"We're about to see the first-ever generation of pensioner gamers"
Companies in the East of England are preparing to welcome the first generation of pensioner gamers, over 50 years since the first home video game console hit the market.
As those who grew up with gaming age, demand has shifted.
Players now want more complex, immersive experiences.
This shift is creating opportunity and competition, as start-ups in Norwich grow alongside established names like Jagex, Ninja Theory and Frontier Developments, all based in Cambridge.
Nick Poole, chief executive of Ukie, the trade body for the UK games industry, said:
“It’s been the most incredible 50 years. We’re about to see the first-ever generation of pensioner gamers… it’s amazing.”
He credits part of the recent growth to what he calls a “crossover” between gaming and other media, such as television and film:
“The transformation of the role of games in people’s lives as a form of entertainment has been beyond anything we could have imagined 40 years ago.
“I think the reason is if you love the world and you enjoyed playing it in-game, then you want to spend time watching and living it in other media as well.”
Cambridge-based Frontier Developments is among the region’s biggest employers in the gaming sector.
Game director Rich Newbold said: “We’ve been around for 30 years, growing from a team of people working on a farm in Ely to where we are now.”
“When I joined the company there were only 70 of us. Now, there are about 600.”
Frontier is known for a range of titles including Planet Zoo and Planet Coaster 2, where players manage zoos, theme parks, space travel and even F1 teams.
Newbold said demand had surged during the pandemic:
“Appetites have grown. Video games can bring joy but more than that, they fulfil a need as people prioritise leisure time.”
Figures from Ukie show that in 2016, 2,400 people worked in gaming in the East of England. That number has since climbed to 3,105 across 160 companies.
The industry now contributes £212 million to the regional economy, up from £122 million in 2016.
Iz Head entered the industry after their mother suggested it could be a career.
They co-founded Moss Monkey in their final year at Norwich University of the Arts.
Iz said: “The gaming scene is growing massively in Norwich at the moment.
“I absolutely love it. We’re at a point where tonnes of new studios are coming through; tonnes of new games.”
Their current game, Outclaw, follows a spirit cat called Giblet that causes chaos around the world.
“It’s been brilliant to work on, but a lot of hours have been put in applying for grants.”
They admitted they considered part-time jobs to support themselves, but this would have delayed development.
Their journey reflects broader challenges faced by smaller developers.
Mark Backler, founder of Norwich-based Sketchbook Games, said:
“Gaming can give you a broad, diverse career and while there’s a good degree of support for start-ups, more could be done.
“France and Canada have world-class support and tax relief for the games industry. Any more that could be done would make a huge difference, especially against our main competitors in the US and Japan.”
His game, Lost Words, written by Rhianna Pratchett, daughter of author Terry Pratchett, uses a fantasy world to explore themes of trauma.
Backler said:
“There are lots of different roles that you can do within games.”
“It’s not just programming. There’s composing the music and making the sound effects.
“There’s writing the story, there’s production, there’s marketing and as games evolve, you never know, economists might play a part, or even architects.”
With younger talent rising and older gamers staying engaged, the East of England’s gaming sector appears ready for its next level.
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