UK games salaries: what studios advertise, and why

Most UK games vacancies do not state a salary, which makes pay hard to judge from the outside. This guide shows what studios are advertising on live roles right now, then explains how to read a salary range, what moves pay up or down, and how to research and negotiate an offer.

What studios are advertising right now

The figures below come from live vacancies currently on this site, taken directly from studios' own careers pages, and are refreshed every day. They only include roles where the studio has published an annual salary in pounds; day rates, hourly rates and roles in other currencies are left out rather than converted. Because only a minority of studios publish pay, treat this as a snapshot of what is visible in the market rather than a full survey of what the industry pays.

Two things are worth keeping in mind when reading the table. First, the mix of roles with published pay is not representative: some disciplines, regions and types of studio publish more often than others, so a group with only a handful of listings can move noticeably from week to week. Second, an advertised range is the studio's opening position, not necessarily what the successful candidate is paid.

Why most games roles don't publish salary

There is no legal requirement in the UK for employers to state pay in a job advert, and many games studios choose not to. Common reasons include:

• Flexibility on level. Studios often hire whoever is strongest rather than for a fixed grade, so a "programmer" role might be filled at mid or senior level depending on the candidate.
• Internal pay structures. Publishing a range can create awkward comparisons with existing staff, especially in studios that have grown quickly.
• Competition for talent. Some studios do not want competitors to see their pay bands.
• Habit. Much of the industry has simply never done it, though that is gradually changing.

Studios that do publish pay often say they want to save everyone's time and to support fairer hiring. Regardless of whether a range is listed, it is entirely reasonable to ask about it at the first screening call. Our interview guide covers how that call usually runs.

How to read a salary range

A published range tells you a lot, but it needs reading carefully:

• Wide ranges usually span levels. A range that covers, say, both mid and senior experience means the studio is open on level. Where you land depends on how you perform in the process.
• The top of the range is rarely the starting point. Many studios aim to hire somewhere in the lower to middle part of a band, leaving room for pay rises without a promotion.
• "Up to" means the ceiling. A listing that gives only a maximum is telling you the most it expects to pay, not the typical figure.
• "Competitive" means unstated. It is not a commitment to pay above the market.
• Check what is included. A figure might be base salary only, or might include a bonus or London allowance. Ask if it is unclear.
• Pro rata for part-time. Some ranges are quoted as full-time equivalent for roles with fewer hours.

What moves pay

Seniority

Level is the biggest single factor. The gap between junior and senior pay in the same discipline is usually larger than the gap between disciplines at the same level. Lead, principal and director roles add responsibility, and pay generally follows. The job titles guide explains how studios define each level, and why the same title can mean different things at different companies.

Discipline

Disciplines whose skills are in demand outside games tend to command higher pay, because studios compete with other sectors for the same people. Programming, particularly engine, graphics, online and backend engineering, and data roles fall into this group. Technical art often sits near engineering for similar reasons. Disciplines where many people want to work in games, such as some art and design roles, can see more competition for each vacancy. QA testing roles are typically among the more modestly paid entry points, though QA engineering and automation roles can be paid much more. These are general patterns rather than rules.

Location

London roles generally pay more than equivalent roles elsewhere in the UK, and some studios add an explicit London weighting or allowance. Areas with intense competition for technical staff, such as Cambridge, Guildford and the Leamington cluster, can also pay well. Lower living costs in much of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the north of England can offset lower headline salaries. Remote roles are handled in different ways: some studios pay one national rate, some pay according to where you live, and some according to the office you are attached to. The guide to UK games hubs describes each cluster, and the remote work guide covers what to check.

Company size and type

• Large publishers and platform holders tend to have formal pay bands, structured reviews and fuller benefits packages.
• Established independent studios vary widely. Some match larger companies; others offer royalties or profit share in place of a higher base.
• Start-ups may offer lower base salaries balanced by share options and the chance to take on more responsibility.
• Mobile and live-service companies often have significant data, product and marketing teams, with pay that tracks the wider tech sector in those roles.
• Co-development and service studios work on many projects for different clients and may structure pay and bonuses differently from studios with their own games.

Contract versus permanent

Contractors are usually paid a day rate rather than a salary. A day rate always looks higher than the equivalent salary divided by working days, because a contractor pays for their own holidays, sick days, pension, equipment, accountancy and gaps between contracts, and has none of an employee's statutory protections. Tax treatment depends on whether the work falls inside or outside the IR35 rules; the remote work guide gives a high-level outline, and HMRC's guidance is the authoritative source.

Bonuses, royalties and shares

Total pay is often more than base salary. Common extras in UK games include:

• Annual or project bonuses, linked to company or game performance.
• Royalties or profit share, where staff receive a portion of a game's earnings. These can be very valuable on a hit and worth little on a game that underperforms.
• Share options, particularly at start-ups and growing companies. Enterprise Management Incentives (EMI) is a tax-advantaged UK scheme often used by smaller companies; gov.uk explains employee share schemes.
• Restricted stock units at larger, listed parent companies.

When comparing offers, ask how bonuses have paid out in practice, not just how they are designed.

Benefits common in UK studios

Beyond pay, the package can differ a lot between employers. Benefits you will often see include:

• Holiday. UK workers are entitled to at least 5.6 weeks of paid holiday a year, which can include bank holidays. Many studios offer more, and some add time off between Christmas and New Year.
• Pension. Employers must auto-enrol eligible staff into a workplace pension and contribute to it. Some studios contribute well above the minimum or offer salary sacrifice, which can reduce tax and National Insurance.
• Private medical, dental and life cover.
• Flexible and hybrid working, including core hours.
• Enhanced parental leave above the statutory minimum.
• Training budgets and conference attendance.
• Cycle to work and tech schemes through salary sacrifice.
• Games and hardware allowances, and sometimes free copies of the studio's games.
• Overtime policy. Whether extra hours are paid or given back as time off in lieu matters a great deal in an industry with a history of crunch.

The statutory rules are set out on gov.uk's holiday entitlement page and its workplace pensions guidance.

How to research pay

1. Use advertised ranges. The table above, and the full listings on each discipline page, show what studios are prepared to say publicly. Look at roles at the same level and in the same region as the one you are considering.
2. Talk to people. Colleagues, former classmates, mentors and people you meet at events are often more willing to talk about pay than you might expect, especially if you share your own.
3. Read industry reports. Trade bodies such as Ukie publish research on the UK games workforce, which helps with context even when it does not give figures for your exact role.
4. Check gender pay gap reports. UK employers with 250 or more staff must publish gender pay gap data, which you can search through the government's reporting service. It does not give individual salaries, but it shows how pay is distributed at larger studios.
5. Ask the recruiter. At the screening call, ask for the range for the role. Most will tell you.

How to negotiate

Negotiation in games is normal, and a reasonable request will not lose you an offer from a well-run studio. Some practical points:

• Know your number before the first call. Decide the salary you would be happy with and the lowest you would accept, based on your research.
• Try to hear their range first. If asked for your expectations early, it is fair to ask what the budgeted range is.
• Give a range, anchored sensibly. If you give a range, make the lower end a figure you would genuinely be happy with.
• Negotiate the package, not just the salary. Start date, holiday, hybrid days, training budget, job title, relocation help and an early pay review can all be negotiated, and are sometimes easier for a studio to move on than base pay.
• Get it in writing. Make sure the final offer letter reflects everything you agreed.
• Be honest about competing offers. Mentioning another offer can help, but only if it is real.
• Stay courteous. The person you negotiate with may become a colleague.

For junior roles there is often less room to negotiate base pay, because studios tend to hire at a fixed starting point. Asking about the timing of your first review, or about training and mentoring, is often more productive.

Next steps

• Compare pay across disciplines: programming, art, design, animation, audio, QA, production.
• Compare locations: London, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, or remote.
• See how hiring changes over time on the stats page.
• Prepare for the process with the studio interviews guide and the CV and cover letter guide.
• Search every live vacancy on the job board.