The Swedish games industry experienced significant growth in 2018, with a 33% increase in value to EUR 1.87 billion, marking its tenth consecutive profitable year with total profits exceeding EUR 335 million.
02
The industry is expanding, with 41 new companies and over 600 new employees added in Sweden in 2018, an increase of 12% in new companies.
03
The corporate landscape has shifted, with seven companies now having revenues over EUR 100 million; Embracer Group, after acquiring Koch Media, is the largest Swedish games company, surpassing previous dominators Mojang and King.
04
Swedish game companies contribute significantly to the economy, with the 25 largest companies paying EUR 114 million in tax on profits and the 15 largest contributing over EUR 100 million in wage taxes.
05
Swedish game developers are expanding globally, with 31 Swedish-owned studios employing 2,604 people outside Sweden in 2018, and notable acquisitions and investments by Swedish companies in international firms.
06
The industry benefits from a robust ecosystem of incubators and local clusters, particularly in Skövde (since 2004) and Gothenburg (since 2016), which have fostered over 100 companies.
07
The shift towards digital sales models like Games as a Service (GaaS), microtransactions, and subscriptions has led to more stable revenue streams and improved company margins, increasing investor interest and company valuations.
Insights
01
The Swedish games industry experienced significant growth in 2018, with a 33% increase in value to EUR 1.87 billion, marking its tenth consecutive profitable year with total profits exceeding EUR 335 million.
02
The industry is expanding, with 41 new companies and over 600 new employees added in Sweden in 2018, an increase of 12% in new companies.
03
The corporate landscape has shifted, with seven companies now having revenues over EUR 100 million; Embracer Group, after acquiring Koch Media, is the largest Swedish games company, surpassing previous dominators Mojang and King.
04
Swedish game companies contribute significantly to the economy, with the 25 largest companies paying EUR 114 million in tax on profits and the 15 largest contributing over EUR 100 million in wage taxes.
05
Swedish game developers are expanding globally, with 31 Swedish-owned studios employing 2,604 people outside Sweden in 2018, and notable acquisitions and investments by Swedish companies in international firms.
06
The industry benefits from a robust ecosystem of incubators and local clusters, particularly in Skövde (since 2004) and Gothenburg (since 2016), which have fostered over 100 companies.
07
The shift towards digital sales models like Games as a Service (GaaS), microtransactions, and subscriptions has led to more stable revenue streams and improved company margins, increasing investor interest and company valuations.