Latest News
How remakes and remasters are driving the UK gaming economy

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With 37.3 million gamers, the UK gaming industry is the biggest in Europe
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New report finds remastered games to be a driving force behind industry growth
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Gaming is more accessible than ever thanks to the rise of mobile gaming
Nineties teens are 69%1 more likely than the national average to spend between 21 and 28 hours gaming every week. And with this age group 47% more likely to have access to a Nintendo Switch, PS4 (42%) and Xbox One (44%), a new report reveals how developers are tapping into this market to drive the UK gaming economy.
From the impact of remakes and remasters, to how digital downloads are changing the industry, online smartphone retailer, Mobiles.co.uk, has taken an in-depth look at how the UK’s gaming industry is evolving.
The study reveals that the UK gaming industry has experienced huge growth in the past 10 years, with retail sales revenue between 2009 and 2019 increasing by a huge 72.6%2. Further insight also reveals that in 2019, the entire UK video game industry generated a huge £5.35 billion1 in revenue, with £3.77 billion3 of that total generated from video game software sales. But with an impressive 37.3 million4 gamers in the UK alone, what exactly is contributing to this growth?
According to Mobiles.co.uk’s report, the trend for remastered games including Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy, Resident Evil 2 and The Legend of Zelda Link’s Awakening, all play significant roles in the growth of the gaming industry here in the UK.
The new UKIE UK Top Selling Games List for 2019 revealed the below remakes/remastered games were amongst the top 100 best selling boxed games sold in 2019, while the more recent Final Fantasy VII remake quickly became one of the PS4’s best selling game to date:
Rank |
Title |
Monthly Search Volume |
16 |
Crash Bandicoot N.SaneTrilogy |
6,6005 |
21 |
Resident Evil 2 |
27,1005 |
32 |
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening |
8,1005 |
Still remaining in the top 20 for the UK’s best-selling games of 2019 two years after its release, Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy receives around 6,600 unique searches every month4, its continuing popularity indicates that British gamers are becoming increasingly nostalgic when it comes to their gaming choices.
Crash Bandicoot also features at number 21 in the 2019 list. The remaster spiked the interest of gamers in the UK with a huge 49% increase in search volume over the past 12 months alone5. With an average of 27,100 monthly searches5, the franchise’s decision to reboot this classic was certainly welcomed by the industry, indicating there is a huge appetite for nostalgic gameplay here in the UK.
The final remaster included in the list of the top-selling games is The Legend of Zelda Link’s Awakening. Originally launched on the Game Boy in 1993, the remake was designed for the Nintendo Switch. As of March 2020, the new Link’s Awakening had sold more than four million copies globally6, and it’s one of the best-selling games of all time for the Nintendo Switch.
Lee Chambers, Psychologist and gaming expert, commented on the research: “Gaming and nostalgia are heavily interconnected, to the point where it fuels trends and shapes the industry direction. Video games are incredible triggers for nostalgia, anchoring us back to an often carefree time, when we had fewer responsibilities and gaming became a social construct as groups of children all sat around in a bedroom socialising while playing.
“The reality of the industry is that nostalgic gamers are now the ones with purchasing power to relive past glories fighting dragons of their youth, while being decision-makers for buying games as presents for their children. And that is gradually shaping the industry, risk aversion for the new, settling for the old. Your average early millennial is approaching 40. They don’t have the time they did as a child to form an emotional bond to a game’s story with life’s distractions, but a remake removes that barrier, making it all the more attractive.”
The new study also reveals the impact digital downloads are having on the industry, with over two thirds (70%)6 of the UK’s total video game sales revenue, generating a total of £2.63 billion6, coming from digital downloads. Even more remarkably, 42%6 of this revenue came directly from mobile games, indicating a shift in the industry towards smartphone gaming.
The report indicates that UK gamers are not only changing the way they purchase games but thanks to recent advancements in smartphone technology – including cinematic displays, advanced GPUs and even the introduction of high-speed 5G – they’re also expanding the devices they play on.
With a projected 2%7 compound annual growth rate, the huge surge in the mobile gaming sector is predicted to maintain its momentum in 2020 and beyond. An estimated 21 million people in the UK played a mobile game in 20197, with 19% of users aged 18 to 24, 37% falling in the 25-34 age bracket and 23% aged 35-447.
Andrew Cartledge, mobile expert at Mobiles.co.uk, says “In the UK, and all across the world, there’s no doubt that the gaming industry is growing at a rapid speed. The excitement for the next remake or remaster makes sure there’s still a place for the old, while the huge shift towards digital assures the industry and its consumers can keep up with the new.
“Mobile gaming is already huge in 2020 and will only get bigger in the years to come. If you’re interested in trying out some of the very best mobile games like PUBG and Fortnite for yourself, make sure you have a powerful handset to play on.”
For the full report on the UK gaming industry, mobile gaming, remasters and more, please visit: https://www.mobiles.co.uk/blog/understanding-the-uk-gaming-industry-mobiles-remasters-and-more/#fn1
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eSports
Esports Charts Becomes Official Viewership Analytics Partner of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025

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Esports Charts, the leading esports viewership analytics provider, has partnered with StarLadder, a pioneering tournament organiser. The Budapest Major 2025 marks a highly anticipated comeback for StarLadder, as it is their first Counter-Strike Major since 2019 and a significant return to the top-tier esports arena.
As the official analytics partner of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, Esports Charts will provide comprehensive, real-time audience data and insights throughout the event. This will empower organisers, teams, sponsors and fans with unparalleled transparency and a deeper understanding of the tournamentâs global reach.
Artyom Odintsov, Co-founder and CEO of Esports Charts, said: âWe are thrilled and proud to provide viewership analytics for StarLadder for the Budapest Major 2025. Since both Esports Charts and StarLadder are Ukraine-born companies, we share similar values and deal with similar challenges, which brings us even closer.
âItâs genuinely exciting to follow how viewership will develop at this Major. But knowing the expertise, drive, and passion that the organizers are bringing, I have no doubt weâll witness some incredible things happen in Budapest.
âEsports Charts has always been driven by a mission to provide the esports community with accurate, actionable data, and we look forward to showcasing the impact and audience engagement of this world-class event.â
StarLadder has been a driving force in global esports for almost 15 years now, since hosting its first tournaments in 2011. Renowned for its innovation and reliability, the company has organised some of the industryâs most iconic events. These include the StarLadder Berlin Major 2019, which accumulated over 44 million hours watched and remains in the top 10 CS events by this metric, and the legendary StarSeries tournaments which started back in 2012.
Viacheslav Shcherbakov, Sales and Partnerships at StarLadder, said: âWeâve been working with Esports Charts since their founding and have always valued their professionalism and integrity. In a market where reliable data is essential, Esports Charts provides honest, transparent numbers, exactly the kind of insights sponsors and stakeholders rely on when assessing the potential reach of a World Championship event.
âWeâre confident that this partnership will result in a high-quality analysis of our tournamentâs performance and the audience data weâll report to our partners. Itâs a collaboration built on trust, shared values, and a deep understanding of what it takes to elevate esports to the next level.â
The Starladder Budapest Major 2025 will be held from November 24 to December 14 in Budapest, Hungary. The event will bring together the worldâs top 32 Counter-Strike 2 teams to compete for a $1.25 million prize pool and one of the most prestigious titles in esports.
The post Esports Charts Becomes Official Viewership Analytics Partner of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
Superbet Becomes New Main Sponsor of Jagiellonia BiaĹystok

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Superbet has become the new main sponsor of Jagiellonia BiaĹystok. The logo of one of Polandâs leading bookmakers will appear on the front of the Podlasie teamâs match jerseys. This is the fourth Ekstraklasa club, alongside Lech PoznaĹ, GĂłrnik Zabrze and GKS Katowice, to join the bookmakerâs extensive sponsorship portfolio.
The new partnership is more than just a logo on a jersey â the collaboration between Jagiellonia and Superbet is intended to have a particularly fan-focused nature. The brand is announcing numerous dedicated campaigns, events and surprises aimed at fans of the yellow and reds. The first of these has already launched with the announcement of the partnership â and will undoubtedly delight anyone planning to purchase the new jersey.
Superbet will pay a 100 PLN bonus towards the purchase of an official Jagiellonia match jersey. A total of 1920 jerseys will be available as part of the promotion â a number symbolically related to the year the club was founded. The promotion is valid both in-store and online and is open to all Superbet app users.
âWhen making a purchase in a stationary store, all you need to do is show the installed application, and for online customers, verification will take place via the email address: [email protected], to which you can simply send a short message, and in response, fans will receive a unique code entitling them to purchase a T-shirt at a discount,â explains Bartosz Malaka, Head of Marketing & Sponsoring at Superbet.
However, this is not the end of surprises for fans of the BiaĹystok club, because if they register using the special code âJAGA,â they will also receive a welcome bonus.
âJagiellonia fits perfectly into our sponsorship strategy â itâs a club with ambition, a strong identity, and enormous potential that combines modernity with local character. Wââre thrilled to be embarking on this journey together. Our logo will now appear on the fronts of the jerseys of four Ekstraklasa clubs, confirming our continued leadership in sports sponsorship,â said Ĺukasz Seweryniak, General Manager of Superbet Polska.
âJaga is the perfect partner for us â with a great history and a huge, loyal community of fans who live and breathe this club every day. With them in mind, weâre preparing a whole package of activations, surprises, and events designed to build even stronger bonds. We want to show that just as Jaga is a super club, Superbet is a super sponsor,â Malaka said.
âI am extremely proud and happy to have entered into a partnership with such a renowned and recognizable brand as Superbet. I would like to emphasize that this is the highest-ever sponsorship agreement in the clubâs history, which further underscores the importance of this partnership. I believe the word âpartnershipâ is key in the context of our agreement. I am most pleased that we are not just gaining a sponsor, but a true partner with whom we will achieve great things together,â said Ziemowit DeptuĹa, President of the Management Board of Jagiellonia BiaĹystok SSA.
The partnership with Superbet is another important step in Jagielloniaâs development â not only in terms of sporting activities, but also in terms of modern marketing and fan engagement. Both parties emphasize that this will be a collaboration based on genuine commitment and closeness to fans.
The post Superbet Becomes New Main Sponsor of Jagiellonia BiaĹystok appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Australia
VGCCC Fines Werribee RSL for Self-exclusion Failures

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The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has fined the Werribee RSL $30,000 for failing to prevent 2 self-excluded customers from gambling.
VGCCC CEO Suzy Neilan said: âThis is the first time the VGCCC has taken disciplinary action against a club or hotel for self-exclusion breaches.
âSelf-exclusion programs empower people to manage their gambling by registering to be temporarily or permanently blocked from entering gambling areas of clubs, pubs and casinos.
âBy failing to respect a personâs decision to self-exclude, a venue may put customers who have decided to take a break from gambling, or quit altogether, at risk of experiencing gambling harm.â
In January 2024, the VGCCC received an anonymous tip-off that a self-excluded person entered the Werribee RSL gaming room and used the poker machines. The venue self-reported a second breach in May 2024, after realising a different customer had gambled at the venue on at least 4 occasions between February and May 2024.
Ms Neilan said: âTaking disciplinary action is the last resort. We would prefer venues take their harm minimisation responsibilities seriously by complying with their legal obligations, including through the effective implementation of tools like self-exclusion.
âVenues and their staff are the last line of defence for self-excluded customers, who should be able to trust that their decision to self-exclude will be respected. They must have the appropriate controls in place to prevent self-excluded people from entering gaming rooms.â
The VGCCC acknowledged that Werribee RSL cooperated with the investigations and has since taken steps to strengthen its procedures. These include improved and regular staff training, daily audits of the self-exclusion register and greater use of technology to identify self-excluded customers who attempt to enter the gaming room.
This remedial action was taken into consideration in determining the amount of the fine.
The post VGCCC Fines Werribee RSL for Self-exclusion Failures appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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