PODCAST: Sir Ian Livingstone on the power of gaming
Tools & Resources
Key learnings
- Sir Ian Livingstone co-founded the £3.5bn Games Workshop while living in a van. He successfully moved into video games, masterminding hit games such as Tomb Raider and Hitman, and is considered a seminal force within the industry.
- He believes there are many misconceptions about the power of gaming but it's slowly becoming more socially, culturally and economically salient.
- Now an angel investor, Ian's advice to gaming entrepreneurs is to hold on to intellectual property as this is "what determines your destiny."
- The UK has always punched above its weight in terms of video games content but it's been underestimated by investors - but this is changing now, says Sir Ian.
We speak to the man widely considered one of the Founding Fathers of British Gaming. Sir Ian Livingstone began his career writing interactive fantasy books before co-founding Games Workshop in 1975 - the retailer that brought Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer to the UK. In the 1980s, he recognised the potential of the emerging video games industry and began working with Domark, later acquired by Eidos Interactive, producing some of the industry’s most celebrated titles including Tomb Raider and Hitman.
Listen below to hear the prolific angel investor and Meta Games Industry Index ambassador reflect on his incredible career, the power of gaming, and the UK's ability to punch above its weight in this global industry.
*This podcast was recorded prior to Sir Ian being Knighted in the New Years Honours List 2022.
Next steps...
- Sir Ian was an ambassador of the META Games Industry Index 2021, which showcases innovation, diverse and independent UK games companies.
- If you've been inspired by Sir Ian to start your own business, check out our Bundle: Starting a business.