From record-breaking titles and corporate acquisitions to internal industry struggles and the console wars, the UK’s gaming sector navigates through a year of monumental changes and gears up for a promising 2024.
The UK’s gaming industry is, without doubt, experiencing a period of dynamic evolution. After a year that has seen record achievements and seismic corporate shifts, game enthusiasts now find themselves entering a revolutionised landscape.
In 2023, the gaming world reveled in a slew of highly-anticipated titles. Games like Baldur’s Gate, Zelda, and Alan Wake 2 have achieved critical acclaim, carving their names into the list of contenders for game of the year. But amid the celebrations, game developers faced a harsh reality marked by layoffs and studio closures – a stark contrast in a year filled with success on the screen yet turmoil behind the scenes.
The narrative of consolidation and business upheaval was underscored by Microsoft’s bold acquisition of Activision Blizzard – a move that could redefine industry power dynamics. This corporate chess move dovetailed with a courtroom drama that saw Epic Games emerge triumphant against Google in an antitrust lawsuit, as reported by The Guardian.
Not to be outdone, the entertainment sector contributed its share of headlines with the success of the Super Mario Movie and HBO’s The Last of Us series, marking a notable departure from the previously lukewarm reception of video game adaptations.
Yet, the year wasn’t without controversy. Unity’s contentious attempt at revising developer terms led to a notable corporate U-turn and subsequently the CEO’s resignation. And beneath these higher-level machinations, a silent battle simmers between subscription services vying for market supremacy.
The landscape shifts further as E3’s curtain falls, stirring speculations about the future shape of gaming conferences.
As gamers look onward, 2024 hints at a potential pause in the relentless release of new titles, offering a brief respite to delve into the backlog of games that may have eluded them. The impending release of GTA VI, revealed this year with a return to the neon-soaked streets of Vice City, only adds to the anticipation, as noted in Rockstar Games’ official statement.
In tandem, the market pulses with excitement following the announcement of Xbox Series X’s all-time low price of £342.42 – tempting deals abound for those eager to embrace Microsoft’s gaming ecosystem, enhanced by the expanding library of the Game Pass.
Moreover, the platform is set to welcome a kaleidoscope of new titles in 2024, promising experiences across genres, as described by Microsoft’s Andrew Williams. The inclusion of games like Persona 3 Reload and Hellblade 2 on the Game Pass could entice new subscribers to the flag.
It is within this vibrant atmosphere that rumblings about Sony’s PlayStation 5 Pro surface. Jeff Grubb’s musings on the Game Mess podcast suggest an enhanced console experience is on the horizon. Sony’s proprietary upscaling technology as mentioned in patent filings, alongside the community’s response to the PS5 Slim launch, stokes the fires of intrigue.
As sales figures by Ampere Analysis show, Sony’s PlayStation 5, with a sales total not far off the PS4, carves itself as the lodestar in the console universe, selling almost three times as much as its closest rival, the Xbox. This led to a resurgence in the console market with predictions of a 7.2% growth to $60.9bn this year.
Diving into 2024, the gaming world holds its breath – with the landscape morphing at an unprecedented rate, the coming year is poised to be electric with possibility, a golden era for players and a testing ground for industry giants.
