Why intellectual property is more than a game to the economy in Yorkshire - Jamie Sefton

We will host the Game Republic industry awards on November 21 at the new WX venue in Wakefield. The awards will recognise the brilliant individuals and companies in Yorkshire and the North of England creating fantastic new games or exploiting their long-established games to bring in more revenue and fund new future projects.

There will also be an opportunity for industry and games fans to vote for the game that they feel has been the best example of a new or previously-established intellectual property (IP).

The list of nominations includes games like the bonkers, surreal Thank Goodness You’re Here, set in the fictitious Yorkshire town of Barnsworth, or Undisputed, the new boxing game and first release from Sheffield-based Steel City Interactive, which has just sold more than one million copies worldwide.

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The list of games shows how prolific the North has become in creating new games. But the importance and value of these games to our economy and communities should not be underestimated – one of these could be a game that will be generating income and creating jobs in the region for another 20 years or longer.

Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition by Team17.Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition by Team17.
Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition by Team17.

The scale and longevity of the impacts of games IP is something that is often overlooked, but when this list of nominations of best indie game released since September 2023 contains a game that will be celebrating its 25th anniversary or a game in York has been re-released nearly 30 years after its original release – it is clear that games are a serious business for the UK economy now and in the future.

The games industry has grown into one of the biggest entertainment industries on the planet. Most of the biggest and most successful games studios began with the creation of one breakout title, such as Tomb Raider or Grand Theft Auto. These successes create IP that can be commercialised, grown into hugely profitable global franchises, as well as in certain cases unique gameplay mechanics that can be patented and protected.

Both Team17 (from Wakefield) and Revolution Software (based in York) have recently released new versions of previously-released games – Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition (25 years after the original release) and Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars – Reforged (28 years after the original release) respectively.

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Companies that own their own successful IP can continue to release the game on emerging platforms (such as the latest new consoles) and update them with better graphics and more content, creating more income and securing more jobs.

Games can take from a few hours to many years to develop – the new Grand Theft Auto 6 for example, developed by Rockstar in studios in Edinburgh, Leeds and around the world, has currently taken more than six years of development and is finally scheduled to release in 2025.

The previous instalment GTA5, was released in 2013, and is still a biggest-selling game on the most-recent platforms such as PlayStation 5, and has generated more than $8.6bn in revenue, thanks also to its online component.

Other studios split their time between creating their own IP, with work for hire (WFH), where they work and get paid for contract development for other studios. Some WFH studios, such as Sumo Digital (from Sheffield), have gained fantastic reputations for their outsourcing work with major partners such as SEGA, and have grown hugely by taking on more work and creating their own IP too, such as Snake Pass, as well as acquiring studios such as Red Kite Games in Leeds. The Sumo Group went public via an IPO with a valuation of £145m in 2017 before being acquired by Chinese investment firm Tencent for $1.25bn in 2022.

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All of this means it’s exciting when new games companies decide to set up in this region. Game Republic has been directly involved with helping that to happen in our York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority-funded Graduate-Work Ready and Start-up Game Studio Skills Bootcamps funded by the Department for Education and the regional Authority.

Both have resulted in new studios setting up in Yorkshire, many with new IP. History shows us that having IP means there is far more chance of creating successful businesses longer term. So regional support is vital and more is needed for training, trade missions, business support and actual funding for games prototypes. Games have demonstrated their potential for generating high returns and high-level jobs.

So all this is why we like to shout about our wins in the global games industry and why we’re once again hosting the Game Republic industry awards on November 21.

If readers want to choose their favourite game or just admire the wide range of games being made in Yorkshire and the rest of Northern England, they should check out the link and vote now https://gamerepublic.net/news/best-indie-game-made-in-the-north-of-england-2024-award/

Jamie Sefton is the managing director of Game Republic.

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