ReportNeogames Finland
The Game Industry of Finland Report 2024
1 Jan 202464 pages~78 min full read
Finland’s game industry currently employs approximately 4,300 individuals, representing about 3,800 full-time positions.
See it on page 12A significant decline in private risk capital and publisher funding has forced studios to pivot toward B2B subcontracting, co-development agreements, and increased reliance on EU and national public R&D programs.
See it on page 19The ecosystem remains anchored by major players like Supercell, which employs over 800 staff and has produced seven global hit titles, alongside diverse ventures like the mental-health game developer Soihtu DTx, which recently secured a $4.2 million seed round.
See it on page 62Finnish studios are increasingly adopting collaborative production models, evidenced by cross-platform partnerships such as the collaboration between Ubisoft RedLynx and Zaibatsu Interactive.
See it on page 38Despite innovation in AI-assisted development and cloud gaming, the industry faces growth constraints due to a persistent shortage of senior developers and specialists proficient in Unreal Engine.
See it on page 20Regional innovation hubs, such as Jyväskylä’s EXPA, continue to play a critical role in maintaining the sector's dynamism amidst geopolitical uncertainty and rising regulatory complexity.
See it on page 34The 2024 overview of Finland’s game sector presents a comprehensive assessment of an industry that remains a global technology leader while confronting a tightening financing environment. Employment reached roughly 4,300 individuals, equivalent to about 3,800 full‑time positions, underscoring the sector’s significance within the national economy. However, a pronounced drop in private risk capital and publisher backing has pushed many studios toward B2B subcontracting, co‑development agreements, and an expanding reliance on European Union and national public R&D programmes, especially after recent reductions in regional funding streams.
Talent depth continues to drive innovation, with Finnish teams at the forefront of AI‑assisted development, proprietary engines, and cloud‑gaming solutions. Persistent shortages of senior developers and specialists in Unreal Engine, together with increasing regulatory complexity and geopolitical uncertainty, pose constraints on future growth. New public R&D instruments and targeted regional SME support aim to mitigate these pressures and sustain the ecosystem’s dynamism.
Geographically, the industry is anchored by a network of regional hubs, notably Jyväskylä’s EXPA, which serves as a northern innovation cluster. The ecosystem is highly diversified, ranging from global powerhouses such as Supercell—employing over 800 staff and delivering seven worldwide hit titles—to agile indie studios like Snowhound, which hosts more than 120 employees from over twenty nationalities, and niche ventures such as Soihtu DTx, which secured a $4.2 million seed round for a clinically validated mental‑health game. Across the board, firms are expanding into cross‑platform and co‑development projects, exemplified by collaborations between Ubisoft RedLynx and Zaibatsu Interactive, reflecting a broader trend toward collaborative, multi‑disciplinary production.
