Games industry trade body · Gaming & Interactive Entertainment

Ukie

The trade body for the UK games industry, based in London, which supports developers, schools and families through programmes like Digital Schoolhouse and Ask About Games.

About Ukie

Ukie, short for UK Interactive Entertainment, is the trade body for the UK games and interactive entertainment industry. It speaks for developers, publishers, service companies and esports organisations, and runs programmes on skills, education and public information about games.

Its stated aim is to "supercharge the growth and success of the UK games industry" and to highlight the cultural, social and economic value of games at home and abroad. A company profile expands this: Ukie supports skills development, education and career pathways, and encourages growth, innovation and sustainability across the sector.

Ukie is based in London and was founded in 1989, according to a company profile that lists more than 50 employees. It says it represents over 700 games businesses, while its Ask About Games site says over 2,000, so figures differ by source. Its chief executive is Nick Poole. In 2025 it announced a partnership with Xsolla to run workshops at UK game hubs.

Several well-known programmes are Ukie's. Digital Schoolhouse works with schools, and Raise The Game is a skills initiative. Ask About Games is a campaign run with the Games Rating Authority and games businesses to help parents and families navigate video games, with advice on new games, parental control set-up guides, a find-the-right-game tool, and information on PEGI age ratings.

People at a trade body tend to work in policy, communications, events, education, member services and campaigns, helping the whole industry rather than building one game. Check Ukie's own site for details of its team and current roles. Nick Poole took over as chief executive on 1 April 2024. He previously spent eight years as chief executive of CILIP, the library and information professionals' body, and earlier led the Collections Trust. His priorities at the start were to grow Ukie, to engage government, and to promote the educational value of games, including extending Digital Schoolhouse to libraries. Ukie's chair, Tim Woodley, said the organisation had stayed largely the same size and shape while the industry doubled. Ukie also runs workshops it calls Supercharged Sessions, including two for Xsolla at UK game hubs in 2025.

What they do

Key facts

Website: ukie.org.uk

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PURPOSE helps school and university students explore 62 sectors and over 1,000 entry-level careers in the UK, then connects them directly with employers.

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