Esports Wales, a gaming organisation set up to grow esports in Wales, has secured investment from Media Cymru’s Development Fund alongside 23 other businesses and freelancers.
The Development Fund will provide Esports Wales with up to £50,000 to complete its project entitled ‘Esports Wales: A New Game Plan for Wales’.
The funding from Media Cymru is a part of the company’s aim to turn Cardiff and the region surrounding the capital into a hub for the media sector through sustainable economic growth. The collaboration hopes that its initiatives, such as The Development Fund, will help bring Cardiff’s media industry into the global market.
As well as investing in the esports sector, Media Cymru has provided funding to companies that focus on virtual event experiences, ethical AI, music based Extended Reality as well as 2D and 3D animation.
By providing funding to Esports Wales, Media Cymru have set the company a 12-month deadline to complete its selected project. After the project has been completed Esports Wales can apply for Scale Up funding which, if accepted, would provide them with up to £250,000 for another project.
Esports Wales was founded in 2018 and since then has become the governing body for esports within the country. It has focused on developing the esports industry through running local and national tournaments, providing esports training and entering teams into international tournaments such as the Commonwealth Esports Championships. At the end of 2023, Esports Wales also secured its status as a full member in the European Esports Federation.
The full details of the selected project have not yet been announced, but Esports Wales have said that the investment will be a ‘game-changer’ for the company and the esports industry in Wales.
The Director of Media Cymru, Professor Justin Lewis, spoke about the impact that The Development Fund would have, he said: “We’re excited by the projects we’re supporting in this funding round, exploring innovation in story-telling, new ways of doing business, as well as innovative ways of using new technologies.
“We look forward to working with them to help them create new products, services and experiences to add social, cultural and economic value to the Welsh creative economy.”
The CEO of Esports Wales, John Jackson, commented: “We are thrilled to get the investment from Media Cymru. It is going to allow us to move Esports Wales one step forward, creating a more professional and sustainable industry in Wales.
“Last year saw the introduction of the national Welsh Esports League and official clubs, and this year we will be developing that further and supporting the industry around it.”
