Welcome... 12


03 FACTS & FIGURES Scotland by numbers


04 AN OVERVIEW


What the gaming sector in Scotland looks like


06 PASS MARKS Our graduate placement programme finds you the perfect opportunity


08 GLOBE TROTTERS People from all over the world are coming to Scotland to work in the games industry


10 SMALL AND BEAUTIFUL From style to heritage, you’ll be surprised and delighted at what Scotland offers


12 A CLOSER LOOK A focus on Scottish software development – which is among the best in the world


14 THE RIGHT NOTE Scotland offers a diverse range of music and live events


16 GREAT OUTDOORS Activities from surfing to cycling await you in Scotland


...to this edition of TalentScotland magazine which focuses on Scotland’s internationally renowned computer games industry. I’ve been lucky enough to be making


games in Scotland for most of the sector’s 25-year existence, and seen the Scottish games scene explode onto the world stage with blockbusters such as Lemmings, Grand Theft Auto and Crackdown – and now with dozens more every year being added to the illustrious stable. The capabilities of this sector was cata-


pulted by Abertay University’s launching of the world’s first computer gaming degree 15 years ago, which has now expanded to a


“Most of the recent growth of the market has come from the new platforms…”


whole suite of courses providing students of a very high calibre and fuelling the skills level and creativity of the Scottish games industry. Over this time the industry has changed


at an incredible rate with new platforms, technology, genres, and business models to adapt to. Contrary to some reports, big budget games are very much still with us, with Modern Warfare smashing sales records, and a new GTA rumoured for later in 2012 that will hopefully compete to take the crown back for Scotland. However, most of the recent growth


of the market has come from the new platforms: smartphones, tablets, social net- works and web-based games, and these will continue to be hugely exciting and unleash people’s creativity because the barriers to entry are lower than they have ever been before.


Scotland’s gaming industry will continue


to quickly adapt to new platforms, creating fantastic new gameplay experiences, and taking advantage of the new digital distribu- tion opportunities to ensure that the world will play Scotland’s games for at least 25 years more.


Colin MacDonald, Video Games Consultant


BIO: Colin MacDonald


Colin entered the games industry in 1990 as a software engineer and later founded a small games devel- opment and publishing company bringing about 20 titles to the market, including licences of Lemmings and Prince of Persia. He joined DMA Design in 1997


This publication has been produced by TalentScotland, part of Scottish Development International (SDI). For more information about the exceptional jobopportunities and exciting lifestyle awaiting you in Scotland please visit www.talentscotland.com


The views expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of SDI.


To contact the editor please email: info@talentscotland.com


Written and designed by Connect Communications www.connectcommunications.co.uk


as Producer on the multi-billion- dollar-generating Grand Theft Auto franchise. He then founded and was Studio Manager for Realtime Worlds, where he oversaw development of the two-million-selling BAFTA-winning game Crackdown. Channel 4 recently announced


Colin would be joining it as its Commissioning Editor for Games.


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www.talentscotland.com/games


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