The computer games industry is key to the future economic success of Scotland and will continue to support jobs and innovation in Dundee, UK Minister for Digital Britain Stephen Timms said at a visit to Abertay University this week (Monday 22nd February).
The University is at the centre of the successful computer games industry in Dundee and has produced some of the leading lights in companies like Realtime Worlds and Digital Goldfish, both set up by Abertay alumni.
Stephen Timms visited the University to meet staff and students on their undergraduate and postgraduate industry accredited computer games courses.
The University’s video games centre of excellence is receiving £2.5 million of investment from the UK government to help it expand. The project – with the new specialist games facilities being developed in Manchester – aims to create 30 new companies, assist 80 others and stimulate up to 400 new jobs nationwide.
Digital Britain Minister, Stephen Timms said: “Scotland has rich heritage when it comes to computer games. Some of the world’s most iconic games - like Grand Theft Auto and Lemmings - have been developed around Dundee.
“This new investment will strengthen Abertay University as a centre of excellence for the games industry. Investing now means that firms can start to build and grow for the future.”
The UK government is actively working alongside the market to capitalise on new opportunities in emerging technologies and sectors. The games industry is one such sector of the economy.
Mr Timms also met with BAFTA finalists from the University , who won the international student computer game design competition ‘Dare to be Digital’, and are now the sole finalists for the BAFTA ‘Ones to Watch’ award.
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Photo shows Stephen Timms trying out one of the BAFTA nominated 'Dare to be Digital' games as Abertay Principal Professor Bernard King CBE (far right) and Jim McGovern MP (left) look on.
Notes to editors
The £2.5 million investment in Abertay comes from the UK government’s Strategic Investment Fund (SIF) which was announced on 22 April to underpin its industrial strategy ‘New Industry New Jobs. The Abertay project is complemented by new specialist games facilities being developed in Manchester with the help of £1 million from the SIF.
The joint projects include a £2 million prototype fund which will be available to eligible SME businesses across the UK. With additional regional and European funding the investment in these two centres will total well over £10 million.
The UK is the fourth largest producer of computes games in the world and the largest in Europe. Last year the UK games market generated £3.31 billion for the economy, with video games software sales accounting for £1.621 billion.