tech

December 19, 2025

‘If we build it, they will come’: Skövde, the tiny town powering up Sweden’s video game boom

It started with a goat. Now – via a degree for developers and an incubator for startups – the tiny city is churning out world-famous video game hits. What is the secret of its success?

‘If we build it, they will come’: Skövde, the tiny town powering up Sweden’s video game boom

TL;DR

  • Skövde, Sweden, has become a significant center for video game development, producing popular titles.
  • The city's success is largely due to the University of Skövde's early implementation of a video game development degree in 2002.
  • Science Park Skövde provides an incubator program that supports game development startups.
  • The small size of Skövde fosters a strong sense of community among game developers, facilitating collaboration and mutual support.
  • Major game studios like Iron Gate, Coffee Stain, and Stunlock originated or are based in Skövde.
  • Despite Sweden's global reputation in gaming, there is a lack of a national strategy and support from the national government.
  • Skövde is actively working to raise local awareness of its international gaming industry successes.

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