The Finnish game industry employed 2,750 people in 2016, a steady increase from 2,500 in 2014 and 2,700 in 2015. The industry's turnover reached €2.5 billion in 2016, up from €2.4 billion in 2015 and a significant rise from €87 million in 2008.
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The number of active Finnish game companies grew from 2 in 2002 to 250 in 2016, with a notable acceleration in new studio founding years after 2010.
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Key challenges for Finnish game developers include the high cost and difficulty of user acquisition for Free-to-Play games, the unpredictability of the industry, and the need for professional management as companies grow.
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Mobile e-sports showed faster progress than VR in 2016, with VR remaining a niche market due to immature technology. Wargaming and Zynga established mobile development operations in Helsinki.
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Rovio's 'The Angry Birds Movie,' released in spring 2016, became the most successful film based on a mobile game. Secondary platforms like AppleTV and Android TV are gaining importance for mobile developers due to easier discoverability.
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The Finnish game industry's roots trace back to the 1980s with the rise of personal computers and a strong demo scene, which evolved into a mobile-focused industry in the 1990s due to Nokia's investments in WAP protocol.
Insights
01
The Finnish game industry employed 2,750 people in 2016, a steady increase from 2,500 in 2014 and 2,700 in 2015. The industry's turnover reached €2.5 billion in 2016, up from €2.4 billion in 2015 and a significant rise from €87 million in 2008.
02
The number of active Finnish game companies grew from 2 in 2002 to 250 in 2016, with a notable acceleration in new studio founding years after 2010.
03
Key challenges for Finnish game developers include the high cost and difficulty of user acquisition for Free-to-Play games, the unpredictability of the industry, and the need for professional management as companies grow.
04
Mobile e-sports showed faster progress than VR in 2016, with VR remaining a niche market due to immature technology. Wargaming and Zynga established mobile development operations in Helsinki.
05
Rovio's 'The Angry Birds Movie,' released in spring 2016, became the most successful film based on a mobile game. Secondary platforms like AppleTV and Android TV are gaining importance for mobile developers due to easier discoverability.
06
The Finnish game industry's roots trace back to the 1980s with the rise of personal computers and a strong demo scene, which evolved into a mobile-focused industry in the 1990s due to Nokia's investments in WAP protocol.