LONDON SET TO BECOME THE GAMES CAPITAL OF THE WORLD AS MAYOR OF LONDON INVESTS £1.2m AHEAD OF THE LONDON GAMES FESTIVAL

· Mayor of London commits further £1.2m to Games London to grow the games sector and generate revenue for London and the UK

· London Games Festival 2018 takes place April 5 to 15 and funding means Festival is locked in for 2019, 2020 and 2021

· Games London will facilitate a further £35m+ for games companies which in turn would create 270 jobs

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan today committed a further £1.2m to Games London in support of the capital’s burgeoning games industry.

The funding from the Greater London Authority guarantees a three-year programme of events and activities - including the annual London Games Festival - committed to generating revenue, supporting businesses, creating jobs and boosting skills and training.

The global games industry is worth over £100 billion per annum and the UK is the 5th largest video games market in terms of consumer revenues. UK games sales in 2017 generated a record £3.35bn, increasing 9.6 per cent on the previous year, and there are more games companies in London than anywhere else in the UK.

Games London is a partnership between the capital’s screen industries agency Film London and games trade body Ukie and the renewed three-year programme will include:

· The London Games Festival, showcasing the industry's cultural and economic impact

· International networking events to attract top investment to the UK

· Trade missions to promote the UK's Video Games Tax Relief and talent in the sector

· A range of training and skills initiatives

These activities are set to generate over £35m for games businesses and 270 full time jobs.

Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and Creative Industries said: “London’s creative industries are vital to our success as a global city. That’s why I am delighted that the Mayor has committed a further £1.2m to Games London. This deal will ensure the capital’s reputation as an international games centre will continue to grow and will provide a boost to jobs and investment in the city’s creative sector.”

Adrian Wootton OBE, Chief Executive of Film London and the British Film Commission, said: “Creative industries are the big success story of the London and UK economies and the rapidly expanding global Games industry is a key component of this success. London is a major player and I am delighted that the Mayor has recognised the importance of supporting the games industry, both within the newly launched Cultural Strategy and through the further investment into Games London to continue driving this cultural and economic success. It is a hugely exciting time and we are committed to cementing London’s status as a games leader and look forward to celebrating the sector’s achievements and talent at the London Games Festival in April.”

Dr Jo Twist OBE, Chief Executive of Ukie, said: “The Mayor’s continued support for the Games London programme is critical in maintaining and building on our global reputation as the capital for games and interactive entertainment. As an important part of the Mayor’s Cultural Strategy, the Festival celebrates the significance games play in an inclusive, diverse culture for all, and the investment programme is crucial in driving economic success for our innovative businesses making cutting edge experiences and technologies.”

The funding announcement comes as London gears up to welcome the third London Games Festival, arriving in the capital next month from 5 April to 15 April.

Delivered by Games London, the festival is expected to attract over 50,000 people across a mix of 40 public events for consumers and industry professionals in a programme the covers mobile, PC and indie games, VR and AR, esports, and fun and fascinating new forms of interactive entertainment.

The London Games Festival programme can be found at www.games.london .

For more information on the London Games Festival visit www.games.london . Follow @londongamesfest on Twitter or Instagram for more updates.