London is now the third-largest global hub for game makers.
That’s according to a new analysis by Unscrambled and BOP for London, which discovered the UK capital has “shot up” the leaderboard in terms of size of workforce, securing the runner-up spot after Los Angeles and San Francisco.
London was already the “biggest UK cluster” and Europe’s largest game development hub, but with 13,700 game developers working across the sector, it has now overtaken most US cities and Canadian hotspots like Montréal.
Another 9000 London workers work in “games-associated” areas or work in industries that have expanded to include games, such as entertainment and animation.
The news comes as the tenth annual London Games Festival kicks off on April 2, with over 30 events across the capital “catering to tens of thousands of professionals and players.”
“London is now a global gaming capital and Europe’s leading city with a thriving industry bringing significant investment to our country,” said London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
“I’m proud to support the London Games Festival, which is a great showcase for this dynamic and growing industry. As UK’s biggest games event, it generates millions for our economy and helps support our up-and-coming talent as we continue to build a better London for everyone.”