How can Plymouth expand into the lucrative gaming market?

Plymouth is a great place to live and work. From the historic Barbican quarter to its maritime heritage, there is just something in the air when you wander the streets here. This is just as true for modern business in Plymouth where a thriving local economy propels the city forward. One sector that many think Plymouth should be getting more involved with is gaming. When you look at the statistics around UK gaming as a whole, you can see why.

It is estimated that around half of the UK population play games in some form or other. UK gaming is now worth almost £6 billion annually with this figure expected to rise over time. With this kind of money to be made, many Plymouth residents may feel the city should look to expand into this market too.

How can Plymouth make inroads into the gaming market?

If Plymouth wants to be an important city in the UK gaming scene then much of this relies on their ability to open up to game developers. But just how can this be done?

Perhaps the biggest thing the local council could do is lower business rates in the area which would then make it cheaper for game developers to set up studios in Plymouth. This would encourage more game developers to move to the city and for Plymouth to be known as a real hotspot for UK gaming. The other big thing that could be attempted is persuading the University of Plymouth to provide more courses around gaming and working in the sector. This would help to create a steady stream of local talent to open up game development companies in the city or for games companies already here to hire.

Of course, the city could also build on the gaming companies already here. Mutant Labs is one such example and they could be used as a role model by Plymouth to advertise the excellent work already going on. In turn, this would attract more media attention and convince game development companies that it is a place worth calling home.

What benefits would this give to the local economy?

It is only worth expanding further into the gaming industry if it benefits the local economy and people of Plymouth. The extra jobs that game development companies moving into the area could bring would certainly be tremendous for starters. When you add in the extra money made on business rates for the local council to spend on Plymouth, then it only gets better. Making Plymouth well-known for gaming would also see more people hear about the city and spend money on visiting it.

What are the most popular gaming genres currently?

For Plymouth to move further into gaming, it needs to know what genres are currently hot. Here are some of the most popular genres around now for players.

Online casino games

One of the most widely played genres around is online casino games. Whether you play on your smartphone or PC, this is one type of game that is played by millions. Free casino games are something many play as it provides a way to try out new games or have fun without spending anything. When you are ready to play for money, there are lots of online casinos around with a huge selection of the best games to try out.

Online video games

Online is a huge genre in its own right now and this is true for people playing video games too. Perhaps the two biggest sub-genres here are battle royale and MMORPG. Battle royale titles include hits like ‘Fortnite’ and see players battle it out to be the last one standing. Massively multi-player online role playing games (MMORPG) involve playing as a character in a large online game world where you interact with other players. There is a lot of money in online gaming being made now and a lot of attention is being directed towards this are by both developers and players.

Open world

Moving away from online gaming, standard video game play on physical consoles or PCs is still popular. One genre here that is big now is known as ‘open world’. Titles that use this type of structure include the ‘Grand Theft Auto’ and the ‘Assassin’s Creed’ series. In this type of game, there are no limits on what you can do as you wander around the massive game world on-screen. This gives players a true sense of freedom and an immersive experience.

Gaming could be a good move for Plymouth

There is no doubt that gaming is hot right now and this looks set to continue. As more money comes into gaming, cities like Plymouth could benefit from being involved in it. As the above shows, if the city can find a way to become attractive to game development companies and retain top talent in the area, this could happen very soon.