The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Scottish gaming sector playing to win globally
Anew video games network should be created to help turn Scotland’s gaming sector into a global “superpower”.
A research paper by Our Scottish Future warns Scotland’s gaming sector now risks being left behind as American, Chinese and Japanese giants dominate the market.
It notes that Scotland already benefits from world-class institutions, such as Abertay University, whose computing courses in the 1980s led to Dundee becoming a sector leader in the UK.
However, it says a new UK-wide network, which brings together expertise, finance and services is now needed to help Scottish firms continue to punch above their weight.
The paper says such a plan should be at the top of the agenda of the newlyformed inter-ministerial group for business and industry, which brings the UK Government together with devolved governments to work on shared plans.
Report author Ruairidh Macintosh said: “Scotland needs a plan for video games or risks losing another industrial legacy.
“The best plan would be one that seized the advantages Scotland’s games industry gets from the social and economic connections of the United Kingdom.
“From finance, skills, and connections with England’s own world-class games industry as well as other leading high-tech creative industries such as film and TV.
“The UK offers opportunities to make the most of Scottish talent and creativity.
“Alone, the risk is that historically successful clusters in Edinburgh and Dundee cannot keep up with ever stronger clusters in America, Japan, China and Europe.
“By combining Scottish imagination with the ideas, resources, and connections of the UK we have the best chance to stay competitive in the long term.”
Paul Durrant, director of Dundee-based UK Games Fund, said investment across the UK would improve the position.
He said it would also help to attract talent and investment.
Mr Durrant, awarded an OBE earlier this year for services to the games industry, said: “Because we are connected across UK games clusters, we fully recognise the potential for Scotland.”
The paper sets out a series of proposals, building on the recent Scottish Government review led by tech entrepreneur Mark Logan.
It says the Scottish Government should commit to making computer science a core part of the school curriculum.
Last year, an education expert said video games like Minecraft can play an important role in schools.
Other recommendations are to increase the number of computing places at university and expand funding for start-up companies.
It also calls on the Scottish Government to open a Scottish investment office in London.
That would help firms access venture capital from the City, the report said.
Sean Taylor, director of the InGAME research and innovation centre led by Abertay University, said: “A collaborative, co-operative approach presents the opportunity for Scotland to create a competitive advantage within the world’s biggest entertainment industry and beyond.”
The paper says the UK and Scottish governments should work to build a new UK-wide network, connecting firms and students in key towns and cities, including Dundee. The other places on the list are Edinburgh, Sheffield, Leamington Spa, Cambridge and Sheffield.
It says the fledgling studios should be able to use connections to access this assistance
The report says it would help studios make connections with “established companies working on something more similar to them than the studios physically near them.”
As it stands, when these connections are made it happens “by luck rather than design”, the report adds.
Globally, the video games industry is now worth £160 billion ($200bn).
Scotland accounts for a disproportionate share of the UK-wide industry, with 6,400 people employed in the sector, 11% of the UK total. The sector is estimated to be worth nearly £350 million to the Scottish economy.