TIGA

What TIGA does

TIGA (The Independent Games Developers' Association), legally Independent Games Developers Association Limited, is a UK not-for-profit trade association founded in 2008 and headquartered at One London Wall, London. The organisation represents the UK video games industry across four member segments: game developers, digital publishers, higher education institutions, and service providers. Its stated mission is to make the UK the best place in the world to develop video games, pursued through five core service lines: policy and public affairs advocacy, awards programmes (TIGA Games Industry Awards, TIGA UK Games Education Awards, TIGA STAR Employer Award), education services including university course accreditation (35 accredited courses) and an annual education conference, industry research publications (the Korn Ferry-partnered Salary and Benefits Survey covering over 13% of the UK games workforce, the Skills Report, and the annual Making Games in the UK report produced with Games Investor Consulting), and business guidance resources for studios at various stages of maturity.

The association generates revenue through recurring annual membership subscriptions from UK game developers, publishers, universities, and service providers, supplemented by ticket sales and corporate sponsorship of events such as the TIGA Games Industry Awards, TIGA UK Games Education Awards, and the Start-up, Scale-up and Grow and Education conferences. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; delegate places at member events are free for TIGA members. Distribution is direct, primarily through the tiga.org website, direct sales to studios and universities, and partner channels such as the Develop:Brighton conference (where members receive a 10% discount). TIGA does not develop proprietary technology products and operates standard business technology for member communications and event management.

Leadership is provided by CEO Dr Richard Wilson OBE and Chairman Jason Kingsley OBE (also CEO and Creative Director of Rebellion). The organisation is governed by a Board of Directors, is structured as a company limited by guarantee with no external shareholders or venture investors, and has no parent company. Its most consequential strategic achievement to date was successfully campaigning for the introduction of Video Games Tax Relief in 2014, after which UK games development employment grew at an average of 9.9% annually. The association operates exclusively within the United Kingdom, covering all twelve UK regions and nations, and continues to publish guidance on the successor Video Games Expenditure Credit (VGEC) as of June 2026.

Name

TIGA

Legal name

Independent Games Developers Association Limited

Website

https://tiga.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TIGA (The Independent Games Developers' Association) is a UK not-for-profit trade association, founded in 2008 and headquartered in London, that represents UK video game developers, digital publishers, universities, and service providers through policy advocacy, industry awards, education accreditation, and primary research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: TIGA generates revenue through annual membership fees from UK game developers, digital publishers, universities, and service providers. The membership provides access to networking events, government engagement opportunities, industry research, and award programs.
2. Event Tickets and Sponsorships: Revenue from TIGA Games Industry Awards, TIGA Games Education Awards, conferences, and other industry events through ticket sales and corporate sponsorships.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

TIGA is a not-for-profit trade association that sells annual membership subscriptions to UK game developers, digital publishers, universities, and service providers. Members gain access to industry awards programs, university games course accreditation, research publications (industry salary survey, skills report, Making Games in the UK report), conferences, government and parliamentary policy advocacy, and networking events.

Product overview

TIGA (The Independent Games Developers Association) is a not-for-profit trade association representing the UK video games industry, offering a portfolio of programs and services rather than a single unified product. The core offerings include: industry awards programs (TIGA Games Industry Awards, TIGA UK Games Education Awards, TIGA STAR Employer Awards) that recognize excellence; education services (TIGA University Accreditation, TIGA Games Education Conference) that enhance skills; research publications (TIGA Salary and Benefits Survey, TIGA Skills Report, Making Games in the UK) that provide industry intelligence; business guidance resources (TIGA Start-up Scale-up and Grow Guide); and policy advocacy services engaging with Government. TIGA's membership includes UK game developers, digital publishers, universities, and service providers, with the stated vision of making the UK the best place in the world to develop video games.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TIGA Games Industry Awards: Annual awards programme recognising excellence in the UK video games industry.
• TIGA UK Games Education Awards
• TIGA STAR Employer Award
• TIGA Games Education Conference

Products and services

• TIGA Membership Annual subscription membership for UK game developers, digital publishers, universities, and service providers, providing access to awards entry benefits, government engagement, industry research, networking events, and education accreditation.
• TIGA Games Industry Awards Annual awards programme for studios and individuals to enter and be recognised for excellence and achievement in the UK video games industry.
• TIGA UK Games Education Awards Annual awards programme recognising outstanding students, education providers, and colleges for excellence in games education, including categories such as TIGA Graduate of the Year, Post-Graduate of the Year, and BTEC Learner of the Year.
• TIGA STAR Employer Awards Recognition award for games businesses demonstrating excellence in employment practices and workplace standards within the UK video games industry.
• TIGA University Accreditation Accreditation programme for UK university games courses against industry standards, ensuring graduates are prepared for careers in game development. As of 2022, 35 courses have achieved TIGA accreditation.
• TIGA Games Education Conference Annual conference bringing together industry leaders and education experts to share best practice and drive excellence in games education and skills development.
• TIGA Start-up, Scale-up and Grow Conference Annual industry conference for game development studios covering start-up, scale-up, and growth-stage business advice and resources.
• TIGA UK Games Software Developers' Salary and Benefits Survey Annual survey publication of salaries and benefits in the UK games software development industry, conducted in association with Korn Ferry, now in its 15th year and covering over 13% of the UK games development workforce across 10 job categories.
• TIGA Skills Report Annual research report analysing skills shortages in the UK games development sector, identifying affected disciplines and proposed policy measures to address training and recruitment challenges.
• Making Games in the UK Report Annual definitive report on the UK video games industry based on extensive surveys and analysis by Games Investor Consulting, covering employment, tax revenues, investment, and GDP contribution.
• Policy and Public Affairs Services Member service engaging with UK Government and Parliament to influence policy, including campaigns for Video Games Tax Relief/Video Games Expenditure Credit and positions on immigration, skills, and online harms.
• TIGA Start-up, Scale-up and Grow Guide Business guidance publication providing advice and resources for game development studios at various stages of business maturity, from start-up to scale-up and growth.

Quantifiable outcome

• 14.7% annualised growth rate in UK games development workforce (2020-2021)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• UNICEFflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2026PlanetPlay has partnered with UNICEF to create the PlayForEveryChild PC Games Collection launching October 2026. 100% of PlanetPlay's net profits will go to UNICEF's work for children including education, healthcare, climate resilience and emergency response.
• Develop:BrightoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTIGA is an industry partner for the Develop:Brighton Conference, one of the UK's biggest and most respected game development conferences. TIGA members receive 10% discount on conference passes. The partnership provides networking opportunities and industry visibility for TIGA members.
• Games Investor ConsultingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner conducting comprehensive surveys and analysis of UK games companies for TIGA's annual industry reports including 'Making Games in the UK'. Provides economic impact assessment and market data.
• Korn FerrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal human resources solutions business that partners with TIGA on the annual UK Games Software Developers' Salary and Benefits Survey, now in its 15th year, covering over 13% of the UK games development workforce.
• SpecialEffectcoreOthersLong-time TIGA Awards Charity Partner that transforms lives of people with physical challenges through innovative use of technology, helping them control video games to the best of their abilities.
• PlanetPlaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTIGA member PlanetPlay is a non-profit eco-conscious platform enabling games to support climate positive projects. The partnership involves environmental initiatives including Make Green Tuesday Moves sustainability campaigns.
• TIGA Accredited UniversitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of UK universities with TIGA-accredited games courses. Includes Norwich University of the Arts, Staffordshire University, Abertay University, University of Hertfordshire, Bournemouth University, Birmingham City University, and others. TIGA accreditation ensures industry-relevant curriculum.
• Creative AssemblyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHeadline sponsor of TIGA Best Practice in Games Education Conference. Industry partner providing speaker insights and supporting education initiatives.
• Sheffield Hallam UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTIGA-accredited university conducting research on gambling-related harms in video games as part of UK Research Institute initiative.
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlanetPlay is a key research partner for UNDP, working together on the Play2Act initiative using in-game polls to gather insights on climate and nature crises, as part of the EU Horizon and UKRI funded GREAT project.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• UKIE (UK Interactive Entertainment): UK Interactive Entertainment is the other principal trade body for the UK video games and interactive entertainment sector, covering publishers, developers, and consumer interests. It directly competes with TIGA for member dues, government advocacy mandates, and policy influence in Westminster.
• International Game Developers Association (IGDA): IGDA is the global membership association for game developers, with chapters and policy advocacy spanning multiple regions. It is structurally analogous to TIGA but at international scope, and competes for senior developer mindshare and global policy influence.

Regional players

• Entertainment Software Association of Canada (ESAC): ESAC is the trade association representing interactive entertainment companies in Canada, performing the same industry-advocacy role as TIGA but for the Canadian market. It is comparable in mission and member-service mix (policy, awards, research).
• BIU (German Games Industry Association): BIU is the trade body for the German games industry, representing publishers and developers in Berlin and the broader DACH market. It is a regional analog to TIGA, providing industry research, policy advocacy, and member services in a different geography.
• SELL (Syndicat des Éditeurs de Logiciels de Loisirs): SELL is the French video games trade association representing publishers and developers in France. It performs the same policy advocacy, industry representation, and rating system support function as TIGA, but at a national level in France.

Others

• European Games Developer Federation (EGDF): EGDF is the umbrella federation of European national game developer associations (often including TIGA's peers like IGDA-NA equivalents). It is comparable as a federating layer above TIGA's model and serves as both a partner and an emerging competitor for pan-European advocacy mandates.
• ScreenSkills: ScreenSkills is the UK industry body investing in skills and training across the screen industries, including games. It is comparable to TIGA's education accreditation and Skills Report activities, operating at a broader UK creative-skill level supported by government and industry levies.

Broad incumbents

• BAFTA: BAFTA is the UK's broader creative arts academy covering film, TV, and interactive entertainment with a global awards franchise. Its games awards program directly overlaps with TIGA's TIGA Games Industry Awards, competing for prestige, sponsor attention, and developer recognition.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TIGAMovement
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tiga

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TIGA