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Investment for games developers
07/12/2009
Scottish-based games developers are to benefit from almost £1 million from the European Regional Development Fund.
Scotland's creative industries have high potential for growth and are a key sector in the Government Economic Strategy. Digital media is particularly strong with Dundee a UK-wide centre of excellence for computer games development.
Managed by the University of Abertay, the project will use the funding to assist the start-up of 20 new games development companies and support 30 existing enterprises, cementing Dundee's reputation as a centre of excellence.
The University forecasts this will increase the Scottish games development industry's turnover by £3 million over the life of the three year project.
Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop said:
"Games are a Scottish success story and a vital part of our creative industries. This funding underlines the Scottish Government's commitment to supporting and developing the games industry in Scotland.
"With our current powers, we are taking positive action to ensure Dundee and Scotland remain destinations of choice for emerging and established digital media companies. Of course, with more powers we could and would do more.
"As we continue to implement our economic recovery plan, this funding will be a welcome boost for the industry and to developers taking their first commercial steps.
"The project will target emerging small and medium-sized enterprises, providing support where it is needed most. The prototype fund is a great innovation that will allow production of demo games with reduced financial risk, easing entry into this competitive marketplace."
Professor Bernard King CBE, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abertay Dundee, explained that the project is aimed at building sustainable businesses that can compete in a fast-moving business environment and maximise their chance of success. He said:
"This is fantastic news for Abertay University, and will massively expand the direct support we will be able to provide to the computer games industry throughout Scotland and indeed across the UK as a whole.
"Ever since we first responded to industry demand and created the world's first degree-level courses for computer games technology in the 1990s, we have led the way in providing industry-relevant and industry-inspired games related courses, culminating in our designation last year as the UK's first national centre for excellence in computer games education.
"This new funding from both the Scottish Government and the UK Government takes our work with the computer games industry onto a whole new level. With the support of our colleagues at Manchester, we are now able to provide a whole new dimension to creating and developing the intellectual property that will drive the growth of the UK computer games industry in the future.
"It is a tremendous achievement for Abertay, and a wonderful vindication of all the campaigning on behalf of the games industry that we have been pursuing in recent years."
Ms Hyslop also called for 'urgent UK Government action' to benefit the computer games development industry.
She said:
"Today's announcement, added to Scottish Funding Council support, amounts to Scottish funding of £2.4 million.
"I am very impressed by the Abertay University's centre of excellence for computer games education and its role in developing talent for the very successful cluster of studios in Dundee.
"A steady stream of talent is crucial to the continued success of this fast-growing industry. One of the biggest challenges facing the games industry in Scotland is the overtures being made to developers by countries like Canada and France. They see the huge benefits of having companies like these based in their countries and are creating attractive environments to encourage them to relocate, particularly in offering tax incentives.
"The Scottish Government is doing all it can to support the games development industry in Scotland and will continue to do so. We want to do more - and would already have done more, with the right fiscal powers. The industry is telling us what it needs. This Government is listening and we will continue to make the case to the UK Government until it recognises this problem and takes action that will benefit the industry and benefit Scotland.
"Scotland's digital media industries need a competitive advantage that will allow them to continue to compete globally.
"The UK Government has an opportunity to show how serious it is about maintaining a successful games industry with the pre-budget report due on Wednesday. I will be listening closely for a positive announcement."
Dave Jones, founder of Dundee-based Crackdown and developers Realtime Worlds, said:
"Using a prototype fund to provide computing and arts students with the opportunity to get hands on experience of real projects will help equip them better for working in our high growth industry and help feed the demand we have for talent."
Scottish Ministers have allocated £953,810 to the Abertay project which links with the UK Government Department of Business, Innovation and Skills' announcement of £2.5 million from the Strategic Investment Fund for Dundee's centre of excellence for games development.