Officially the fastest-growing and most promising creative/tech industry, gaming holds the dominant position when it comes to entertainment. Now with every third person on the planet engaging in games in some way (playing, streaming, watching e-sports), we expect more and more innovations, new titles and professional opportunities.
In 2023, the gaming industry generated a staggering revenue of 184 billion dollars. Mobile devices are responsible for one-half of it, while consoles and PCs still battle for dominion over the remaining quarters. What constitutes revenue in the gaming industry? Sold game copies, both physical and digital, hardware, devices and peripherals, in-game purchases, ad monetization, merch, IP rights, subscriptions and other smaller, satellite services. By 2026 this industry is projected to generate over 200 billion dollars!
Huge, global companies own most of the development and publishing due to significant acquisitions that rocked the industry in the past decade. The top 5 companies (in 2023) were Tencent, Sony, Apple, Microsoft and NetEase.
The number of active gamers is steadily increasing, and by 2026 there will be more than 3.6 billion gamers on the planet.
We know that gaming transcends gender and age, but how exactly? Well, four out of ten gamers are women, but we need to keep in mind they still mostly play on mobile devices. A more interesting division is that by age. Roughly, a third of all players are under 18, another third is up to 35, and the rest are older. This dictates the way games are developed, their accessibility and their business model.
What motivates people to play? If we consult some of the most widely cited studies, there are several key motivations: action, social component, mastery, achievement, immersion and creativity. This explains a wide array of genres, artistic styles and game design approaches in games today. Consumers are more demanding than ever and keeping a close eye even on the development process.
Gaming lies at the intersection of creativity, art and technology. This makes it one of the most diverse industries when it comes to talent. People with backgrounds in software development, 2D art and illustration, 3D art and modeling, architecture, music, sound design, creative writing, production, data analysis, marketing (the list goes on…) can all find a place in the industry.
There are several professional approaches to working in gaming. You can either form and/or work in an independent studio, opt for a bigger company, or work individually as a freelancer or a service provider. Each option is different and offers an equally good starting point, depending on your preferences.
But whatever you choose, there is a strong network and a well-connected community to help you with your skills, experience and connections.
The following segment shows a brief overview of the state of the gaming industry in Western Balkan Countries. In short, the number of people working in and those who are interested in working in the gaming industry is increasing, but funding and educational opportunities still have a long way to go. Once the ecosystem in the region grows, so will each individual and local industry.
In this region, Serbia by far has the most developed gaming industry when it comes to revenue, number of games published, number of employees and educational institutions.
The biggest change compared to the previous year is the rarely seen increase in employment of 98%! The explanation for such growth is simple – a large number of gaming professionals and their families from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus moved to Serbia last year. Such a significant influx of knowledge and experience will undoubtedly change the domestic gaming industry. We estimate that there are now 4.300 gaming professionals working in Serbia.
The main development centers are Belgrade, Novi Sad and Niš. In the industry, 30% of all employed are women, and even half of all teams are led by women. The top three areas of employment are programming, artistic professions and quality control.
Serbian Games Association is a national association gathering gaming teams, studios and companies. They are responsible for conferences, meetups, policy work, educational opportunities and many more useful resources and programs that have strenghtened the local ecosystem since 2018.
There are three elements of the North Macedonian gaming environment: (1) game development; (2) gaming as a consumer industry; and (3) e-sports. MAGDA is an association that unites the Macedonian gaming community and, for 10 years, it has been successfully organizing the national edition of the Global Game Jam. Besides them, MGI (Macedonian Game Industry Association) is actively working to map the ecosystem, list all games made in NM and organize meetups and conferences. There are two other relevant trade organizations: the Macedonian E-Sport Association (MESA) and the Macedonian eSport Federation (MESF).
Slowly, there are more events and opportunities for local talent and those interested in the industry. Factors that can be seen as opportunities and strengths for the development of the businesses and the GD industry as a whole are: the access to high-speed internet; the willingness of the national officials/government to help with funds and educational programs; the enthusiasm of the involved professionals; the abundance of online information on the latest technologies; the rising trend of development of the gaming culture and the possibilities for digital distribution; theaccess to the global market and publishers; the opportunity for local entrepreneurs.
With the recent forming of Monte Games, a trade body association for the gaming industry, the first concrete steps have been taken to strengthen the connections between existing game dev companies, teams and individuals looking to enter the industry.
After several successful meetups and conferences, it is evident that there is room for growth and that the demands of the community are also growing. The government is already investing in new game dev teams through state grants, which shows their willingness to aid further development of the ecosystem.
For now, there are only several companies and studios actively making games and employing new people in B&H. Without an official association uniting the industry, game dev events are still fairly rare. Along with the smaller number of registered business entities, there is also an active freelance community that mainly works for international clients.
The income reported by B&H companies in this sector is slightly more than 1.2 million KM (600,000 EUR), while the total profit realized in the same period is less than 30,000 KM (15,000 EUR).
Mad Head Games, one of the region’s leading regional video game development studios, opened an office in Sarajevo. As it was said during the opening of the studio, this is part of the planned strengthening of its presence in the B&H region, which is recognized as rich in talent.
The Albanian gaming industry is still in its infancy, marked by its relatively small size and limited infrastructure. Unlike more established gaming markets, Albania has only seen the beginnings of its gaming ecosystem, with just a handful of meetups, events and locally developed games. These early efforts, while modest, showcase the passion and creativity of a growing community eager to put Albania on the global gaming map.
Despite these initial steps, there is a long journey ahead for the industry to mature and compete internationally. Challenges such as limited funding, technical expertise and access to global markets remain significant barriers. However, the rising number of events and networking opportunities is encouraging more collaboration, skill development and innovation among local enthusiasts and professionals. Each initiative, no matter how small, contributes to building the foundational infrastructure needed for long-term success.
There is an official ecosystem initiative called the Albanian Gaming Community, responsible for a more active approach. Recently, they have organized some of the first gaming-specific meetups, game jams and other educational and networking opportunities.
Optimism surrounds the Koso gaming scene, fueled by increasing interest from young developers, entrepreneurs and gamers. Educational initiatives, community-driven projects and international collaborations are beginning to gain traction, creating momentum for growth. While the road may be challenging, the enthusiasm and potential of Kosovo’s gaming community inspire hope that the industry will continue to expand, evolve and eventually establish itself as a noteworthy player in the global gaming landscape.
Kosovo Game Developers is a grassroots organization making efforts to bring more gaming events to the local community. They are actively collaborating with other regional associations and initiatives to bring more knowledge and experience to aspiring game developers.
