UK Game Development Sector Still Grapples with Skill Gaps, Affecting 29% of Studios

Despite a slight easing in skill shortages within the UK's gaming industry following its most significant decline, numerous studios continue to struggle with finding qualified candidates and adapting to shifting skill requirements. This is according to a report by TIGA, the trade association, in collaboration with the University of Portsmouth. Among the 29% of studios experiencing these shortages, the primary issue cited by 79% was the lack of applicants with the necessary skills, experience, or qualifications. Programming roles were identified as the most challenging to fill, with over half of the studios facing difficulties, in contrast to only 14% reporting shortages in art and design positions. The main consequences of these shortages include higher workloads for existing staff, cited by 62% of respondents, and an increased reliance on outsourcing, reported by 40%. To mitigate these issues, companies are focusing on internal promotions, outsourcing, and enhancing training for current staff, with each employee receiving an average of 13.5 days of training. The industry predominantly relies on experienced hires, who constitute 82% of new recruits, while graduates and apprentices account for 17% and 1%, respectively. TIGA's data indicates that 89% of teams are fully proficient in their roles, yet 31% of respondents noted gaps in leadership and management skills, and 25% identified issues with communication skills. In response, TIGA is advocating for the UK government to bolster the talent pipeline by enhancing core subjects in schools, investing in higher education, ensuring vocational qualifications meet industry needs, reviewing incentives for smaller studios to expand training, supporting flexibility in apprenticeships, and maintaining an effective migration system to attract international talent. According to TIGA CEO Richard Wilson, 'The UK games industry is characterized by a highly skilled and adaptable workforce. Although skill shortages have eased in line with the broader industry downturn, they persist, particularly in areas like programming.' Wilson emphasized the need for closer collaboration between the industry and education sector, alongside targeted policy support, to ensure the UK continues to produce the highly skilled professionals necessary for sustaining growth in the video game development sector. The survey, which garnered responses from 34 game companies employing 3,064 developers, represents 11% of the UK's industry workforce, and was conducted in Q4 2025, a time when the industry employed nearly 27,350 full-time equivalent roles across 2,110 games companies, with over 80% of the development workforce holding a degree or higher in many studios.