Over the last year or so, billions of pounds have been put into the UK entertainment sector. We are also seeing more and more film directors choose London as their base as well. Part of this comes down to the sheer amount of talent there. London as a whole is also able to provide a solid infrastructure and generous tax incentives.
Game Development and the Entertainment Economy
London is home to numerous game development studios, including Rocksteady Studios, Take-Two Interactive, and Splash Damage. London also saw 1058 new gaming companies in 2022, showing a 30% year-on-year increase. The London Games Festival has a “Made in London” category, and estimates show that there are 700 publishers and game developers who live in the city.
London is also home to a thriving iGaming and casino sector. There are 36 licensed gambling premises, which helped contribute to the UK reaching £16.8 billion in March last year. The 7.3% increase in growth is largely driven by the online world, which is providing more variety than ever. Vegas slots like Cod Chaos: Deep Water and Ryze II are just a few examples of how diverse the iGaming scene is, and with new titles hitting the market all the time, the potential for creativity is huge. Developers can capitalise on this, with London being a prime location for those who not only want a solid base to work from, but also want to be part of one of the biggest iGaming economies in the UK.
Movies, Film, and Music in London
Movie studios in London include Kennington Film Studios, London Film Studios, and West London Film Studios. There’s also RAW Pictures. Facilities like this are not only state-of-the-art, but they are also often booked by big-name developers and major film studios. They have virtual production technology, post-production houses, and more, which offer an end-to-end solution for filmmaking as a whole.
Music in London is also experiencing a notable surge. In 2022, there were more music studios when compared to five years prior, showing how, over time, more and more producers are choosing London as their base. Independent producers are on the rise, as are major labels. As time goes on, it seems that London is able to provide the major infrastructure required to not only create, but also record and distribute music around the world.
Cross-industry growth like this helps to set London apart, but at the same time, it also shows how the city is thriving. For creators, investors, and even global studios, there’s a very clear trend, and if things keep on growing at this rate, it wouldn’t be surprising to see London rival other entertainment economies, like Hollywood.
After all, with the current trajectory and the fact that there is a lot of cross-industry growth that’s attracting professionals from all across the world, it’s not hard to see the potential. Recent data supports this as well, with one in five jobs in London being within the creative economy, with year-on-year growth that could bump this stat even more as we move through 2026.
