The British Film Institute (BFI) has announced a funding initiative totaling £510,000 (approximately $665,275) aimed at supporting four innovative projects within the UK games industry.

The funded projects include the Games Insight Database, UK Video Games Econometrics, the business development accelerator Aurora, and the Access to Market: Self Publishing Toolkit.

Led by Games London, the Access to Market: Self Publishing Toolkit is a two-year initiative that will provide business development workshops for up to 12 independent game studios, compiling insights into a practical toolkit.

Code Coven's Aurora project aims to empower underrepresented developers by enhancing their business and financing skills while fostering connections with publishers and investors.

The Games Insight Database, developed by Into Games CIC, Games Jobs Live, and Birds Eye View, will offer independent studios crucial information on workforce dynamics, funding opportunities, and salary benchmarks.

UK Video Games Econometrics, a collaboration between UKIE and Open Knowledge across Research and Entertainment, will analyze the economic, social, and cultural value of the UK games sector.

This project aims to deliver data that illustrates the impact of the UK gaming industry, emphasizing its economic, social, and cultural significance.

The funding from BFI's National Lottery Innovation Challenge will be utilized to develop new tools and resources specifically for underrepresented developers.

BFI director Rishi Coupland expressed enthusiasm for backing these innovative projects, highlighting their potential to address key challenges in the UK video games industry.

Coupland noted that these initiatives promise to enhance creativity and commercial success in the video games industry through valuable data and market insights.

The funding aims to support independent game developers in creating open datasets and tools to enhance industry access for underrepresented developers.