MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
Two UK games developers have made it onto The Sunday Times’ Tech Track 100 list, which profiles the UK’s fastest growing technology companies.
King.com and Rebellion make the grade, at positions 13 and 83 respectively.
London-based casual and skill gaming specialist King.com is said to have grown 132.93 per cent in terms of annual sales growth and recorded £20m in 2007-8 sales according to the list. That compares to 2004-5’s £1.6m. The firm has 63 staff and was founded in 2003.
The list’s official description for the company reads:
"This firm says 12m unique users visit its site to play card games and puzzles online, both casually and in tournaments. Thewebsite takes a 25% commission on its pay-to-enter games, and licenses popular television spin-off games such as Deal or No Deal. All games are developed in-house and the site also provides a social forum where players can interact.
"The company says that 60% of users are women aged 25 and over. King.com was founded in 2003 by Riccardo Zacconi and Toby Rowland. International expansion and the launch of onsite advertising have led to sales soaring 133% a year from £1.6m in 2004 to £20.3m in 2007."
Rebellion, meanwhile, is singled out for 42.67 per cent growth, with £11m in annual sales in the past year, up from 2004’5’s £4m. The firm has 280 staff and was founded in 1992.
"The sci-fi comic 2000AD and its entire character portfolio is owned by this Oxford games developer," the list says.
"Rebellion is also employed by third-party publishers, including EA and Lucas Arts, to develop games based on the likes of Harry Potter and Star Wars. Founded in 1992 by brothers Jason and Chris Kingsley with a £2,500 loan from their father, the company recently acquired four other British studios, including Core Design in Derby. Sales have grown 43% a year from £4.1m in 2005 to £11.8m in 2008."
