Ukie announces two-year program to boost the games industry in Coventry and Warwickshire

Following on from the annual general meeting for UK games industry trade body Ukie, many announcements have come that look good for the West Midlands region of the UK. Ukie and the Coventry and the Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership have announced a new programme to help the growth of the gaming industry in the West Midlands region.

The programme, set to run for two years, will aim to deliver the recommendations that were set out in the recent report commissioned by both parties, ‘The Games Industry in Coventry and Warwickshire – a Blueprint for Growth’ report. In the report, suggestions were set out that directly tied into the ten pillar industrial strategy the government laid out earlier this year.

The idea is that the wider area will build and grow within the games industry, building on the success that Leamington Spa has had in attracting talent and achieving growth. The partnership with Ukie and the CWLEP will also appoint a dedicated member of staff to oversee training courses for investors and being together investors and businesses in both local trade missions and those further afield.

"On behalf of Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership I want to thank Ukie for all their support highlighting the significant economic value of our digital creative sector to the region," said CWLEP board director and chair of the West Midlands Digital Group, Sarah Windrum. "Coventry & Warwickshire are perfectly placed to lead this programme which will drive growth for our gaming cluster and our wider digital manufacturing sector across the West Midlands."

Included in today’s announcement was also more news on the Digital Schoolhouse scheme, which Warwickshire County Council last week. The programme will now add a ‘Red Tier’ sponsorship package to allow more companies to support the initiative.

Ukie also added new board members with ZeniMax Europe’s Sean Brennan, Jagex CEO Phil Mansell and Mediatonic’s commercial director, Helen Burnill. "The variety of the announcements from today’s AGM show the breadth of work that the Ukie team have undertaken this busy year," said Ukie CEO, Dr Jo Twist OBE. "This has been a big year for us and for the industry, and we’re proud to be launching the new CWLEP-backed local support programme, as well as our nationwide expansion of the Digital Schoolhouse project today."

Also announced today was the relaunch of the AskAboutGames website and a renewal of the deal between Ukie and the Video Standards Council (VSC).