Playrix founders put mobile on top of The Sunday Times’ first ever Gaming Rich List

• Both King and Tripledot place three big winners in the top 30
• A quarter of the list are under 35, with the average age of the entries 45

Stay Informed

Get Industry News In Your Inbox…

Sign Up Today

It’s that time of year again when The Sunday Times compiles its annual rich lists and this year – finally in recognition of the talent and wealth being generated through games in the UK – there’s even a games-focused table especially for all the devs, publishers and players who’ve made a mint.

And notably it’s a win for mobile as Russian-born brothers Igor and Dmitry Bukhman – the founders of Playrix, the makers of Homescapes and Gardenscapes – top the list with an estimated fortune of £12.5 billion.

Notably the pair also place a highly commendable 27th in the full unadulterated Sunday Times Rich List 2024 which includes stars of stage, screen, music, business and more.

Other notables on the gaming rich list include Debbie Bestwick, the former chief executive of Team17 at number 13 with £130 million, being just one of three women on the list.

And gamer Harry Lewis, aged 27, is the youngest person to appear on the list, regularly appearing online alongside KSI and the five fellow members of the Sidemen. 

Some Candy talking

The publisher that’s home to the biggest winners is King, whose success has put three of the top 30 in the limelight: Riccardo Zacconi, Mel Morris, and Sebastian Knutsson rank at numbers three, seven and nine respectively.

Similarly with three in the 30 are puzzle pros Tripledot who place Lior Shiff, Akin Babayigit and Eyal Chameides in at 5, 16 and 29 repectively.

And, in recognition of the vibrant nature of the industry, stats show that more than a quarter of the gamers and developers on the list are under 35, with the average age of the entries 45.

Robert Watts, the compiler of list said: “The UK gaming industry has become a Great British success story of recent years, creating thousands of jobs and contributing strongly to economic growth. 

“Our first Gaming Rich List shows who is earning well from hits such as Minecraft, Grand Theft Auto and Candy Crush. 

“Making a fortune while playing or creating video games may sound like living the dream to many young people. This Rich List tells the rags to riches stories of people who have done exactly that. 

Here’s that top 30 game developers and gamers in the UK 2024 list in full: