International Factfile 2015: Ukraine

The Ukrainian games market is one of the smallest in Eastern Europe, despite being home to a number of games firms that have struck it big on the global stage.

According to market research firm SuperData, digital games revenue last year totalled $68 million (44.3m) in Ukraine, comprising just three per cent of the $2.2 billion (1.4bn) Eastern European industry. The only country smaller in the territory is Belarus, which contributed two per cent.

Players in the region play titles for the third-longest period of any Eastern European country, enjoying games for 82 days on average – almost two weeks longer than Russia’s 70 days.

It is perhaps unsurprising given the country’s low average monthly salary of UAH 4,299 (122.32) (State Statistics Service of Ukraine) that players spend the least of any Eastern European region on extra content in games, investing $59.11 (38.54) per title and $2.91 (1.90) per micro-transaction on average (SuperData).

Analyst outlet Euromonitor reports that in the console space, Sony leads the market. The launch of PS4 last February helped the platform holder to claim 15 per cent of the market value share overall. In terms of home console hardware, Sony occupied 43 per cent of the sector last year.

Arguably, the nation’s best-known developer is 4A Games, which created post-apocalyptic shooter Metro 2033 and its sequel, Metro: Last Light. However, the Ukrainian studio uprooted from its Kiev office early last year and relocated to Malta.

Another of Ukraine’s major development outlets – STALKER creator GSC Gameworld – re-opened its doors last December, having closed in 2011.

Population: 44,429,471

Capital City: Kiev

Currency: Hryvnia

GDP (Per Capita): $2,199

KEY RETAILERS

GameStop

TOP DISTRIBUTORS

1C-SoftClub

TOP DEVELOPERS

4A Games, GSC Gameworld, Ubisoft Kiev, Room 8 Studio, Frogwares, Vostok Games

PUBLISHERS IN THE REGION

Ubisoft, EA, Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, Black Wing Foundation