Are you tired of being told that playing and gaming is for kids? Obviously, you know that it is not, and the gaming industry is now one of the most important strands in the creative industry mix. It is a thriving, established global entertainment industry. Gaming and iGaming fans are a passionate bunch, and the UK is a powerhouse when it comes to their production, development and popularity. The industry creates jobs in development, writing, legal, finance, animation, art, software development and finance.
In terms of money and finance, the games industry has seen substantial growth in recent years. It was worth £7.7 billion in 2022 and is estimated to be almost $250billon globally. Considering that the music and film industries are worth around $120 billion, you can see why we say it is not child’s play. The gaming scene is not just about playing; it is about a thriving creative industry in the heart of Birmingham.
Leading game and mobile products are developed in the area
Pixel Toys in Leamington is an independent game studio that says they have been ‘pushing the boundaries’ of VR and mobile gaming since 2012. They claim to defy expectations and make big, bold games for their global audience. They are best known for their Warhammer titles Realm of War, Battle Sister and Freeblade. They also do a good number in Zombie VR with Drop Dead Dual Strike Action, where players get to face the zombie horde on the Oculus headset.
Meanwhile, over in Solihull, Sega Highlight has developed a range of Sega Games titles, including Sonic Dash and Sonic Jump. For the casual gamer, Kwalee (again in Leamington) are the studio behind Tens, Looper and GoFish.
Learning to play
Without the programmers, designers, directors and producers, there would be no gaming scene. These highly skilled professionals do not just step fully-formed out of their gaming chairs. They have to be trained somewhere. While not everyone who forges their path in the gaming industry goes through the university degree route, it is certainly a popular higher education choice at Birmingham City Institute of the Creative Arts.
This is where many of today’s top talent have trained before setting off for careers in gaming and iGaming. So much of what drives the online games industry is easily transferable to the world of online gambling.
Where to play
Birmingham has a great scene when it comes to social gaming and there are plenty of bars and casinos where people can go and pit their skills against fellow gamers.
Casino Gambling
If you like mixing up your gaming with a wager, you can find a fantastic selection of casino games. While there are established casinos in the city, some of the most innovative casino games are now found online rather than in bricks-and-mortar establishments. Even if you like live dealer-style gaming rather than video simulations and slots, the best casinos are mainly online now. However, if you want to make a night out of it, Birmingham has a good selection of traditional casinos. You can choose from the Genting Casino in Chinatown, ResortsWorld in the city centre and a couple of great Grosvenor venues. There is also the quaint Rainbow in Edgbaston.
Game bars and venues
When it comes to social gaming, the Birmingham scene is second to none. There are so many places where gamers can rock up and play video games, board games and arcade games. Whatever the gaming fix, the city centre has a venue for you.
- NQ64 Slightly confusingly, this arcade bar is named after Manchester’s Northern Quarter but has been open in Birmingham near the Custard Factory since 2020. It serves cocktails to sip as you play along to arcade and console games. Players can rock out to Guitar Hero while drinking a Donkey Kong-inspired drink.
- Chance and Counters is a board game café with a vast variety of board games with everything from Connect 4 to Catan. With its library of over 500 games to choose from, those who like their play without screens will love this place. They also have a good food menu offering loaded fries, tacos and chicken wings. If you cannot get enough of the board games, they also sell several titles you can take away and play at home.
- Tilt is THE place for pinball fanatics. There are twenty-one pinball machines over the venue’s three floors. A game of pinball only costs £1, and they have a bring-your-own food policy, so there are no excuses not to have a fun gaming session.
- Mulligans is primarily a crazy golf spot with a fun and unusual space theme. However, they have recently added a VR section to their premises, allowing gamers to play Dead Ahead, Quantum Arena and Cops vs. Robbers, as well as other co-op and solo VR experiences.
- Otherworld is at the end of the scale in terms of sophistication. It is a virtual reality gaming wonderland. Gaming ranges from battling a zombie invasion to performing as a chef in the kitchen. It also serves delicious cocktails. While it is pricier than the other venues, it is an unforgettable experience if you love your gaming.
Big Gaming Events
Birmingham also so hosts some of the country’s top gaming events.
Insomnia 61 was one of the country’s largest gaming events. It started out 20 years ago from a small office in Swindon, and it went on to fill the Birmingham NEC. Insomnia was originally a LAN event where people brought their own computers to compete in the tournaments for prize money. It grew into a massive exhibition featuring new game releases, a YouTuber event, a showcase for indie titles, tabletop and retro games and plenty of evening events. It even boasted a live robot wars tournament and hosted top eSports events.
Plenty of other significant gaming events are taking place in the city, and eSports made its Commonwealth Games debut here a couple of years back. Earlier this year, the city hosted the ESL Dota 2 tournament, and we are sure there will be more events to follow. This year, the action took place between the 26th and 28th of April and the prize money on offer was $1,000,000.
Keeping it fun
As we said earlier, however you look at it, gaming in Birmingham is now big business, but there are still plenty of ways to enjoy it just for fun.