Portfolio Boost for the UK Games Fund

Key insights

6 slides

Funding initiative

The UK Games Fund has awarded grants to 21 game development companies in Round 7.

Each selected UK-based studio received up to £25,000 in funding. This initiative aims to accelerate development cycles and support original intellectual property creation.

Development goals

The funding aims to help studios reach critical development milestones, such as completing an Alpha version.

This financial support is designed to accommodate varying production schedules. It allows developers to secure early-stage progress and improve commercial prospects.

Milestone support. The UK Games Fund aims to assist studios in reaching critical development milestones, such as the completion of an Alpha version.

1 / 6

Ask AI about this article

Summary

The UK Games Fund announced on May 12, 2022 that 21 studios from across the UK have been awarded grants of up to £25,000 each following the completion of the two-stage selection process for Round 7. Because Rounds 7 and 8 opened for applications within a few months of each other, the combined total of grants awarded across both rounds now stands at 44. The announcement is framed as a portfolio boost arriving at the start of a new funding cycle.

Round 7 was designed specifically for studios with prior experience developing and shipping a game as a team. Successful applicants were expected to have a fully formed development team and a detailed route to market. Roughly 270 Expressions of Interest were submitted, and close to 50 candidates were interviewed last year. The review panel discussed each project, the applicant's need for grant support, and the likely impact of funding on the business. All interviewees were considered high-potential nominees, with 21 ultimately selected.

The funded companies are Madowl Games, Billy Goat Entertainment, DotC Studios, The Dairymen, Thunkd, Supergonk, White Paper Games, Arrogant Pixel, Mind Feast Games, Sketchbook Games, Cinder Cone, Polygon Treehouse, SFB Games, GLITCHERS, Soft Leaf Studios, Unusual Cadence, Playtra Games, Hollow Ponds Games, Nerd., Superstring, and Hyper Luminal Games.

CEO Paul Durrant noted that announcing the funding at the start of the new cycle, having supported companies across financial years, made it easier to accommodate differing production schedules. Rob Madden of Hyper Luminal Games said the grant will let the studio begin development early and reach its first major Alpha milestone for a new original IP, improving its chances of commercial success. Further details on funded projects and future application calls are available through the fund's website and newsletter.