Game on as city to host new awards

Dundee will host a two-day conference and awards ceremony as part of Scottish Games Week.

The new event, held in October, is created and organised by the Scottish Games Network.

Its purpose is to showcase Scotland’s pioneering and diverse games ecosystem and take it to the next level.

The two-day industry conference on October 27 and 28 will focus on the cutting edge of game design, development, publishing and funding.

Meanwhile, the first ever Scottish Games Awards will recognise the creativity, technical expertise, business acumen and pioneering work being carried out across the sector.

Brian Baglow, director of the Scottish Games Network, said it was essential Dundee plays a key role in the week.

He said: “It’s the heart and soul of Scotland’s games legacy and still has around half the country’s development studios.

“There’s a really strong and supportive community here. It would have made no sense to not include Dundee and make it a focal point. We’ve got such a fantastic legacy but Scottish Games Week is about the future.

“It’s about what’s happening in the next two, five, 10 years and making sure Dundee is still at the forefront of the games ecosystem as it evolves.”

The week will also

feature More Than Games, an event to explain the transformative potential of the tools, technologies and techniques from gaming to other sectors.

A symposium will bring together educators and stakeholders from across the education and academic landscape.

There satellite will also be events across

Scotland. Mr Baglow added: “The games sector proved to be not just resilient to Covid-19, it positively boomed.

“Scotland’s games industry is the country’s secret weapon. The games ecosystem is far larger and more complex than anyone gives it credit for.

“It has much to offer the wider creative industries,

as well as other areas of the digital technology sector.

“Scottish Games Week will give this incredible ecosystem a global platform, showcasing, highlighting and supporting the incredible work in Scotland.”

The week has support from the Scottish Government’s Tech Ecosystem Review fund.

PLAYING A PART: Brian Baglow says it is essential Dundee has a key role in the event.