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95 PER CENT OF UK GAMES DEVELOPERS EXPORT AT LEAST SOME OF THEIR PRODUCTS


SOCIAL STANDING Dundee-based Dynamo Games is looking to expand into overseas markets after successfully designing and developing games for facebook.


D F x E


THERE IS A HIGHER PROPORTION OF POSTGRADUATE DEGREES IN THE UK GAMES DEVELOPMENT WORKFORCE THAN IN ANY OTHER GAMES SECTOR IN THE WORLD


MORE THAN 60 PER CENT OF A TYPICAL UK GAMES DEVELOPER’S TURNOVER IS GENERATED FROM INTERNATIONAL SALES


get new businesses and new products off the ground, attracting commercial interest and further private investment. “Investing at this extremely fragile


stage will help generate sustainable future growth for the games sector in Dundee, Scotland and across the UK. A strong fl ow of new, commercially viable businesses is key to ensuring that the country’s video games industry develops to its full potential. “With the explosion of digital


distribution opportunities and the falling barriers to market entry, there are huge opportunities for new games businesses, commercial partners and investors in the UK. More start-ups are needed to drive this, which is exactly what our Prototype Fund is focused on.” For this fast-moving industry, the game is most defi nitely on. ■


LET’S DO BUSINESS


TO LEARN MORE ABOUT the UK’s video gaming sector, call 020 7215 8000 or alternatively email judith.rooney@ukti. gsi.gov.uk


In August 2010, Dynamo, a multi award-winning specialist in the social, smartphone and tablet gaming sectors, released Soccer Tycoon for facebook, its fi rst fully-owned intellectual property social network game. This was followed by another facebook game, Beauty Town, launched in May 2011. As a result of this success, the company is looking to achieve international growth for its facebook products and its expanding range of iOS and Android titles, with assistance from Scottish Development International. Stud io head Stuart Reid says: “This support has been very helpful for us as a growing company, highlighting potential challenges and how I can best take Dynamo forward as we continue to grow.” >> dynamogames.com


RACING AHEAD Exports are a major focus of Glasgow-based video games developer Firebrand Games,


a specialist in the production of racing games. Firebrand uses an in-house feature-rich technology called Octane, which has been designed to create highly optimised games, renowned for both graphical detail performance as well as true cross-platform utilisation. Popular titles include Race Driver: Create and Race, its follow-up, Race Driver: GRID, TrackMania DS and Need for Speed. A regular recipient of trade show support from


UK Trade & Investment, Firebrand currently generates 100 per cent of its turnover from exports. It has expanded into the US, with sister studios in Merritt Island, Florida and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. “Overseas sales are critical for Firebrand,” says


managing director Mark Greenshields. “The US is the key market for us, but we also sell to Europe and Asia. “Factors behind our success include great customer service and the high quality of our teams, which are committed to squeezing the most fun and value they can into every product. In addition, we devote considerable time and sums to R&D, which helps us keep up with and ahead of the competition. “Focusing on a particular product line has also been


important. We carefully consider every opportunity presented to us, but specialising in racing games has given us real strength.” >> fi rebrandgames.com


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