The gaming industry has become a booming sector contributing significantly to the economy and minting a new generation of wealthy entrepreneurs. The inaugural Sunday Times Gaming Rich List recently unveiled the top 30 richest UK game developers and content creators, spotlighting the staggering wealth generated within this powerhouse industry. Interestingly, over a quarter of those featured are under 35, with the average age being 45, underscoring the industry’s dynamic appeal to younger generations.
Russian-born brothers Igor and Dmitry Bukhman, founders of mobile gaming giant Playrix, lead the list with a staggering £12.5 billion fortune. Their success stems from blockbuster games like Gardenscapes and Township, which mix match-three puzzles with gardening and city-building simulations, captivating millions. Gardenscapes alone generated over $3 billion (£2.3 billion) by 2021, while Township topped $2 billion (£1.5 billion) by October 2023 in lifetime revenue, highlighting the immense profitability of mobile gaming done right.
In second place is Delhi-born Herman Narula, co-founder and CEO of Improbable, a leader in building virtual worlds within the “metaverse”. Narula has amassed a fortune of £780 million, largely driven by major investments in his London-based company. Despite the “metaverse” still being in its infancy and yet to become mainstream, Improbable has drawn significant financial backing, including $100 million (£77 million) raised in September 2023, valuing the company at over $3 billion (£2.3 billion). Following Narula is King co-founder and former CEO Riccardo Zacconi at £410 million, with two other King executives, Mel Morris and Sebastian Knutsson, also ranking in the Top 10 at £312 million and £225 million, respectively.
Sam and Dan Houser of Rockstar Games rank fourth with an estimated £350 million, thanks to their pivotal role in shaping the blockbuster Grand Theft Auto franchise. The list also spotlights gaming content creators who have successfully turned their gaming passion into multimillion-pound careers on YouTube and Twitch, including KSI and The Sidemen, DanTDM, and PewDiePie.
However, the Sunday Times Gaming Rich List highlights a stark gender disparity in the industry, with only three women among the 30 featured individuals. This includes Debbie Bestwick, former CEO of Team17, ranking at 13th with a £130 million fortune, and Wendy Irvin-Braben, who stands as the only woman in the top 10, sharing a £175 million fortune with her husband, David, from their work at Frontier Developments. As the gaming industry continues to thrive, giving a glimpse into the financial success of its top figures, it also highlights the need for continued progress towards greater inclusivity.
Below is the list of the top 30 richest UK game developers and content creators
- Igor and Dmitry Bukhman: £12.54bn or £12,540m – Games Developer
- Herman Narula: £780m – Virtual Worlds
- Riccardo Zacconi: £410m – Games Developer
- Sam and Dan Houser: £350m – Games Developer
- Lior Shiff: £347m – Games Developer
- Garry Newman: £335m – Games Developer
- Mel Morris: £312m – Games Entrepreneur
- Neil Taylor: £230m – Games Retailer
- Sebastian Knutsson: £225m – Games Developer
- David Braben and Wendy Irvin-Braben: £175m – Games Developer
- Patrick Burns: £150m – Games Developer
- Chris van der Kuyl: £150m – Games Developer
- Debbie Bestwick: £130m – Games Developer
- Chris and Jason Kingsley: £120m – Games Developer
- Paul Wedgwood: £100m – Games Developer
- Akin Babayigit: £96m – Games Developer
- Sean Murray: £94m – Games Developer
- Chris Stamper and family: £74m – Games Developer
- Jon Brown and family: £70m – Games Developer
- Christian Facey: £52m – Games Developer
- Daniel Knight: £50m – Games Developer
- KSI and The Sidemen: £50m – Vlogger / YouTuber
- Terry Malham and family: £50m – Games Developer
- Jas Purewal: £50m – Games Developer
- PewDiePie (Felix Kjellberg): £45m – Vlogger / YouTuber
- Luca Galante: £40m – Games Developer
- Dan TDM (Dan Middleton): £40m – Vlogger / YouTuber
- Patrick and Tamsin O’Luanaigh: £26m – Virtual Reality
- Eyal Chameides: £22m – Games Developer
- Ali-A (Alastair Aiken): £15m – Vlogger / YouTuber
Robert Watts, compiler of The Sunday Times Gaming Rich List, stated: “The UK gaming industry has become a Great British success story of recent years, creating thousands of jobs and contributing strongly to economic growth… This Rich List tells the rags-to-riches stories of people who have done [exactly] that. Our gaming millionaires include a former Tesco shelf stacker, an ex-McDonalds burger flipper and someone expelled from school with no qualifications. There is plenty to inspire aspiring gaming tycoons here.”
Words by Khushboo Malhotra
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