TIGA, the network for developers that represents the UK games industry, has released some findings that show PC development is on the up-and-up in the United Kingdom. Across every area, development of PC games has increased, whilst mobile development saw its first decline in four years.
During 2014 PC development accounted for 37% of all UK studios, an increase from 2013’s 34%.
Of all the new studios opening in the UK during 2014, 52% were developing for the PC as their primary focus.
Mobile development still reigns king in the UK, but has suddenly started to see its first decline. Overall UK studios developing mobile as their primary focus dropped a per cent down to 48%, and of all newly opened companies just 35% were mobile developers.
“PC gained steam in 2014, with 37 per cent of studios adopting it as their primary platform choice up from 34 per cent in 2013,” said TIGA CEO Dr Richard Wilson in a statement. “This appears to have been fuelled by two major changes. A number of developers have refocused away from mobile to PC, perceiving the latter to be a less competitive market. Also, PC has overtaken mobile as the platform of choice for new market entrants with 52 per cent of new games companies in 2014 focused on PC versus 35 per cent focused on mobile.”
PC games are gaining steam in the UK then, with part of that steam almost certainly being fuelled by Steam and its wide-approach market.