The UK Games Fund is anticipated to produce productivity gains ranging from £30 million to £58 million

A recent analysis indicates that the UK Games Fund (UKGF) has the potential to enhance the UK's economy by contributing between £30 million and £58 million ($40.6 million to $78.5 million) in productivity gains.

The Evaluation of the UK Games Fund report, released on July 18, was independently produced by Alma Economics. It examines the economic impact of this non-profit dedicated to early-stage support for UK game developers.

Through a cost-benefit analysis, the report estimates that the present three-year phase of the UKGF, which began in 2015, could yield up to £58 million ($78.5 million) in productivity returns, primarily due to increased salaries for video game developers receiving support.

The analysis highlights a benefit-cost ratio between 3.8 and 7.3, with a midpoint estimate of 4.8, calculated in relation to delivery costs.

The report also discovered that the initiative contributed to job creation within the UK video game industry. After one year, firms supported by the UKGF saw an increase of 0.3 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees compared with those without such support.

For every additional £10,000 ($13,500) in funding, there was also a 0.2 FTE rise and a 5% increase in developing reusable assets or code, with higher funding associated with greater increases.

Economic projections suggest that this iteration of the UKGF will result in approximately 430 new FTE roles in the sector.

In January, the UKGF was awarded a "record-breaking" £5.5 million ($7.4 million) funding by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy at a Creative Industries event in Gateshead.

This funding has enabled the UKGF to anticipate being "funded for 2025/6 at a level surpassing previous annual grants," according to the organization.

Recently, in June, the UK Government set up a UK Video Games Council, bringing industry leaders closer to government, alongside a new £30 million ($40.6 million) Games Growth package to further aid in the development of British games.