Gaming is a huge industry around the world now, both in the entertainment and tech sector. As such, businesses all over the world are exploring ways of getting involved. As the industry continues to grow, nations where gaming has been a staple of home entertainment for decades should seek to take advantage of the embedded knowledge of the scene. Great Britain boasts a multi-billion game industry, and while there are already several businesses in Wales making up a segment of the sector, there’s always space for more.
With the industry continuing to grow worldwide and in the country, Wales looks to be a perfect place for a business to muscle-in on the action.
A huge audience of gamers in Wales
Much like the rest of the UK, Wales’ gaming generation is coming to prominence. So many people who grew up with gaming are now in a position to offer their years of experience to the industry. Importantly, however, it’s not just one form of gaming that is popular in Wales. There are many PC and console gamers across the country, but it’s also the classic forms of gaming that have remained ever-popular.
Like the gaming industry, the UK online casino industry boasts revenues in the billions. It has so many players in Wales and across the rest of Britain that there’s always more space for innovative brands. The scene is so competitive that there are sites that find the best casinos by providing reviews for each with various aspects factoring into it such as welcome bonuses and payment methods, and these can be categorised in varying ways including by new online casino or a ranking of live casino offerings. Naturally, consumers are benefitting as companies compete to provide user-friendly offers, such as those without wagering requirements.
Crafting the future of the industry from Cymru
Those who were enchanted by gaming as it began to take root across Wales have already started to put the country on the map. 2019 Great British Entrepreneur Awards winners Wales Interactive have developed and published several innovative games over the years. The likes of DJ Space, Coffin Dodgers, Don’t Knock Twice VR, Time Carnage, and the interactive movie game The Complex showcase the range and creativity on offer at the studio.
The potential of the sector in Wales has recently been identified by the government as a potential massive opportunity for the economy. That said, university courses in place are already helping to create a growing pool of talent in game design and development, with graduates already joining the local industry. Audio and film talents are already well-established in Wales, and now it looks as though game development talents are coming through the system to bolster the country’s gaming businesses.
Competitive gamers and staging tournaments
Still a relatively young industry, the competitive gaming scene of eSports is already worth over $1 billion. A natural progression following the surge of online multiplayer games – which have been popular for over a decade in Wales – now the Brits are capitalising on the money on offer. Wales’ most famous eSports export is Nate ‘Ataraxia’ Mark, who came second in the 2015 Smite World Championships.
Wales has done a fine job of promoting eSports across the country, staging university tournaments, creating gaming hubs, and setting up international contests. This year, the inaugural Esports Cup of Nations saw grassroots teams from Wales take on those from Scotland, helping to develop the talents and get them tournament experience. They competed across several smash-hit titles, including League of Legends, Rocket League, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
From casual popularity to the concerted effort to develop talents, Wales looks to be a potential hotbed of talent in gaming – they just need the right companies in place to guide them to new heights.
