Scotland plans to become a global powerhouse in the gaming industry

Scotland finally seems to have woken up to the gigantic potential of our industry. With the new Scottish Game Action Plan, the goal is ambitious: to elevate the local ecosystem to over 1 billion pounds by 2030. After 18 months of development and consultation with over 350 professionals, the plan aims to transform the country into a "supercluster" of creative technology.

By 2028, the target is to create 20 new studios and 50 new intellectual properties. For this, the government of Scotland announced support in February 2024, focusing on a strategy divided into phases to mitigate risks.

"Phase One" involves the creation of a pilot fund of 5 million pounds, inspired by the successful UK Games Fund. The fund will be divided: IP incubation projects can receive up to 50,000 pounds, while service provision studios can apply for up to 100,000 pounds to compete globally.

A critical point: the establishment of the National Games Innovation Centre, a physical hub to attract international investment, will only come to fruition if the first phase is successful. The plan also requires the appointment of a Chief Games Officer to lead the working group.

"establish fundamental structures and immediate strategic coherence"

"provide a focal point for the sector, a catalyst for international investment, and a legacy asset for Scotland"

It remains to be seen whether the bureaucracy of the Scottish Games Network and government agencies like NSET will actually allow these resources to reach developers.