ALPHA | NEWS
Scotland ‘emerging as a globally important development hub’...
UK’s northerly games industry hot spot to demonstrate show of force at GDC
Mike Shiel (inset) of Scottish Development international says areas like those on the Clyde waterfront are becoming increasingly important dev hubs by Will Freeman
SCOTLAND IS FAST becoming a globally competitive games development hub. That’s according to Scottish
Development International, an international arm of the Scottish Government, which is charged with attracting inward investment to the country while helping to promote its local studios’ interests globally. “To that aim we have 23 offices
around the world, and we run various missions and exhibitions, GDC being an example of one of the biggest,” said Mike Shiel, head of Creative Industries at Scottish Development International.
“At this year’s GDC we’ll have 18
companies and two universities represented at our stand. Then there’s our Talent Scotland initiative, which offers a database of people locally and internationally who wish to work in Scotland, including a lot of people in the creative industries and video games development. “Scotland has a long history in
creative innovations and that has set it up well to emerge as one of the world’s most important games hubs. This is where world leading games development is done.” Shiel also highlighted Scotland’s
communications infrastructure as a reason for company’s globally to
At this year’s GDC we’ll have
18 companies and two universities represented at our stand.
Mike Shiel, SDI
consider the country as a destination for data centres for cloud gaming, and pointed to the likes of Abertay University’s on-going Prototype Fund as evidence of the high levels of
investment in the region for start-ups looking for a home for their business. Also in the SDI’s toolbox are region specific initiatives like The Creative Clyde project, which, along with other gaming industry clusters such as Dundee, the organisation says demonstrate in a ‘very tangible way’ Scotland’s track record in – and commitment to – supporting the growth of the sector. “Alongside this, the future success of
the Creative Clyde project in Glasgow depends to a large extent on SDI’s proven ability to attract foreign direct investment,” concluded Shiel. “It’s a real partnership”.
www.sdi.co.uk
...as UKIE opens Scottish base
Fat Bob Games’ managing director Euan Mackenzie to head up UK trade body’s recently established Scotland office by Will Freeman
FAT BOB GAMES MDEuan Mackenzie is to head up the newly formed Scottish Office of UK trade body UKIE. “Scotland has long been a world leader in the creation of games and interactive entertainment and we are pleased to announce that Euan Mackenzie will be heading up our Scottish Office,” confirmed UKIE CEO Jo Twist. “As head of Fat Bob Games, Euan knows first-hand some of the challenges facing the interactive entertainment industry in Scotland and he will be able to spread the benefits of UKIE membership to all Scotland-based developers and publishers.” Edinburgh studio Fat Bob Games specialises in mobile and browser
12 |MARCH 2012
content, and last year contributed for charity project Play for Good, which saw money generated by the app Drop Catcher donated to games industry charity Special effect. UKIE’s Scottish Office has been established to offer Scotland’s development and publishing community support and services to ensure the area – famous for hubs like that at Dundee – can thrive. “We will be officially launching our
UKIE Scottish Office with an event this Spring but if anyone has any questions before then, Euan will be happy to help,” added Twist. Mackenzie can be reached on
euan.mackenzie@
ukie.org.uk.
www.ukie.info
Fat Bob Games MD Euan Mackenzie (left) is now also a colleague of UKIE CEO Jo Twist (right)
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