Graduates starting out in the gaming industry will earn 17% more in Brighton than elsewhere in the UK.

New research by trade association TIGA has also found more than 4,660 highly skilled jobs will be created in the industry nationally over the next five years.

The success of regional tech clusters like Brighton, which benefits from a rich talent pool, make now the ideal time to start a career in the industry, TIGA said.

Games software development in the UK is driving regional growth and offering well-paid roles outside London, with employees in Brighton earning 17% above the national average.

The largest salary increase was in technical development and program- ming, while employee turnover is also on the decline.

The industry expects £188 million in investment over the next five years after the introduction of Games Tax Relief.

One firm that is growing is start-up Studio Gobo in Hove, which employs 32 people and is looking to recruit another ten.

Director Tony Beckwith, who also founded Climax Racing and is former head of Disney’s now-closed Black Rock studio, said: “I think the industry is getting more diverse and fractured. There’s a much bigger range of opportunities out there.

“I moved here in 1999 and there was no video game developers here. I thought one day it would become a hub and there would be loads of developers. It was a good creative place to live and make games.

“It’s now come true. There’s 15 or 20 companies, it’s a growing scene.”

Phil Jones, managing director of Wired Sussex, said: “There have been significant changes in the gaming sector over the last few years including a shift from console to online games and the massive growth in gaming apps.

“The ability of gaming companies in Brighton to adapt to those changes has put them in good stead. One only has to look at local gaming busi- nesses as diverse as Relentless, Gobo and Candy Labs to recognise the strength in depth we have in this area locally.

“The challenge is, as ever, around skills and infrastructure to enable them all to grow and prosper further.”

Dr Richard Wilson, CEO of TIGA, said: “This is a great time to be in the UK video game industry. Salaries in the games industry are now rising faster than the national average. Job opportunities in the games industry are set to grow and investment in the sector is set to increase.”