Home-grown Welsh zombie horror shooter tops international gaming charts
Gem arswyd saethwr zombie o Gymru ar frig siartiau gemau rhyngwladol
Sker Ritual, a gothic horror game with a strong Welsh backstory, was one of the best-selling PC and console games in the world following its launch last week– reaching the top 3 on Steam, top 5 on Xbox and top 10 on PlayStation.
Ranking above globally established games such as FIFA 24, Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto, Sker Ritual is Penarth-based Wales Interactive’s follow up to the 2020 game Maid of Sker which is inspired by the Welsh folk song Y Ferch o’r Sger. The song tells the story of Elisabeth Williams, a young woman imprisoned by her father in Sker House, a real-life location near Porthcawl, to stop her from marrying the man she loved. She is said to have died of a broken heart.
In addition to the familiar locations and backstory, Welsh gamers should also listen out for snippets of Welsh dialogue and excerpts of Welsh hymns used in the soundtrack of the Sker games as they try to shoot down relentless waves of zombies.
Wales interactive, the Penarth-based company behind Sker Ritual, is a globally renowned, multi-award-winning video games and interactive movie publisher that has previously received funding support from Welsh Government and Creative Wales - the internal agency established to help grow the Creative sectors in Wales.
Collectively, Wales Interactive’s studio and portfolio of titles have received over 140 award nominations and over 60 accolades, not only for their creative work but also for their entrepreneurial spirit and constant innovation in their field.
Dr David Banner MBE, CEO & Co-Founder of Wales Interactive, said:
“We’ve been overwhelmed by the positive reception, support and love that Sker Ritual is getting around the world. And it’s great to see Creative Wales’s continued support for the growing gaming industry in Wales which has helped champion Welsh Games developers like us.”
Hannah Blythyn, the Minister for Creative Industries in Wales, said:
“Huge congratulations to Wales Interactive on Sker Ritual’s success. It’s no mean feat for an independent Welsh studio to be up there competing against the likes of Call of Duty and FIFA 24and it shows what’s possible with a little bit of support and a huge amount of talent.
“We’re proud of our thriving gaming industry and the growing games engine technology base that we have here in Wales. I am committed to giving games developers the backing they need continue to grow and show what’s possible in this fast-changing and exciting sector. Look out for more international success!”
Notes to editors
Sker Ritual press kit (including trailers and screenshots):
- Wales Interactive Media Hub - Sker Ritual - All Documents (sharepoint.com)
- walesinteractive.com/skerritual
About Creative Wales:
Creative Wales is a Welsh Government economic development agency established to promote and grow the creative industries in Wales.
Our focus is to offer funding, support, and guidance across a range of sectors from TV and Film, Animation – including Immersive Tech, AR/VR – through to Games, Music, and Publishing - positioning Wales as one of the best places in the world for creative businesses to thrive.
We are passionate about creating opportunities for people in the industry. Whether that’s entry-level training or developing and upskilling people already working in our creative sectors. We are committed to investing in people from a diverse range of backgrounds, whether they’re young people, newcomers to the industry or our talented and experienced workforce.
From studio development to grassroots music venues, indie games developers and major international productions, we provide funding, specialist advice and help people within the industry to make connections that will nurture the development of creative projects of all sizes. We also actively promote sustainability, fair work, and equal opportunities for everyone working across our creative sectors.
Whether we are supporting home-grown talent or working to attract international creative projects to Wales, our aim is always to strengthen the industry for the long term and create exciting and rewarding opportunities for future generations.
For more information visit creative.wales and follow us on socials:
Instagram @cymrugreadigol
X @CreativeWales
LinkedIn cymru-greadigol-creative-wales