Gaming start-ups call for more government money

27 January 2025

Vikki Irwin

BBC political reporter, Suffolk

Nic Rigby

BBC Politics East

Zoe Starling, an artificial intelligence (AI) avatar, and Babita Devi, the commercial director at SKC Games Studio. Zoe has been developed with a number of AI programmes and is part of the team working at the Studios

More government help is needed to fund start-up companies in the computer games industry, the head of a leading gaming firm has told BBC Politics East.

Asa Burrows, chief executive of SKC Games Studio in Suffolk, said there was "a lack of appetite to invest in the games industry" with private investments or government grants.

He said it was "impossible" to get the money in advance of a finished product, resorting instead to raising £1.5m through friends and family.

Sir Peter Bazalgette, co-chair of the Creative Industries Council, welcomed the government's investment of £40m set aside for start-up video games studios, film makers and creative industries outside of London.

Sir Peter, who also brought Big Brother to a global audience, added: "We need the private and public sector to invest hundreds of millions of pounds into our brilliant creative industries."

Asa Burrows, chief executive of SKC Games Studios, said the firm had to raise their investment funds through friends and family

Vikki Irwin/BBC A man is wearing a blue shirt and glasses. He is in a modern office space nad smiling at the camera — Asa Burrows, chief executive of SKC Games Studios, said the firm had to raise their investment funds through friends and family

In 2023, the gaming industry in the UK was valued at £7.82bn and according to trade body uKie, employed 1,200 people in the East of England.

The majority of those are in Cambridge.

Babita Devi, commercial director at SKC Games Studio, said finding funding for the product was very difficult.

"It was very challenging trying to get the investment in the games studio," she said.

The firm, which is based in Haverhill and can take advantage of the centre of learning that is Cambridge University, has recently developed a new product using sophisticated human-like gaming characters.

They are designed in art studios and paired with artificial intelligence programming to create realistic avatars who can answer "any questions".

Mark Backler's Sketch Book Games created the Lost Words and he says they had a lot of "hoops to jump through" to get funding and some of it was just down to "luck".

Vikki Irwin/BBC A man is smiling at the camera and he is standing in front of an arcade game. He is wearing a white top with brown Gillet. — Mark Backler's Sketch Book Games created the Lost Words and he says they had a lot of "hoops to jump through" to get funding and some of it was just down to "luck".

Bafta-winning gamer and founder of Sketchbook Games, Mark Backler, from Ipswich, Suffolk, said finding funding was difficult in the games industry.

"There are a lot of hoops to jump through and so many are applying for funding," he said.

Mr Backler, who also helped set up GameAnglia - which s young people getting into the games industry in the region - said: "One of the great things about the gaming industry is it combines creativity with business - there's a range of opportunities: doing music, animation, game design, programming, ancy and marketing."

Lost Words: Beyond the Page was created by Sketchbook Games and aims to help young people dealing with grief

Sketchbook Games Computer animated drawing of a girl reading a magical book being watched by a dragon — Lost Words: Beyond the Page was created by Sketchbook Games and aims to help young people dealing with grief

Sir Peter, who created popular shows such as Ready Steady Cook, Changing Rooms and Ground Force, told BBC Politics East: "When I go into sixth forms, I ask: 'What's your favourite fashion? Movie? Game":[]}