TIGA, the trade association representing the UK gamesindustry, commented that developers need to make digital distribution a priority
after it was revealed there are 300 fewer games specialists on the High Street
than last year.
According to trade magazine MCV, there are 1,144 GAME, HMV and Blockbuster
stores in the UK, down from 1,465 in 2011. The majority of these closures are
due to the problems faced by GAME when it went into administration in March.
However, there has been an increase in the number of supermarkets which sell
games. TIGA suggested that developers can get around the uncertainty of the
High Street by ensuring they have a firm digital strategy in place and make
full use of console, PC and smartphone marketplaces.
Jason Kingsley OBE, TIGA Chairman and CEO and Creative Director at Rebellion,
said:
“The UK has seen much growth in the number of small
development teams and it is becoming clear that independent developers are
becoming the bedrock of the gaming industry. Their needs are well served by
digital distribution which, due to the rise in smartphone users, digital
consumption has become second nature to many buyers. It is imperative that all
developers have a digital strategy.
The High Street remains a profitable route
for developers and TIGA would not want to see gaming lose such a presence but
the problem faced by specialist retailers is due to a large extent in changes
in consumer behaviour and developers will seriously miss out on a growing
revenue stream if they do not concentrate efforts on digital distribution.
TIGA is helping its members move into self-publishing and
digital distribution through the provision of seminars, networking events and
The TIGA Guide to Self-Publishing, which is free to all TIGA members.”
Notes to editors:
About TIGA:
TIGA is the trade association representing the UK’s games industry. The
majority of our members are either independent games developers or in-house
publisher owned developers. We also have games publishers, outsourcing
companies, technology businesses and universities amongst our membership. TIGA won 10 business awards and was
nominated a finalist for 9 other awards during 2010 and 2011. In 2010 TIGA won two business awards including
‘Trade Association of the Year’ from the Trade Association Forum.
In 2011, TIGA
won eight business awards including ‘Trade Association of the Year’ from the
Trade Association Forum, ‘Outstanding Organisation’ from the Chartered
Management Institute and two Global Business Excellence Awards, including
‘Outstanding Marketing Campaign’.
Richard Wilson won the ‘Leadership Award’ from the Trade Association
Forum and the ‘Outstanding Leader’ award from the Chartered Management
Institute. TIGA is an Investors in People organisation.
TIGA's vision is to make the UK
the best place in the world to do games business. We focus on three sets
of activities: political representation, generating media coverage and
developing services that enhance the competitiveness of our members. This
means that TIGA members are effectively represented in the corridors of power,
their voice is heard in the media and they receive benefits that make a
material difference to their businesses, including a reduction in costs and improved
commercial opportunities.
For further
information, please contact Dr Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO on: 07875 939 643, or
email richard.wilson@tiga.org.