable to start playing video games. It’s a lot like Netflix for games and beats paying £60 to £70 for each new release.
19. During 2020, Xbox edged out PlayStation as market leader to secure 50.41% of market share.
(Statista)
One of the most well-known gaming facts is that Brits love PlayStation. Ever since the PS1 era, this Japanese console brand has dominated the UK market. But in 2020, Xbox Series X|S took the country by storm amid a serious shortage of PS5s. During the PS3 era, in 2012 specifically, PlayStation held nearly 97% of the market share in the UK.
20. UK gamers have bought 6.67 million PS4 consoles since its launch.
(Statista)
The PlayStation won the global console war during the eighth generation of consoles. That victory extended to the UK. By the end of 2019, one in ten people in the UK owned a PS4, according to console gaming industry statistics.
21. Microsoft sold 4.8 million Xbox One consoles in the UK.
(Statista)
Xbox consoles may not be as popular as their number one competitor, but that doesn’t mean that Microsoft failed to cash in. From the launch of Xbox One in 2013 up until the end of 2019, UK gamers bought nearly five million Xbox One, One S, and One X consoles combined. Xbox One was the second best-selling gaming hardware during 2019 and, overall, outsold its predecessor, the Xbox 360.
22. With 1.5 million units sold, Nintendo Switch was the best-selling console of 2020.
(GamesIndustry)
One interesting gaming industry statistic is how Nintendo’s cute little hybrid console was one of the most sought-after gadgets during the pandemic. Both Nintendo and retailers had trouble keeping up with demand, which proved to be higher than sales of PlayStation 5 (450,000 units) and Xbox Series X (310,000 units) combined.
Conclusion
Gaming has a very bright future in the UK. With so many people making and playing games and the sheer versatility of the medium, video game statistics are likely to be even more impressive next year and the year after that. There has never been a better time to be a gamer in the UK.
