Welsh games studios head to San Francisco to showcase industry talent

Daniel Bevan - Editor

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A delegation of Welsh video games companies is travelling to the United States this month to promote the country’s growing games sector at one of the industry’s largest global events.

Thirteen studios and games businesses from Wales will attend the 40th annual Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco, a major international gathering expected to attract around 30,000 developers, publishers and investors.

The delegation will exhibit on a dedicated Cymru Wales stand, where companies will demonstrate new projects, meet industry partners and build international networks.

Organisers say the mission is designed to raise the profile of Wales’ creative industries and encourage inward investment by connecting local developers with global publishers and technology partners.

One of the strongest examples of the event’s impact is the Rocket Science Group, which chose to establish its UK base in Wales after meeting the Creative Wales team at the conference in 2022.

The company, which also operates in New York City and Texas, opened an office in Cardiff that employed more than 50 creatives within its first year, helping expand the company’s product range and double its revenue.

Studios taking part in this year’s delegation include Breaking Change, COPA Gaming, Delta V and Dragon Scale Studios.

Dragon Scale Studios will use the event to showcase its latest in-development intellectual property, Snuggly Tails, described as a storybook-style adventure designed for parents and children to play together.

Co-founder and Studio Director Jan Pelka said: “We’re really happy to be heading back to GDC this year.

“It’s always an incredible opportunity to show off our newest prototype to a wider audience of industry professionals, and to spend time connecting with peers, publishers, and collaborators from across the games industry.

“Trade missions like this are hugely valuable for smaller studios.

“They help start-ups access large international events that might otherwise be difficult to attend, and they provide support, visibility, and a strong network while you’re there.

“The Welsh cohort in particular often becomes a group of close industry friends, and the relationships formed during these trips often are just as valuable as the meetings and conference themselves.

“Events like GDC also give studios like ours a chance to remind people that we’re very much alive, active, and continuing to make cool and mighty things!”

The games sector has become a growing part of Wales’ creative economy in recent years.

Notable successes include chart performance on Steam for Sker Ritual by Wales Interactive, and a long-term partnership between Sugar Creative, based in Cardiff, and Ubisoft to produce digital content.

The UK video games market was estimated to be worth about £7.82bn in 2023, while the global industry is valued at around £352bn.

Jack Sargeant, Wales’ Minister for Creative Industries, said: “This trade mission is an important tool that provides our talented creatives with opportunities to share new IP, build connections, share ideas and build lasting partnerships and reach audiences worldwide that will drive real growth back home.

“We’re making sure our games companies have every opportunity to grow and attract investment and I’m proud that through Creative Wales we can give our games industry the platform it deserves on the global stage.”