UK games industry to receive dedicated SIC codes for development and publishing

The games industry will be recognised in the 2026 UK Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) framework, providing video game development and publishing with dedicated four-digit codes to accurately reflect the scale of the sector.

Set for publication at the end of March 2026, the new SIC codes will “allow the government, investors, and policymakers to properly understand the industry’s economic impact,” said UK games trade body UKIE.

The SIC framework classifies industries with over 600 individual five-digit codes across 21 categories. One company can select up to four SIC codes to describe the different trades and goods it offers.

“For years, the sector has been grouped with broad software and IT categories, meaning official statistics have not accurately reflected the scale, value, or growth of the UK games industry,” said UKIE.

“Better data leads to better policy, and this is an important structural step in ensuring the UK games industry is recognised for what it truly is: a major creative and technology success story.”

UKIE head of public affairs Dominic Murphy noted that alongside the two dedicated four-digit codes for video game development and publishing, esports will have five-digit SIC codes.

This means the industry “will be able to get the first ever official measurement of the impact of esports on our economy – from facilities through to the impact of events.”

Murphy concluded: “Ultimately this will give industry and policy makers better data and information when it comes to assessing the needs of the sector and making more informed decisions.”