Spain has established itself as a key player in the European digital entertainment landscape, boasting a community that exceeds 22 million regular players throughout the country. However, the brilliance that the sector had been displaying in recent years seems to have entered a phase of greater caution, reflecting a maturity that is accompanied by a clear slowdown in the pace of expansion to which we were accustomed.
This reality emerges from the twelfth installment of White Paper on Spanish Video Game DevelopmentA comprehensive report, recently presented at ICEX headquarters, gathers data from over 170 studios. While overall figures remain positive, the general atmosphere among developers is marked by the need to adapt to a much more rigid and demanding financial environment than in previous years.
Billing and employment: progress at a slower pace
During the 2024 fiscal year, the Spanish video game industry generated a total revenue of 1.464 millones de eurosThis represents a slight increase of 2,7% compared to the previous period. While this figure is encouraging, it's important to note that this growth is more modest than the 3% recorded previously, confirming that the surge experienced after the health emergency has given way to a period of income normalization.
Regarding the labor market, the sector has reached 10.508 direct jobs, in addition to another 2.330 professionals working as freelancers. Although we are facing the higher employment volume According to the historical series, the year-on-year increase has been only 2,4%, the lowest detected to date, which shows that companies are finding it harder than ever to expand their workforces.
One really positive point is the quality of this job, because nine out of ten contracts In the sector, contracts are indefinite. Furthermore, female talent continues to gradually gain ground, now representing 27% of the workforce, a figure that places Spain above the European Union average and demonstrates that, although the road to parity is long, the right steps are being taken.
Geographically, the sector continues to show a very marked concentration in two main areas. Catalonia and the Community of Madrid agglutinate more than 57% of companies active and generate most of the national business. However, regions like Andalusia and the Valencian Community remain as secondary hubs of great importance, contributing diversity and talent to an ecosystem that includes a total of 820 active studios throughout the country.
The global crisis and the challenge of artificial intelligence
The international context is not making things easy, with a wave of cancellations and studio closures that has also affected our borders. It is estimated that 47% of Spanish developers has felt the direct impact of this global crisis, especially those medium-sized studios that depend on external investors or international publishers to carry out their projects.
Economic viability is currently the main headache for managers, since more than half of the companies acknowledge that their continuity could be seriously threatened if the drought of private investment This situation has extended into the next year. It has made the search for financing a much more tedious and complex process, forcing many to dip into their own savings or reinvest profits.
On the other hand, the emergence of generative artificial intelligence has generated intense internal debate in development offices. Currently, 53% of companies have already integrated these tools into their daily processes, especially in tasks related to programming and graphic designHowever, opinions are very divided: while 43% see it as an opportunity to be more efficient, 46% fear that its uncontrolled use will end up affecting the quality of productions or reducing opportunities for more junior profiles.
To further bolster the sector, professional associations insist on the creation of a specific tax incentive Similar to what the film industry already enjoys, this measure is considered vital to attract foreign capital and allow local studios to scale their productions, preventing national talent from being forced to seek opportunities abroad due to a lack of financial resources at home.
The landscape facing the Spanish video game industry is that of a sector that has learned to survive adversity and enjoys unquestionable creative recognition abroad. Although the lingering effects of the global crisis and a moderation in growth persist, the industry is confident that greater institutional support and the consolidation of its longest-established companies will allow it to thrive. stabilize the ship looking ahead to the coming years, ensuring that Spain remains a leader in the creation of virtual worlds.
