TIGA, the trade representative for the UK games industry, revealed that developers in the UK are well-geared for a digital future. 77% of developers are already working in some way on network gaming.

The extensive survey of the UK’s games businesses shows developers have rapidly adapted to the ‘death of the high street’, with only 23% of UK game companies now working exclusively on retail games.

The following are the findings from the TIGA research:

-94% of independent studios that started up in 2011 – 2012 are focused exclusively on network gaming
-Across the UK games industry as a whole, 77 per cent of British games companies now work either exclusively or in part on network gaming – a rise of 10% over the last year.
-Continuing a five year trend, the UK games retail market fell again in 2012, generating £1.6 billion, a 17.4 per cent fall from 2011.

Dr. Richard Wilson, CEO, TIGA said the following: “The research shows the UK games development industry is already well ahead of the curve when it comes to digital distribution. Over nine-tenths of new UK game companies are working exclusively or in part on network gaming, such as mobile, massively multiplayer and social gaming. When you consider that digital video game sales grew 7.7% in 2012, making video games the most valuable digital entertainment sector in the UK, it’s clear how hard British developers are working to future-proof an industry that will become increasingly important to the UK economy.”