Are Gaming Events London-centric?
A decade ago, the answer would certainly be yes. However, in the past few years, the UK has expanded its development houses and seen studios take off in various different regions. Take Birmingham, for instance. It’s become a haven for indie studios unable to afford the astronomical expense of a London office. Then there’s Rockstar studios situated in Scotland and, at the opposite end of Britain, the start-up-friendly South East, with droves of indie studios calling Horsham and Brighton home. This is certainly boosted by the presence of Creative Assembly and the Brighton Indie Collective in the area.
Even the bigger Japanese developers aren’t usually located in the heart of the big smoke: Marvelous AQL Europe and Koei Tecmo have cut costs by setting up office in the surrounding home counties instead.
When it comes to events, the biggest gaming expos are actually outside London, namely EXG and Insomnia. London does host the huge MCM Comic-Con, but gaming is only one aspect of this massive celebration of modern pop culture.
What, then, should we take away from all of this? All too often London is assumed to be the cultural epicentre of the nation. However, when it comes to gaming that is simply no longer true. So be sure to check out what studios and events there are in your area and get involved in the local scene!
