UK Video Games Council is a major win, and a marketing opportunity

 

The UK games industry has taken a major step forward. On 10 July 2025, the government launched the UK Video Games Council, a landmark move that recognises games not just as part of the creative industries, but as a vital cultural and economic force.

Chaired by Jason Kingsley (Rebellion) and Nick Button-Brown (Outright Games), and reporting directly to Creative Industries Minister Sir Chris Bryant MP, the council brings together 14 leading voices from across the sector; AAA studios, indie developers, trade bodies like Ukie and TIGA, and platforms including Microsoft and Miniclip. Their goal: to shape policy that supports growth, innovation, exports, skills, and education.

This is more than a symbolic gesture. It marks a structural shift that places games firmly on the national agenda, at a time when stability, investment, and support are urgently needed.

Following years of global uncertainty, this move sends a clear signal: the UK is serious about supporting its games industry. Backed by a £380 million investment in the creative sector and a £30 million Games Growth Package, the council offers reassurance to studios, investors, and talent alike.

It also gives the industry a direct voice in policy decisions, from tax relief and education to sustainability, inclusion, and regional development. The diversity of the council, across business models, platforms, and backgrounds, means it’s well positioned to build policies that benefit the whole ecosystem, not just the big players.

Games marketing and communications

The formation of the council is a golden opportunity for game studios not only to engage with government policy, but to tell compelling stories about who they are and what they do. For marketing and comms professionals, this is the time to connect your studio’s vision with a bigger national narrative.

This move by the UK government is about more than economic growth. It’s about values, supporting creativity, investing in young talent, encouraging innovation, and recognising the cultural impact of games. These are powerful themes that can be used to frame brand identity, campaigns, and communications across all channels.

Studios can show how public investment has helped them scale, hire, or break into new markets. They can demonstrate how their work aligns with the UK’s goals for sustainability, education, or exports. It strengthens their position with fans and the media and makes them more attractive to partners, investors, and new recruits.

There’s also a big opportunity here for thought leadership. Studios can create content that explains what this council means for the industry, or highlight the need for skills development and diversity. They can host panels, publish blog posts, collaborate with trade bodies, or profile employees whose careers have benefited from UK government support. Game developers have a chance to become part of a national conversation about the future of games, and help shape it.

Long-term potential

While the council is currently advisory and set to meet only twice a year, its long-term impact could be significant. If it succeeds, it could lay the groundwork for new funding programs, better tax relief, stronger export support, and improved training and education infrastructure. And it could ensure that UK developers have a voice when global decisions about regulation, IP, or digital markets are being made.

For the broader public, this initiative is a sign that games are no longer seen as a niche or novelty. They’re a cultural and economic force, and a central pillar of the UK’s creative industries strategy.

For developers, it’s a much-needed source of stability and support.

And for marketers, it’s a chance to move beyond selling products and start telling stories about impact, innovation, and ambition.

The UK Video Games Council represents a real shift in how the games industry is viewed and supported at a national level. It brings together the experience and insight of top leaders in the field, offers a route into meaningful policymaking, and sends a message of confidence at a time when the industry needs it most.

But this moment will only have lasting power if it’s used effectively. That means developers stepping forward, getting involved, and sharing their perspectives. And it means marketing and comms teams embracing the opportunity to position their studios not just as creative powerhouses, but as participants in a broader national mission, to make the UK the best place in the world to make games.

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