Senedd Culture Committee visit USW to explore the gaming industry in Wales

Members of the Senedd’s Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee were welcomed to the University of South Wales today (Thursday 2 May) to explore how the video game industry in Wales can be better supported.

The Committee members, including the Chair, Delyth Jewell, Alun Davies, Lee Waters, Llyr Gruffydd and Carolyn Thomas, enjoyed a tour of the facilities at USW’s Cardiff Campus, including demonstrations of green screen/virtual production technology and a showcase of student work.

They also met with video games developers from some of Wales’ leading digital technology companies, seeing demonstrations of their games and taking part in discussions on challenges affecting the sector. The input of the industry professionals will then be used to scope any future work by the Committee on the video games industry in Wales.

Their discussions covered topics such as the health of the gaming sector and its growth potential; Welsh Government support for the gaming sector; opportunities for career development; and the cultural value of games representing Wales and Welsh life.

The event followed on from the publication of the Games Survey Wales, which was produced by USW to provide a systematic mapping out of the video games sector in Wales, highlighting the skills challenges and training needs of the industry.

It also explores the support that the video games industry receives in Wales, UK, Europe and the rest of the world. The report provides informed insights into a sector that is currently under-developed and less well understood than the film and TV sectors in the Cardiff Capital Region, and Wales more broadly, as well as making a series of recommendations.

Richard Hurford, co-author of the report and Media Cymru Skills & Training Lead, said: “Industry and public sector organisations need to invest in skills provision to support a sustainable Welsh video games sector, and to capitalise on the rapidly growing demand for games across the whole of the screen sector, including adjacent areas that use games technology such as virtual production.

“Having the members of the Culture Committee visit USW and see our Games courses and facilities in action is a crucial part of our future work to establish sustainable growth, and help to create a successful, robust industry. With the right support and training in place, the future looks bright.”

Delyth Jewell, Chair of the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee at the Senedd, added: “We were delighted to visit to the University of South Wales to see the wonderful work being done across the creative industries courses, particularly in Games production.

“It was particularly valuable to be able to meet with games developers and ask them about the opportunities and challenges that are facing the industry. Their work brings so much enjoyment to people’s lives, and helps to share Wales with the world; broadcasting our talent on an international scale. Therefore it’s so important to have these discussions about what is being done well, and what could be done better.”