Game Developer Index 2023: Sweden

The Swedish games industry saw total global revenue reach €8.1 billion in 2022, a 40% increase driven by aggressive international expansion and large-scale acquisitions like Embracer Group’s purchase of Asmodee.

Domestic revenue in Sweden rose 13% to €3.1 billion in 2022, supported by a 20% growth in active companies to a total of 939 studios.

Swedish-owned game companies now operate nearly 400 studios across 59 countries, with the industry employing nearly twice as many people abroad as it does within Sweden.

A chronic shortage of skilled labor remains a critical production bottleneck, forcing the industry to rely heavily on foreign recruitment despite domestic employment growing to over 8,400 positions.

Swedish startups face a competitive disadvantage due to a lack of formal domestic venture capital, often forcing them to rely on organic growth or early acquisition.

Industry sustainability efforts are shifting toward Scope 3 emissions, which account for over 99% of the sector's total carbon footprint.

New operational risks have emerged regarding the use of generative AI and online radicalization, alongside ongoing workforce impacts from geopolitical instability.