One of the most sought-after places to live in in the UK, Brighton is certainly a city worth learning about if you work in Games. Often referred to as London-by-the-sea, as well as being under an hour via rail to the capital, there is clearly a lot to Brighton that is highly desirable!
Game Studios Scene in Brighton
Brighton is a city well worth looking into if you’re open to new opportunities in the games industry. Recent research by Brighton University reported that Brighton is now recognised as a hub for the industry and with up to 90 studios in the city, it's clear to see why that might be.
The tech sector here is highly regarded in Brighton thanks to the fusion of the arts and technology in the city fed by the universities here, and historically cheaper rents than London. The gaming sector has gone from strength to strength in recent years with several expanding studios as well as a co-working space for the industry – The Brighton Games Collective – providing support for new talent and freelancers in the city.
Just a few of the great gaming studios we have here in Brighton include:
- Go beyond ordinary
- AAA game development
- Global client base
- A Sister company to Gobo
- Winner of a Best Places to Work Award 2018
- One of the largest indie studios in the UK
- Studios in Brighton, London & Madrid
- Winner of The Health & Wellbeing Award (for companies who support staff’s physical and mental welfare)
- Acquired by Warner Bros in 2007
- Best known for their LEGO games
- Award-winning studio
- A subsidiary of one of the largest AAA studios in the UK – Sumo Digital
- One candidate we placed at The Chinese Room replied this when asked how it was going there “The Chinese Room has by far the best team of people and a pleasure to work with. Strong leadership that inspires and extremely talented colleagues that love what they do makes it a happy place to work."
The games industry is supported and celebrated in Brighton thanks to Develop: Brighton – a conference that brings together European game developers every year in a three-day jam-packed industry event, but I’ll get onto this later…
Living in Brighton
Notoriously it's no longer a cheap city to find a property, with house prices catching up with London, Brighton’s cost of living is certainly up there compared to some of the other gaming city hubs up north.
However, there is plenty of choice from new build apartments to beautiful period properties and of course many offer the chance to see the sea on a daily basis. And wherever you pick you're never too far from the action. Here's our pick of some of the top locations to consider...
Seven Dials
- Plenty of shops and amenities nearby
- Within 10 minutes’ walk of Brighton mainline station
- Walking distance to the city centre and seafront
Preston Park
- If you’re looking for something more spacious and away from the city centre
- Close to the beautiful parks
- Lovely community feel
- Short walk to Preston Park & London Road Station
Hove (actually)
- Brighton's sister, just up the road
- More bars, restaurants and coffee shops than you can shake a stick at
Hanover
- The incredibly hilly bit of Brighton!
- Tiny streets lined by an array of beautifully bright houses and cottages
- Great selection of local pubs
- Short walk into town and to the beach
And if you're wondering how the cost of living in Brighton compares with other gaming hub cities, here's our handy guide!
NB: Pint of draught beer; bottle of wine; cappuccino; loaf of bread; taxi start price; 1L of petrol; fitness club monthly fee; one month of preschool (full-day, private); monthly rent of a city-centre one-bed apartment. Prices are taken from Numbeo in November 2019.
If you’d like to compare Brighton to any other city, Numbeo can do this for you.
Getting Around
So Brighton is a relatively small city, so what’s the best way to get around?
On foot!
- Thanks to its compact city centre, walking is probably the most efficient way to get around
- It’s also probably the most interesting, giving you the opportunity to explore the famous Laines and beachfront
- Plus as a predominantly Green city walking really is the best way to get around you and the environment!
Bike
- Brighton’s bike share system is a great way to explore the seafront from the city centre to the edge of Hove through to Brighton Marina
- Download the SoBi app, and unlock a bike from one of over 60 hubs across the city
- Simply pay as you go for as long as you use the bike!
- There is also a huge bike park at Brighton Station, so you can always cycle into town, park up and explore on foot
Bus
- A better option if you need to travel a further distance
- The B&H bus network is very well developed with buses arriving every few minutes to hundreds of stops across the city and beyond
- And you can now tap on and off with your bank card (or phone)
Driving
- Often proves not to be the wisest of ideas thanks to heavy traffic and expensive parking - you have been warned
Also worth remembering Brighton is only half an hour from Gatwick and an hour from London Victoria (when the trains work) so if you need to commute its a handy place to be.
What's on in Brighton
Brighton is a vibrant, creative, multicultural and progressive city, a great place to live and work in. Often voted as being the happiest place in the UK, there is a lot to be discovered here from arts and music to the beautiful beachfront to Regency heritage.
As for the city highlights…
The Laines
- One of the most popular attractions
- A maze of alleyways full of funky shops and boutiques that you won’t find anywhere else
- A great place to shop for vintage clothing, antique jewellery, and unusual homewares
The beach!
- Brighton is also famous for its stunning beach, which is certainly a tourist spot come summertime
- Sit on the pebbles with an ice cream, go for a stroll down the Palace Pier, or even take a swim around the old West Pier, an iconic landmark in the city
- And in the winter months wrap up warm, enjoy fish and chips and keep your eyes peeled for the magical starling murmurations in the skies out to sea
Gay Pride
- Brighton is famous for being a hugely welcoming and accepting city, there is no way anyone could feel out of place thanks to its vastly diverse culture, you will find people from all walks of life here and every summer we celebrate with the UK's biggest pride festival
- A weekend of events across the city including a carnival-style procession throughout the town, full-on festival in the park (headlined by the one and only Kylie last year!) and the famous St. James Street street parties that go on all night!
Brighton Fringe Festival
- The largest open-access arts festival in England
- An international festival that is at the same time rooted in the community. It embraces every art form and every form of artistic expression and supports both new and established performers in trying out new work and taking risks
- The festival takes over parks, pubs, and theatres across the city for a month of entertainment each year
If you're looking for a quieter life, just outside of the city lies the South Downs, with plenty of scenery and wildlife available to explore, highlights include Devils Dyke and Ditchling Beacon, which offer a stunning respite from city life.
Gaming Events in Brighton
As we mentioned before if you work in games then Brighton certainly has a lot going on to keep you inspired, help you network and find like-minded people! From gaming events and meet-ups to conferences and game jams there's an event for everyone.
Image source: Develop Conference
- A conference for all those in the European Game Dev community – from small indie developers to globally successful studios
- Every year since 2006 over three days in the summer
- Gets bigger and better year on year – this event is a huge talking point in the industry
- An opportunity to learn from each other, share experiences and network with others in the industry
- An event where deals are made, new games are pitched, and IP’s are signed by the sea
"Develop:Brighton is especially unique - it’s by the seaside and there’s a lovely relaxed tone that goes with that. It’s where lots of people congregate from all sorts of backgrounds in gaming. The talks are cool, the networking is cool. And when your friend from another studio starts telling you about the game, they’re working on that they shouldn’t really tell you about – that’s my favourite bit!" – Sean from Hello Games
Image source: Develop Conference
Play@Develop
- Skillsearch host an event on the 2nd day of Develop: Brighton every year called Play@Develop
- Focuses on Raising money for Special Effect, the games charity, it's a calm haven outside of the main event, down on the beach where attendees can come and meet friends and chill
- There's a raffle with proceeds going towards Special Effect – The grand prize last year was an Oculus Quest!
- Attendees can take part in games tournaments with friends and colleagues to win prizes too
Brighton Indie Game Devs
- A hub for events in B&H for Indie game devs of all descriptions
- All aspects of gamedev covered
- Monthly meetups in cafes, pubs, parks, etc.
Keep an eye out on sites like Meetup for local events. It's a great way to meet people in a new city and get inspired at the same time.
Moving with a Family
If you’re relocating with kids in tow, you might be wondering what the education scene is like in Brighton.
There is a wide range of primary, secondary and tertiary education – many with national and international reputations.
There aren’t any international schools in the city but some nearby secondary schools offer the international baccalaureate as well as A levels.
There are two universities in the city – Brighton & Sussex – Brighton specialises in fashion and arts, and Sussex focuses more on academic subjects
There is also a wide choice of language schools for ex-pats looking to improve their English, so lots of great educational opportunities for those looking for them!
Relocating to Brighton for a job in games
With easy access to major cities such as London and Southampton, and a half an hour train ride to Gatwick Airport, Brighton is a great place to relocate to if you’re looking for the best of both worlds. Thanks to its compact city centre, Brighton is easy to navigate and get used to compared to other larger UK cities.
A friendly and inviting city, Brighton welcomes people from all walks of life. All of this on top of being the LGBTQ+ capital of the UK (which its residents are truly proud of) makes for an inclusive and tolerant community that is open to all.
There’s a lot to consider when thinking of relocating to a new city or country for your job. If you want to know more about relocation in the games industry, read our blog: Researching your Relocation in Games to read more about the important factors when considering a big move and of course feel free to get in touch for advice and help with the process.
And if we’ve convinced you that Brighton is the city for you… check out our latest games jobs in Brighton or submit your CV and we'll get looking for your dream role in Brighton!
