June 22, 2020

The APPG held its first virtual meeting on 15 June 2020. The group discussed the various ways in which the interactive entertainment sector has supported the fight against Covid-19. The APPG also published a companion mini-report detailing the initiatives.

Ukie says that many people have been turning to video games and esports in this period to stay socially connected, maintain their mental wellbeing, and keep entertained. The games industry has recognised its responsibility and powerful reach in this crisis, and has taken a great number of actions to help support players, people, and public health.

Taking place over Zoom, the APPG and guests first listened to industry speakers present the initiatives that the games industry launched during the crisis. Speakers and topics included:

• Games for Carers: Keymailer spoke on the campaign to provide tens of thousands of free games to the frontline NHS heroes, donated from across the games industry;
• UK Government partnership: King presented on how they participated in the partnership between leading games companies and the UK Government in placing essential public health messaging in games, reaching millions;
• #PlayApartTogether: Riot Games ran through how they contributed to the global #PlayApartTogether campaign where games companies around the world agreed to disseminate World Health Organisation health guidance;
• Player wellbeing during the crisis: AskAboutGames discussed some of the wellbeing campaigns being undertaken by the industry, including the launch of the Family Game Database as well as a boost to Ukie’s Get Smart About P.L.A.Y. campaign;
• Esports and the pandemic: Ukie provided an overview of how the esports sector has been uniquely affected by the pandemic, and how it could be supported going forward.

Ukie says that attendees then discussed how the crisis period had demonstrated the resilience and agility of the interactive entertainment industry, and how it was well placed to help rebuild the UK economy as we recover from the pandemic. Emphasis was placed on the regional spread of the games industry to achieve this. With 55% of games development jobs existing outside of the South East in high productivity and high growth creative hubs, supporting the games sector means supporting local clusters in all four nations of the UK. To read Ukie’s report in full, click here.