How little Leamington became a global player in gaming

Leamington Spa has achieved world-renown status as a leader in the gaming industry with the sector now a significant factor in the economy of the town and the county of Warwickshire.

Here, in an article first featured in The Guardian newspaper's Small Business Network, Ollie Clarke, the founder of Modern Dream, reflects upon the rise of "Silicon Spa" and the challenges facing it now and in the future.

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Approximately 75% of the digital media companies in Leamington are gaming companies. It is known as the Silicon Spa. 

This games cluster grew out of the success of games developer and publisher Codemasters – which really was a trailblazer – and then Blitz Games Studios. Other companies moved or set up here to be near those companies. As the businesses thrived, some staff left to set up on their own but stayed local.

I moved to Warwickshire in 2002, when it was still very early days for the video games industry. Much of what I knew was self-taught, but there was already a developing industry cluster in Leamington, and I was offered a job with Blitz Games.

It was a great place to work – the two founders were passionate game makers and they encouraged us to make good games and to keep high professional standards.

When the company folded in 2013 and 175 staff lost their jobs, everyone was devastated.

At the time we were making a game for Sega called Typing of the Dead, so I decided to see if we could carry on. I spoke to the lawyer who acted for Blitz and he said “no chance.” But, in the best British tradition, we went down to the pub and he told me I could approach them.

I met with Sega in Leamington the next day. They had faith and understanding and said to finish the game. Those of us who had been developing the game at Blitz worked at my flat, split the budget and got the game out.

And that is how the cluster here in Leamington has developed. In many ways the demise of Blitz made various people sit up and take notice of the sector in this area, its value to the economy and its economic potential.

Warwick District Council, Warwickshire County Council and the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership have all realised the importance of gaming. The rise of a thriving creative sector, especially in a town known for its independent retailers, is good for attracting younger people and retaining graduates.

There are almost 1,000 people working in the video games industry now, with more than 40 companies in and around Leamington, which for a town of less than 50,000 people is incredible.

Local firms range from large studios such as Codemasters, Sega Hardlight and Freestyle Games, to small micro studios such as Monster and Monster, my own Modern Dream and Midoki .

As well as support from the LEP and the councils, our local MP, Chris White is the chair of the all-party group on video games and has pushed the interests of the industry very hard.

People come to Leamington to learn how to make games and that means a bit of the town’s DNA is in the industry. People in every major games studio in the world have started or developed their careers here.

In 2014 a group of us set up Arch Creatives, a not-for-profit studio space in a converted railway arch, where people pay a monthly fee for a desk.

There are regularly 15 or so developers working here on five invested games and we have doubled our space in the first year.

At Arch Creatives we have seen councils, LEPs and the government make huge steps forward to support a growing games industry in the UK. However there is more to do.

The recent video games sector report, published by the games industry trade body UKIE, offers five solid recommendations to encourage the industry to reach its full potential.  One of those is that regional growth, foreign direct investments and exports are supported across the UK. This would enable the whole country to benefit from a vibrant games industry. 

These clusters are vital for the future of video games production in the UK and need continued support.