MotoGP 21 is made in Italy.

Italy’s game industry grows to 1,600 people and 160 game studios

Made in Italy is taking on new meaning when it comes to games. Italy’s game industry grew 45% from 2018 to 2021 to more than 1,600 developers and 160 game studios, according to a survey by Italy’s game association.

The survey from the Italian Interactive Digital Entertainment Association (IIDEA) and research firm IDG Consulting was the fifth census of Italian game developers. It showed how much the Italian game industry has prospered, even during the pandemic. The results show the nation’s game industry is becoming more mature, with 73% of developers now operating for more than four years, said IIDEA CEO Thalita Malago in an interview with GamesBeat.

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Dean Takahashi

Dean Takahashi is editorial director for GamesBeat. He has been a tech journalist since 1988, and he has covered games as a beat since 1996. He was lead writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat from 2008 to April 2025. Prior to that, he wrote for the San Jose Mercury News, the Red Herring, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, and the Dallas Times-Herald. He is the author of two books, "Opening the Xbox" and "The Xbox 360 Uncloaked." He organizes the annual GamesBeat Next, GamesBeat Summit and GamesBeat Insider Series: Hollywood and Games conferences and is a frequent speaker at gaming and tech events. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.