Study: Cities Where Gaming THRIVES

New research has revealed the best cities in the UK for gamers, with Middlesbrough taking the top spot.

Multiplayer card game site, World of Card Games, created an index of eight different factors, including average internet speed, average utility bill price, and the number of gaming jobs available per 100,000 citizens in different areas of the UK, to determine the best locations for gamers to live.

The best UK areas for gamers

Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England takes the top spot, with a gamer index score of 67.2 out of 100. The town has an average internet speed of 142.5 megabits per second (Mbps), 16% higher than the national average of 123.2 Mbps. The average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Middlesbrough is £450, the second lowest in the UK. The average monthly internet bill here is £32.20, slightly higher than others in the ranking. There are 7 gaming-related jobs per 100,000 people in Middlesbrough.

Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England ranks second, with a gamer index score of 66.2 out of 100. The city has the lowest average monthly utility bill and internet bill costs in the ranking, at £214.58 and £28.42, respectively. It also has a relatively high number of gaming stores per 100,000 citizens with a Google rating of over 4.5, with 26.  

Portsmouth, Hampshire, England comes in third, with a score of 61.3 out of 100. The average monthly internet bill here is £29.21, 5% lower than the national average of £30.81. There are also 10 gaming-related jobs available on LinkedIn per 100,000 citizens in Portsmouth.  

Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales is fourth, with an index score of 58.1 out of 100. The Welsh capital has an average internet speed of 140.1 Mbps, 14% higher than the UK average. Additionally, Cardiff has 20 gaming stores per 100,000 citizens with a Google rating of at least 4.5.  

Liverpool, Merseyside, England laces fifth, with a gamer index score of 57.1 out of 100. In Liverpool, there are 14 video game-related jobs available on LinkedIn per 100,000 citizens. This is 56% higher than the national average of nine.  

Birmingham, West Midlands, England takes the sixth spot, with a score of 56.2 out of 100. The city hosts 0.7 yearly gaming conventions and events per 100,000 citizens, the third highest number in the UK. Birmingham also has an average internet speed of 143.01 Mbps, 16% higher than the average across the UK.  

Watford, Hertfordshire, England comes in seventh, with an index score of 53.6 out of 100. This town has 35 gaming stores with a Google rating of at least 4.5 per 100,000 citizens. This is the highest in the top ten and the third highest across the UK. It also has 25 gaming-related jobs available on LinkedIn per 100,000 people, which is the sixth highest nationally.  

Preston, Lancashire, England ranks eighth, with a score of 53.5 out of 100. It has 59 gaming industry jobs available per 100,000 citizens, the highest in the ranking and 571% higher than the UK average. Additionally, the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Preston’s city centre is £750, compared to the national average of £939.49.  

Exeter, Devon, England is ninth, with a gamer index score of 53.3 out of 100. This city has an average internet speed of 145 Mbps, 18% higher than the UK average. It also hosts 0.79 yearly gaming conventions per 100,000 citizens, the second highest number in the UK.  

Derby, Derbyshire, England places tenth, with an index score of 53.2 out of 100. The average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Derby’s city centre is £767.50, which is 22% lower than the average in the UK. It also has a relatively high average internet speed of 136.7 Mbps, 11% higher than the UK average.  

On the other hand, the worst location for gamers is Aberdeen, with a score of just 20.8 out of 100. Closely following are Reading and Luton, with scores of 23 out of 100 and 26 out of 100, respectively. 

A spokesperson for World of Card Games commented on the findings,

“It is interesting to see such a broad range of locations in the ranking, from big cities like Birmingham to smaller towns like Watford. Each area has its own strengths and weaknesses, depending on which aspects of culture and lifestyle gamers value most.    

“Northern cities like Middlesbrough and Preston provide a more budget-friendly lifestyle, with lower rent and utility costs, while still offering a high level of gaming-related services and internet speed.    

“On the other hand, southern areas such as Watford, though more expensive, shine in terms of the number of gaming stores and job opportunities in the industry.