A £2.3 million initiative is financing the establishment of a new Games Innovation Zone in the United Kingdom

Guildford is now home to the University of Surrey's newest addition—the Games Innovation Zone—part of a £2.3 million initiative designed to uplift the area's gaming sector.

This newly inaugurated Zone features both a collaborative area and a dedicated space for testing and gaming. It's meant to bring together academics, local game developers, and esports professionals.

The project received funds from the Games And Innovation Nexus (GAIN), launched in February during the Guildford Games festival. GAIN's mission is to allocate £2.3 million to foster the gaming industry beyond London.

The funds are earmarked for three main objectives: linking university researchers with game companies to solve industry challenges, enhancing connections between the gaming sectors in Guildford and Leamington, and investing in the Games Innovation Zone as part of a broader ecosystem development.

Part of this initiative includes plans to expand the incubation center at the University for the Creative Arts in Farnham.

The GAIN initiative is supported by Research England, Surrey County Council, the University of Surrey, UCA Farnham, Warwick University, and Warwickshire County Council.

Caroline Fleming, director of the Surrey Innovation District, remarked: "It's so exciting to see the Games Innovation Zone come to life. As well as being the hub for academic collaboration, creativity and gameplay, [yesterday's] opening is a leap forward towards the next generation of gaming. The innovative solutions generated inside the new Zone will help to tackle the industry's biggest challenges, showcasing to the world Guildford's credentials as the UK's 'Hollywood for video games'."