March 13, 2026 — Penarth, Wales Penarth-based Wales Interactive announced support from the Welsh Government through Creative Wales Production Funding for the Tides of Terror expansion to its zombie horror shooter Sker Ritual. This marks the first such funding for a games company, enabling new gameplay features and creating 12 trainee placements.
The expansion introduces a fresh map set on cursed Sker Beach, new missions, enemies, voice chat, third-person mode, cross-play, and custom games. Sker Ritual, launched in April 2024 and inspired by Welsh folklore, topped global charts at release, reaching top 3 on Steam, top 5 on Xbox, and top 10 on PlayStation.
“It’s great to see Creative Wales’ continued support for the Welsh games industry, and we’re delighted that our evolving game, Sker Ritual, was the first video game to receive production funding,” said Dr. David Banner MBE, CEO and Co-Founder of Wales Interactive. “We’re also very proud to have helped nurture new talent… this Welsh Government support has played an important role in our continued success and growth.”
Government Backing and Impact
Jack Sargeant, Minister for Creative Industries, highlighted the cultural resonance:
“The success of Sker Ritual shows how powerfully Welsh folklore and Welsh talent can resonate with players worldwide – and the response to Tides of Terror has been particularly striking. I’m delighted that the Welsh Government has been able to support Wales Interactive through Creative Wales’s Production Funding scheme.”
The funding facilitated 12 placements in programming, audio engineering, and quality assurance, providing hands-on experience at the studio.
Global Milestone
Nation.Cymru reported the Sker franchise has achieved 11 million global downloads. The Tides of Terror content, released in October 2024 as a free update, features new enemies like Y Cracen and weapons such as the Maelstrom, per Wales Interactive.
Social media buzz includes X post from @Gamejinnlive noting the expansion’s new maps and cross-play.
Background
Originally launched in April 2024, Sker Ritual became a bestseller, paving the way for expansions like Tides of Terror. The Welsh Government announcement underscores the growing creative industries sector in Wales. [Business Wales] mirrored the press release.