EDINBURGH & DUNDEE, Scotland — The Scottish Games Network (SGN) will today formally unveil “Level Up Scotland,” a comprehensive National Action Plan designed to transform Scotland’s world-class games sector from an overlooked ‘secret weapon’ into a unified, £1 Billion economic powerhouse.
The result of two years of intensive consultation, data-crunching, and cross-sectoral collaboration, the Action Plan provides a strategic blueprint to establish Scotland as the UK’s first Games Supercluster. The plan highlights the sector’s extraordinary productivity, with Scottish games developers delivering £151,382 GVA per head - more than double the national average.
The ‘Golden Thread’ of Innovation
The Action Plan argues that games are no longer a sub-sector of the creative industries but the ‘Golden Thread’ of the digital economy. The tools, technologies, and techniques forged in games have enormous transformational potential for healthcare, manufacturing, education, data, cyber, fintech, film, energy - in fact all of the key sectors across Scotland’s economy.
Brian Baglow, Director of the Scottish Games Network, said: "For too long, the Scottish games industry has been our economy's secret weapon - high performance, globally successful, but all too often missing from the strategic HUD. After two years of professional cat-herding and deep-dive research, we are handing over a blueprint that moves us all beyond fragmentation and invisibility. This isn't just a report; it’s a mandate to weave games technology into the heart of Scottish innovation. By hitting ‘start’ on the UK’s first Games Supercluster, we are securing Scotland’s place as a global leader in the creative technology economy."
Five Core Recommendations for Growth
The plan outlines five integrated recommendations to be implemented over a two-year pilot phase:
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Strategic Leadership: Appointment of an Interim Chief Games Officer (CGO) to align the sector with National Strategies (National Strategy for Economic Transformation, Scottish Tech Ecosystem Review, National Innovation Strategy, etc.)
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Dedicated Investment: A de-risked pilot fund to leverage private capital and support original IP creation and co-development.
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Talent Retention: A National Games Skills & Education Forum spanning the entire education lifecycle, from primary school to continuing professional development.
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Enterprise Support: A specialist service to help Scottish studios start up, grow, scale, and achieve sustainability and global success.
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Innovation at Scale: A National Games Innovation Centre to make games an integrated part of Scotland’s digital future.
Launch Events: Two Cities, One Day
To mark the launch, two major events are being held today, Wednesday, January 21st:
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09:30 AM | Edinburgh (CodeBase): A political and press briefing focused on economic growth, GVA, and national policy alignment, hosted in the heart of Scotland's capital.
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13:00 PM | Dundee (Abertay CyberQuarter): An industry and community town hall in the spiritual home of the Scottish games sector, focusing on skills, talent, and the future of the developer community.
Clare Adamson MSP and Michael Marra MSP, Co-conveners of the Cross-Party Group on Scotland’s Games Ecosystem, said: "The Level Up Scotland Action Plan provides the strategic coherence that Scotland’s games sector has needed. It demonstrates the undeniable value of our games developers and provides a clear, evidence-based path for the Scottish Government to support one of our most productive and innovative industries."
The full Level Up Scotland Action Plan and the accompanying Implementation Annexe are available for download at www.scottishgames.net/scotlands-games-action-plan.
ENDS