In the global gaming industry, where studios seek young and creative professionals as well as promising markets for launching or expanding products, Uzbekistan’s growing IT sector is uniquely positioned to meet these demands. With a population of almost 38 million and a median age of 29, the country offers studios and publishers favorable conditions — including tax incentives, support for businesses, and access to highly qualified specialists.
Uzbekistan — where creativity and efficiency intersect — is rapidly developing its game development industry. The country is witnessing steady growth in independent projects and studios, supported by favorable policies, a young talent pool, and increasing interest from global partners.
Games for youth, by youth
Uzbekistan is the most populous country in Central Asia. It’s a youthful, ambitious, and creative society, capable of producing products that reflect the times. The country also boasts a robust system of talent development.
With full internet coverage across all schools, Uzbekistan is steadily shaping a technology-driven economy. Each year, more than 125,000 students graduate from 210 universities, over 80 of which specialize in IT programs. This continuous flow of young talent strengthens the country’s ICT workforce, which already exceeds 200,000 specialists nationwide. In December 2024, with IT Park’s support, the GameDevHQ Academy was launched — the region’s first educational platform dedicated to game developers, bringing together developers, designers, investors, and enthusiasts.
Fast and risk-free studio launch
Uzbekistan’s IT rise began in 2019 with the creation of IT Park Uzbekistan. IT Park serves as a bridge between IT businesses and state opportunities, enabling fast growth of high-tech industries.
Eugene Ponomarev, Founder of EVEGOPLAYON, notes:
“IT Park is a strong and valuable ally for the companies that become its members. It provides broad support for growth — from offering tax incentives to organizing conferences in different countries. I can compare the organization to a magic wand: if you hit a dead end with any issue, you can turn to IT Park specialists, and they will either help directly or provide expert advice.”
Game development companies can take advantage of the following benefits and incentives as IT Park Uzbekistan members:
• The IT Visa offers foreign investors, specialists, and founders of IT Park member companies a multiple-entry visa, valid for up to three years, allows foreigners to access medical services, pursue education on equal terms with citizens of Uzbekistan, and the right to purchase property without price limits.
• Risk-free company launch with the Zero Risk program. Companies can apply for free office rent in the regions of Uzbekistan for up to 12 months. Support is also provided in equipping the office with furniture and equipment, along with reimbursement of up to 15% of salary expenses for employees who are citizens of Uzbekistan.
• Tax incentives include full exemptions from VAT, corporate, property, and social taxes. The personal income tax rate for company specialists is just 7.5%.
At the same time, a company in Uzbekistan can be launched turnkey in a remote format through the One Stop Shop program. Founders can launch a company remotely, with IT Park handling business setup. These programs lower barriers for launching game studios in Uzbekistan, allowing teams to focus on innovation, create new products, and scale faster — instead of worrying about costs and bureaucracy.
Eugene Ponomarev adds:
“From the very beginning of our work in Uzbekistan, we felt the benefits of the preferential tax policy. This is an important factor for small and medium-sized businesses, as it allows them to retain more resources for company development.
Reduced tax payments translate into higher profitability and margins, enabling greater investment in modernization, business expansion, new product development, or higher employee salaries. In turn, this boosts the competitiveness of Uzbek companies in the global market.
We considered other countries to launch our business — including in Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. However, we chose Uzbekistan, noting not only the tax advantages, but also the affordability of real estate, ease of doing business, absence of bureaucracy, the ability to retain full ownership of company assets without involving third parties, as well as the favorable climate and convenient time zone.”
A synergy of safety, comfort, and opportunity
Uzbekistan is located in the heart of Eurasia, which enables ITES companies to respond quickly to global clients. For example, the time difference between Tashkent and Seoul is only four hours.
Despite the large potential user base in Central Asia, where the population exceeds 80 million people, the capabilities of local game development studios are widely promoted on international platforms. This is made possible through IT Park’s representative offices in countries. As a result, companies based in Uzbekistan are able to find potential clients and new markets for their products and services.
According to the latest Safety Perception Index, Uzbekistan ranks as the safest country in the world — making the presence of businesses and foreign specialists in the country not only promising, but also comfortable and secure.
Part of the global industry
The fast-growing game development sector in Uzbekistan is not just a local trend, but part of a broader transformation of the region’s digital economy, involving a wide range of players in different roles. Government support, young talent, and a favorable business climate have turned Uzbekistan into a hub for studios, indie developers, and startups.
For international teams and investors, Uzbekistan provides a way to engage with a market that is steadily evolving.
Uzbekistan’s growing GameDev sector also gained significant attention during ICT WEEK Uzbekistan 2025 — the country’s flagship technology event of the year. One of the standout highlights was Game GAP 2025, a major forum that brought together representatives from leading global studios and game development companies. The discussions focused on the future of indie development, the role of artificial intelligence, and the prospects for Uzbek-made games entering international markets.
Investing involves risk and your investment may lose value. Past performance gives no indication of future results. These statements do not constitute and cannot replace investment advice.
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