Gamechangers

Our latest set of Special Stamps, the images for which are released today, celebrate the UK's contribution to video games.

The new set of 12 stamps traces the roots of the UK’s games industry to the very early 1980s and includes four stamps that chart the evolution of the iconic Tomb Raider game.

Having sold more than 74 million copies worldwide, the Tomb Raider franchise’s popularity has exploded into a series of blockbuster films based on the original game and 2013 reboot.

The game’s protagonist Lara Croft has been a contemporary global icon for over two decades. Since her first appearance in 1996 in the original Tomb Raider from Core Design, Lara Croft has revolutionised the way the gaming community perceives lead characters in video games.

Eight further games complete the set: Elite; Dizzy; Populous; Lemmings; Micro Machines; Sensible Soccer; Wipeout and Worms.

• Elite (1984) - was a pioneering space-trading game originally made for BBC Micro and Acorn Electron. Made by Cambridge-based duo, David Braben and Ian Bell, the game is legendary and arguably changed the face of computer gaming. Using a tiny amount of memory, this was the first genuine 3D game where players navigated a spaceship through galaxies. It is regularly listed among the most important video games ever created.
• Dizzy (1987) - was devised and created by the Oliver twins and published by Codemasters. It went on to become one of the most successful British game franchises of the era. Originally created for the Amstrad CPC, it quickly converted to ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and other computers and consoles. The game’s main character is an adventuring egg that runs and tumbles around a fantasy world solving puzzles by collecting interesting objects.
• Populous (1989) – was the first civilisation building game and one of the most successful games for PC ever produced. A real-time strategy game, it has won numerous awards and has been voted among one of the most important games of all time. It was created by Bullfrog Productions.
• Lemmings (1991) – was created by Dundee-based DMA, and was one of the best received games of the 1990s. The objective is to save lemmings, and apply abilities to individuals to aid their escape.
• Micro Machines (1991) – a ground-breaking race game developed by Codemasters, where players race miniature toy vehicles. Influential and immensely popular; the game is regarded as a classic.
• Sensible Soccer (1992) – is considered by many to be the father of digital football games, and still retains a following. It was listed as one of the 10 most important video games of all time by a committee of US games experts.
• Wipeout (1995) – wasdeveloped in Liverpool by Sony’s Psygnosis studio. Wipeout was arevolutionary futuristic racing game for the new PlayStation that became a cult hit. It featured original music by Orbital and The Chemical Brothers.
• Worms (1995) – was published by Team 17 and featured cartoon-style warfare between worms. The series went on to become an international success story, helping Wakefield-based, Team 17, to become a leading international games publisher.

Stamps strategy manager, Philip Parker, said: ‘The UK has been at the forefront of the video games industry for decades. In the 1980s and 90s young designers grappled with coding on the new microcomputers and set the template for the industry with iconic games. We celebrate some of their landmark creations on stamps.’

Dr Jo Twist, OBE, CEO of Ukie, the only trade body for the UK's games and interactive entertainment industry, said: ‘This collection celebrates a selection of the great British video games that have helped define both the national and global development scene over decades.

‘Video games are a key part of our cultural footprint and we’re pleased to see their contribution recognised in such memorable style.’

The full set of 12 stamps, available in a presentation pack, retails at £14.25. The stamps and a range of collectible products are available to pre-order now at www.royalmail.com/videogames and by phone on 03457 641 641.

The stamps will be available on general sale at 7,000 Post Offices across the UK from 21 January.