A new ten-year deal has been signed which business leaders hope will make the West Midlands the epicentre of esports in the UK.
The so-called ‘strategic framework agreement’ has been agreed with the Global Esports Federation, a trade body established in Singapore in 2019 to represent the worldwide esports gaming sector.
It comes just weeks ahead of the inaugural Commonwealth Esports Championships in August which was announced in February and will run in parallel with this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
The partnership will see the West Midlands join a network of global hubs, including the at federation’s headquarters in Singapore and sites in Brazil, China, Africa and others.
It will focus on three areas – employment and skills, policy and major events.
Among its aims are publication of a new report into esports in the region which will assess its potential for growth and economic impact.
A bid will be tabled to host Global Esports Games in 2027/2028, with the region due to welcome the Global Esports Tour from 2023 to 2026, and initiatives focussing on education, health and the future of work will also be included.
The programme is also planning to establish a research centre to foster collaboration between the private sector and West Midlands universities to support innovation in gaming and immersive technologies.
The agreement, which is led by the West Midlands Growth Company, is aiming to cement the region’s position as a centre for the esports and gaming industry.
The West Midlands is already responsible for one quarter of the UK’s output in the sector, a market which reached £7.16 billion in value last year and accounted for around 3.5 per cent of the global market.
It is estimated the West Midlands is home to around 130 games companies, predominantly clustered around Leamington Spa, including the likes of Codemasters, Ubisoft, Playground, Sega Hardlight and others.
The sector employs a workforce of more than 3,000 staff while University of Warwick has also been recently named the UK Esports University of the Year for the fourth successive year.
Premier League football club Wolverhampton Wanderers has hosted its own esports organisation with teams in the UK, Europe and China, as well as announcing last year a partnership with North American esports team Evil Geniuses.
Global Esports Federation chief executive Paul Foster said: “We have earmarked strategic global hubs as anchors for our development of esports, sports, immersive technologies, innovative entertainment and adjacent sectors.
“The leadership in the West Midlands continues to demonstrate a strong collective ambition and the diverse capabilities of this dynamic region.
“Through our partnership with the Commonwealth Games Federation for the upcoming Commonwealth Esports Championships and this historic agreement, we are proud to bring our support, expertise and strong, tangible commitment to this region, unlocking a decade of limitless opportunities and accelerating growth for the people and businesses who are lucky to call it home.”
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street added: “I was thrilled when we confirmed the first ever Commonwealth Esports Championships would be staged this summer right here in the West Midlands.
“This exciting partnership with the Global Esports Federation showcases the scale of our region’s ambition – to be a global leader in what is the world’s fastest growing entertainment sector.
“We’re fortunate to already have huge gaming names like Sega Hardlight and Codemasters on our doorstep all contributing to the West Midlands’ growing status as an esports hub.
“Now we’re taking the next step by partnering with the Global Esports Federation to drive investment and create high-quality, state-of-the-art jobs in this incredibly dynamic sector.
“These are momentous times for the West Midlands and I cannot wait to see this sector continue to thrive.”
