History and Operational Mechanisms in the Video Game Industry The Case of the Turin Cluster

The video game industry has expanded steadily over recent decades. In Italy, total turnover grew by 36 per cent between 2022 and 2024, reaching an annual output of 180–200 million euros. Around 200 companies currently operate in the sector, employing roughly 2,800 professionals. Notably, the number of video game users has also grown over the years, as one in three Italians aged 6 to 64 now plays video games (IIDEA, 2025, p. 4). What remains less clear is how this industry actually functions—particularly its formative processes and operational mechanisms, especially at the regional level. In Italy, it is known that major video game production companies, such as Milestone and the Italian branch of Ubisoft, are based in Milan. In addition to being Italy’s principal economic hub, Milan also serves as the country’s leading centre for the gaming industry. Yet Milan’s prominence risks obscuring other sites of production. Several regions host development studios whose existence is often unknown to enthusiasts and largely invisible to non-specialist audiences