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Nearly three decades ago, a small group of young developers in Dundee laid the groundwork for what would become one of the most iconic video game franchises of all time. Grand Theft Auto (GTA), now a global phenomenon eagerly awaited in its latest iteration, Grand Theft Auto VI, originated from the efforts of the Scottish studio DMA Design. This pioneering team, inexperienced and without formal game design qualifications, took on the challenge despite skepticism from their publisher. Brian Baglow, a writer involved in the project, recalls, “It was entirely the work of a Scottish team, all novices, we had no games design degrees at that point.” He also notes the struggle they faced, adding, “The only people who believed in it were DMA Design. The publisher wanted to kill it.”
Over the years, DMA Design evolved into Rockstar North, relocating to Edinburgh and growing to employ over a thousand people. The GTA series has sold hundreds of millions of copies worldwide, firmly establishing Rockstar North as a powerhouse in Scotland’s gaming landscape. Yet, the significance of Scotland’s gaming industry extends well beyond this franchise. Chris van der Kuyl, co-founder of VIS Entertainment, reflects on the transformation of the sector since the early 1990s: “When we started out, people didn’t think about Scotland at all.” He points out that DMA in Dundee was the major player back then, and the industry has since developed with the establishment of formal education opportunities like the world’s first computer games degree introduced by Abertay University in 1997. Van der Kuyl emphasizes the importance of this educational pipeline, stating, “Without a talent pipeline and new people coming into the industry, there would be no industry.”
The experiences of individuals in the industry mirror some of its growth pains. One such person, McKellan, recalls having to leave Scotland to pursue a career in gaming after the collapse of the Dundee studio where he first worked. He describes a time when opportunities were limited: “There were no other opportunities in Scotland at the time, it was either Rockstar or move down south.” After spending five years in England, McKellan returned to Scotland to establish his own studio. Despite the growth of Scotland’s gaming sector, he highlights ongoing difficulties in maintaining studios due to the need to sustain teams over lengthy development periods, contrasting this with the film and television industry’s project-based work. He also points out the challenge of absorbing new graduates into the industry, noting, “We’re maybe hiring one or two people a year, we can’t absorb every graduate that’s coming out.” McKellan sees promise in smaller studios such as Screen Burn, which is working on Silent Hill: Townfall, demonstrating that Scottish talent can produce standout content when given the opportunity.
Brian Baglow, now an influential figure in Scotland’s gaming community, views the ongoing success of the GTA franchise as a testament to the strength of the country’s industry. He believes it should be celebrated as a significant cultural export, saying, “The fact that not only has it achieved the success it has, but it’s still being made here in Scotland, should be seen and championed as our biggest cultural export ever.” However, Baglow points to a shift in the challenges developers face today. With advances making game creation more accessible, the real struggle has become reaching and maintaining player audiences. “The challenges facing developers is not making video games, it’s now user acquisition, as in finding players,” he explains. The pressure to produce a commercial hit remains intense, with studios often reliant on breakout successes to survive: “That need for a breakout consumer hit, and if you don’t get it, it kills your studio.” Nonetheless, Baglow sees potential for the expertise developed within games studios—especially in areas like user engagement and digital design—to be applied across other sectors including healthcare, education, and finance. His final assessment is that Scotland’s main challenge is no longer proving its ability to build successful games but rather securing the investment and support necessary to sustain and grow the industry’s momentum
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