The video game sector is consolidating in Catalunya. The announcements of companies that decide to set up a development studio in Barcelona are happening constantly. The company Activision Blizzard has been the latest to do so with the opening of a studio in the Catalan capital, from where it will develop the video game Call of Duty. The studio will be managed by Infinity Ward, which is part of the company Activision Blizzard, which bought the Barcelona-based Digital Legends. This investment adds to that of other companies such as NetEase Games, Funplus, Rovio, IO Intereactive, Scopely, Paradox or Games for Living (G4AL).
The announcements accompany the growth figures that the sector is registering in Catalunya, which represents 53% of national turnover and 48% of jobs. The Generalitat has mapped the sector, through the Mesa del Videojoc, a coordination space that was created in 2017 to promote it jointly between companies and administrations. According to its report, Catalunya had in 2021 about 4,300 professionals, 7% more compared to the previous year, and an annual turnover of 660 million euros, 20% more. The forecast is that in 2023 revenues will reach 911 million euros and the total workforce 5,141 workers.
Regarding the size of video game companies, the vast majority are SMEs and microenterprises, representing 48% and 46%, respectively. Only 5% of the companies are large studios.
The female presence continues to be one of the pending issues in this sector, as in so many others. There are only 25% female workers, a figure that meant more than 1,000 employees in 2021, 7% more compared to the previous year. To reduce it, the Mesa del Videojoc has promoted equality plans and has committed not to participate in public sector events without female presence, among other measures.
The video game sector is young: 92% of employees are under 45 years old. In addition, 89% have been trained at university. In this sense, in this academic year, more than 1,300 young people are pursuing higher education in video games. Of these, the gender gap worsens, with only 15% women.