Manchester is the Gaming Capital of the UK

THE TOP 8 GAMING CITIES IN UK 

The second UK gaming hotspot is London. The capital city’s gaming statistics equate to 6,268 people per company, the highest in the UK. Imperial College London is top among the city's 35 universities offering computer science. Individuals eyeing a game developer role can expect an average of £58,922, the highest on the list. 

Liverpool is the third-best city for gaming. Companies such as Playrise and Thumbstar Games are among the 26 in the city, with developers earning an average salary of £49,047 yearly. Five universities in the city offer computer science, with the University of Liverpool ranking as the best in the city.  

Cardiff follows narrowly in fourth on the table. Home to Gamersclub, the city boasts 35 gaming companies. In the Welsh capital, a game developer can earn £4,071 on average every month, and there are two universities offering computer science, namely Cardiff University and Cardiff Metropolitan University. 

Ranking fifth on the list is Bristol. The city’s gaming companies equate to 11,522 people per company, totalling 41, they include Introvert Studios, Paper Street Games and ColePowered. Universities offering computer science courses in the city are the University of Bristol and University of the West England Bristol. Game developers here can take home an average salary of £46,580 annually. 

Edinburgh is the UK’s sixth gaming city, with 33 gaming companies measuring 16,788 people to one. There are five universities in the city offering computer science namely the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University.  Game developers can expect an average salary of £44,882, yearly.  

Newcastle upon Tyne ranks seventh, with the strongest population-to-university ratio of 30,020 people to one. The city’s average annual salary for game developers sits at £43,083. There are 11 gaming companies here.  

Sharing the same spot is Nottingham, with three universities offering computer science and 26 gaming companies in the city. Game developers in Nottingham can expect an annual salary of £41,955 on average. 

Coventry comes eighth, having 23 gaming companies in the city and three universities offering computer science. In ninth place is Leeds, with an average game developer salary of £57,609 but a weak population-to-gaming company ratio of 50,750 people to one.