Games and Esports are Wales’ next major economic opportunity

John Jackson - Chief Executive, Esports Wales

Subscribe to the Businessin Wales daily newsletter for FREE here.

Wales stands at a pivotal moment in its economic and cultural development. Across the world, the games and esports sector is transforming how communities create, compete, learn, and connect.

Mayor Sadiq Khan recently stated, “London is ready to level up and lead the world in esports.” For Wales, this is not just a trend to observe, it is an opportunity to lead.

Our National Games Strategy for Wales sets out a clear vision: to build a unified, inclusive, and economically sustainable ecosystem for games, esports, and interactive digital industries. This vision is grounded in evidence, research, and the lived experiences of those working across Welsh communities, education, and industry.

What is clear is this: Wales already has the foundations. What it needs now is coordination, collaboration, and confidence.

The growth of games and esports in Wales is already visible. What are sometimes seen as our weaknesses, Wales’ passion for sport and its status as a small country, actually allow us to adapt quickly to this rapidly growing industry.

Our research shows a rapidly expanding landscape, with more teams, greater engagement, and increasing interest from young people and industry professionals. At the same time, global consumption of gaming content continues to rise, with a significant proportion of younger audiences regularly engaging with digital entertainment.

The strategy highlights that games and esports contribute to Gross Value Added (GVA) through roles in development, broadcasting, live operations, and marketing, driving productivity across the wider digital economy.

Crucially, the benefits extend beyond the sector. Skills developed through esports, such as live production, collaboration, and digital content creation, transfer directly into industries such as film, television, and media.

The scale of this opportunity is no longer theoretical, it is being recognised at the highest levels of government.

This summer, the Esports World Cup, the largest competitive gaming event in the world, will take place in Paris, marking the first time it has been hosted outside Saudi Arabia. The competition will run from July to August 2026 and bring together more than 2,000 players, 200 clubs, and participants from over 100 countries.

Significantly, this is not just an industry milestone, it is a political and economic one. French President Emmanuel Macron personally welcomed the event and met with organisers, including the leadership of the Esports World Cup Foundation, at the Élysée Palace.

That image, a head of state shaking hands with esports leaders, signals something important: esports is no longer an emerging industry. It has arrived as a global cultural and economic force.

Countries are not waiting. They are competing to host, invest, and lead. Wales must do the same.

The 2023 Gran Turismo film, starring Orlando Bloom and David Harbour, is based on the true story of Welsh gamer Jann Mardenborough, who was born in Cardiff.

More recently, Welsh gamer Otis Lawrence was crowned the 2026 F1 Sim Racing World Champion. Some of the biggest influencers in the United States have their videos edited and produced in Wales.

Wales has also made history through Esports Wales, winning the first-ever gold medal at a Commonwealth Esports Championship.

Demand is growing. The sector is young, ambitious, and ready, but without a clear structure, talent risks leaving Wales in search of opportunities elsewhere.

International evidence shows that success depends on coordinated, ecosystem-wide approaches rather than isolated projects.

Our National Games Strategy places collaboration at its core, recognising that the sector spans education, government, industry, and communities.

Similarly, research into Cardiff as an esports hub highlights that successful ecosystems are built on partnerships between public bodies, private investment, and local talent.

Our research also highlights that Welsh culture and language remain underutilised within esports, despite their clear potential to support both economic growth and national objectives such as Cymraeg 2050.

Wales has all the ingredients needed to compete on the global stage.

We have a genuine opportunity to put Wales on the global map. The only question is: who wants to be part of that journey?