Scottish Enterprise's recent 'Megatrends' report misses games entirely - here's why ignoring the interactive market is a dangerous omission.

Back To The Future: Umbra Dynamics Secures Regional EDGE Prize to Champion Retro Games Umbra Dynamics has emerged as the major winner of the Regional EDGE competition in Tayside, securing a £50,000 top prize at a ceremony held at V&A Dundee. Led by industry veteran Marc Williamson, the former CEO of Tag Games, the studio is tackling a critical but often ignored gap in our ecosystem: the preservation and remastering of gaming’s vast history.

Back To The Future: Umbra Dynamics Secures Regional EDGE Prize to Champion Retro Games

Umbra Dynamics has emerged as the major winner of the Regional EDGE competition in Tayside, securing a £50,000 top prize at a ceremony held at V&A Dundee. Led by industry veteran Marc Williamson, the former CEO…

The Interactive Frontier: Why Dundee’s ‘Big Telly Jam’ is a Masterclass in Cross-Sector Innovation Biome Collective and Arcadia present Big Telly Jam at CoSTAR’s Realtime Lab The CoSTAR Realtime Lab at Water’s Edge is set to host a transformative one-day workshop on 6 May 2026, as Biome Collective and Arcadia join forces for the Big Telly Jam. Supported by Creative Scotland, the event is designed to dismantle the silos between traditional art, game design, film, and virtual production.

May 6 2026 is the first Big Telly Jam, a cross-sector workshop at Co-STAR in Dundee, which invites creatives from across Scotland to join in.

What The New UK Government’s £30M Games Funding Means For Scotland This week's announcement of a £30 million Games Growth Package by the UK Government marks a significant moment of recognition for the interactive sector. With the doubling of the UK Games Fund (UKGF) to £28.5 million and the introduction of grants up to £250,000, Westminster has finally acknowledged the importance (and potential) of the £8.8 billion consumer market. However, while this capital injection is a vital down payment for de-risking new intellectual property, it is not a complete strategy for the future of the Scottish supercluster.

What does the UK Government's new £30 million funding mean for Scotland's games ecosystem and the Games Action Plan?

Tay Cities Region Secures Up To £20 Million UK Government Investment to Scale Creative Tech Sector Innovators from the Tay Cities Region who are revolutionising creative technologies from games to virtual production will be backed by up to £20 million from the UK Government – turbocharging the potential of local innovators. UK Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has confirmed that the Tay Cities Region in Scotland will receive funding from the competitive strand of the UK Government’s…

Tay Cities Region Secures Up To £20 Million UK Government Investment to Scale Creative Tech Sector

Innovators from the Tay Cities Region who are revolutionising creative technologies from games to virtual production will be backed by up to £20 million from the UK Government – turbocharging the…

Glasgow Indie Games Fest 2026: Tickets and Call for Speakers Now Open Barras Art & Design Centre, Glasgow, July 11th & 12th 2026 The beautiful Glasgow Indie Games Fest (GIGF) has officially announced its return for 2026, with tickets now on sale for the two-day celebration of independent development. Alongside the ticket launch, the Glasgow Independent Games Group, has issued an open call for speakers and exhibitors to showcase the best of the local and national indie games scene.

The 2026 Glasgow Indie Games Fest takes place on July 11-12. Tickets now on sale. Speakers, demos and workshop hosts all welcome.

Order Up: Farewell North Creator Kyle Banks Returns with Anomaly Horror ‘Donut Panic’ Kyle Banks, the solo Scottish developer behind the critically acclaimed Highland adventure Farewell North, has officially announced his latest project: Donut Panic. Available to wishlist on Steam, the title represents a stark tonal departure for the Edinburgh-based developer. While his previous work focused on an emotional, atmospheric journey through the highlands and islands, Donut Panic plunges players into the high-pressure world of a dingy, late-night cafe where the customers - and the pastries - are not always what they seem.

Donut Panic a 'anomaly horror game with a cooking sim twist' is the latest title from Kyle Banks, award-winning developer of Farewell North.

Room To Play 2026: The Tinderbox collective is looking for creatives, creators, developers & technologists to join their 2026 programme.

OUT NOW: Pawsmonaut Games Launches AETHUS Deep Below the Surface: Former Rockstar Developer Launches Dystopian Survival Title ‘AETHUS’ Pawsmonaut Games, the solo studio led by former Rockstar developer Alex Kane, has officially launched AETHUS, an atmospheric, open-world survival game set within the claustrophobic depths of underground mines on an alien planet. Launched on March 6th 2026, the game has already proven to be a significant commercial success for the Scottish solo development scene.

OUT NOW: AETHUS, the debut title from Edinburgh's Pawsmonaut Games, is live on Steam. Get it now and join 15,000 happy players.

A Decade Of Creativity: Celebrating Ten Years Of The Moray Game Jam There is something truly special about the Moray Game Jam. While the global industry often feels focused on huge franchises, massive budgets and high-pressure launches, the annual gathering at UHI Moray in Elgin remains one of the most friendly, welcoming, and genuinely fun highlights of the Scottish games calendar. This past weekend marked a significant milestone: the tenth year of the event, and as someone who has been involved in almost every single one, it was a joy to see that the magic is not only alive - but thriving.

A Decade Of Creativity: Celebrating Ten Years Of The Moray Game Jam

There is something truly special about the Moray Game Jam. While the global industry often feels focused on huge franchises, massive budgets and high-pressure launches, the annual gathering at UHI Moray in Elgin remains one of the…

Inspiring the Next Generation: Call for Games Studios to Join Powering Futures Careers Events Developers and studios from across the country are invited to participate in the upcoming Powering Futures series, a national initiative designed to introduce high school pupils to the diverse range of careers available in Scotland’s thriving digital and creative sectors. As part of our ongoing commitment to the Scottish Games Action Plan (and our Hello World! programme), we believe there is no better way to secure the future of our industry than by having passionate games professionals…

Inspiring the Next Generation: Call for Games Studios to Join Powering Futures Careers Events

Developers and studios from across the country are invited to participate in the upcoming Powering Futures series, a national initiative designed to introduce high school pupils to the diverse range of…

The Golden Thread: Digital Health and Data Leaders Back Games Action Plan The growing support for the future of Scotland’s games ecosystem has moved beyond the creative industries. In a significant move for the sector, the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) and The Data Lab have formally aligned with the Level Up Scotland Games Action Plan, highlighting its potential to transform the nation’s digital future. A Cross-Sector Mandate In an article…

The Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre has endorsed Scotland's Games Action Plan as supporting the future of innovation in healthcare.

Devolver Digital partners with Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity on Games for the Weans  The video games publisher is sponsoring the charity’s gaming service, helping to raise funds for children and young people in hospital.  Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity is delighted to be partnering once more with Devolver Digital.  The video games publisher has generously donated £4,000 to Games for the Weans and is sponsoring the charity gaming campaign for the next two…

Devolver Digital has partnered with Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity's 'Games for the Weans' programme to help young patients enjoy games.

Hello World! Startup Summit 2026: The Official Delegate Guide Welcome to the Hello World! Delegate Guide. This event is officially sold out, with 150 delegates joining us at the University of Glasgow ARC to explore the 'commercial scaffolding' required to build sustainable games businesses in a volatile global market. This guide contains everything you need to navigate the day, from the full programme to details on travel claims and our digital community.

The official delegate guide for the 2026 Hello World! Scottish Student Startup Summit, with everything you need to enjoy the day.

Games Talks Live Returns to Edinburgh, Dundee and Glasgow this March The Scottish Game Developers Association (SGDA) has announced the return of its Games Talks Live series, with a three-city tour taking place across Scotland’s primary games hubs from 24 to 26 March 2026. The events, which have been a staple of the local industry calendar since 2019, will feature a mix of lightning talks and networking opportunities designed to foster collaboration between developers, publishers and investors.

The SGDA's popular events series Games Talks Live returns to venues in Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, in March 24-26 2026

Scotland’s Games Cross-Party Group – Last Meeting Before 2026 Elections The momentum following the recent Parliamentary debate on Scotland’s games sector is translating into action. The next meeting of the Cross-Party Group (CPG) on Scotland’s Games Ecosystem will take place on March 18th, from 18:00 - 20:00. Interest from across the industry and academia has already been exceptionally high. With the committee room in the Scottish Parliament restricted to a strict capacity of only…

Scotland's Games Cross-Party Group will meet for the last time before the Scottish elections on March 18th 2026. Submit your agenda topics and register today.

Political Consensus: Scottish Liberal Democrats Adopt Games Action Plan Pillars The political momentum behind the future of the Scottish games ecosystem has reached an all-time high. Following the publication of the Games Action Plan, the subsequent debate in the Scottish Parliament and the launch of the IES manifesto, the Scottish Liberal Democrats have now formally adopted Level Up: Scotland's Games Action Plan into their official party policy. At their spring conference, the party passed a motion calling for a major boost to the sector, but the significance of this motion goes far beyond general support.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats have endorsed and supported the delivery of Level Up: Scotland's Games Action Plan at their 2026 conference.

Hello World! Startup Summit: Final Tickets Remaining as Industry Experts Join Line-up We are entering the final week of preparations for the Hello World! Startup Summit, taking place on 2nd March at the University of Glasgow ARC. With over 125 delegates now registered, the event is approaching a total sell-out. The summit is designed to provide the commercial understanding required to build a sustainable games business in 2026. Under the theme of the…

Hello World! Startup Summit: Final Tickets Remaining as Industry Experts Join Line-up

We are entering the final week of preparations for the Hello World! Startup Summit, taking place on 2nd March at the University of Glasgow ARC. With over 125 delegates now registered, the event is approaching a…

Show the Craft. Build the Industry. Free Demo Spaces at Hello World! The Hello World! Startup Summit has already surpassed 120 registrations, bringing together a high-concentration of future founders, ambitious freelancers, and senior talent in transition. We are opening our exhibition space in the University of Glasgow ARC Atrium to Scottish indie studios for a "Living Lab" showcase. This is not a traditional trade show booth. We are looking for studios to:

Show the Craft. Build the Industry. Free Demo Spaces at Hello World!

The Hello World! Startup Summit has already surpassed 120 registrations, bringing together a high-concentration of future founders, ambitious freelancers, and senior talent in transition. We are opening our exhibition space in…

Scottish Games Network Opens “Hello World!” Startup Summit to Developers Impacted by Recent Industry Redundancies In response to the ongoing wave of layoffs, redundancies and studio closures across the UK games sector, the Scottish Games Network (SGN) is today opening its Hello World! Startup Summit to industry professionals currently affected. The event, taking place on March 2nd at the University of Glasgow ARC, has already seen over 100 registrations from aspiring founders and students from across Scotland.

SGN is opening its Hello World! games startup event to developers across the UK impacted by recent closures, layoffs and redundancies.

Industry Alignment: IES’s First Scottish Manifesto Validates Action Plan Priorities IES Manifesto Launch: The conversation around the future of the Scottish games sector has reached a new level of agreement and consensus. Following the historic debate in the Scottish Parliament and the Business & Employment Minister's commitment to a "line-by-line" review of our Level Up: Scotland's Games Action Plan, we are pleased to see Interactive Entertainment Scotland (IES) …

Industry Alignment: IES’s First Scottish Manifesto Validates Action Plan Priorities

IES Manifesto Launch: The conversation around the future of the Scottish games sector has reached a new level of agreement and consensus. Following the historic debate in the Scottish Parliament and the Business &…

Handmade Horrors: Jack King-Spooner Unveils Stop-Motion Nightmare ‘ABIDE’ Jack King-Spooner, the Edinburgh-based artist and developer renowned for his singular, surrealist aesthetic, has returned to Kickstarter with his most ambitious project to date: ABIDE. Developed alongside long-time collaborator Talha Kaya under the Talha & Jack Co banner, ABIDE is a first-person horror game that utilises handcrafted dolls, prosthetic gore effects, and stop-motion animation to create a "stomach-churningly appalling" interactive experience.

ABIDE, the latest stop-motion title from the talented team behind indie hits Judero & MASHINA, is now crowd-funding. Support them here!

4J’s Open-World Sandbox Game Reforj is in Pre-Alpha on Xbox 4J Studios, the Dundee developer that put Minecraft on consoles, is excited to announce that its open-world sandbox Reforj is open on Xbox Insider! The pre-alpha game is ready for players to have their say in "how the game is forj-ed." This release comes after a multitude of title updates - informed by community feedback, 'Pioneer Program' playtesting and player-studio collaboration that has shaped the title’s development journey.

4J Studios' voxel-based sandbox world-building game Reforj is now in open pre-alpha on the Xbox Insider programme.

Now Crowdfunding: Tiny Terra Spaces Following the successful unveiling of its demo in late January, Glasgow-based Ludus Pax Studios is taking the next major step in its development journey. Solo developer Silviu Soare has officially launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring the full vision of Tiny Terra Spaces to life, with a focus on its innovative educational 'Serious Game' features. Building on the ‘Big Ambition’

Ludus Pax Studios has launched a Kickstarter campaign for its cosy Scottish island building game, Tiny Terra Spaces. Make your pledge today.

New National Games Qualification and Skills Forum to Headline 2026 Education Symposium PAISLEY, SCOTLAND – The Scottish Games Education Network (SGEN) has announced that the 2026 Scottish Games Education Symposium will serve as the launchpad for two of the most significant developments in the nation’s games talent pipeline: the unveiling of a new dedicated games qualification and the formal mapping of a Scottish Games Skills Forum. Taking place at West College Scotland on…

The 2026 Scottish Games Education Symposium takes place at West College Scotland in Paisley on March 3rd 2026. Registrations Open Now.

Help Needed – Hello World! Why Industry Insight is the Missing Link The Hello World! Startup Summit isn't a classroom exercise; it is a phase change for the way games students are supported in Scotland. While the country's academic pipeline is world-class at teaching the craft of making games, the business of games is often a self-taught, high-stakes gauntlet. In 2026, the barrier to entry is low, but the barrier to sustainability is higher than ever.

Help needed - Hello World! is looking for industry experts to help games students learn: funding, pitching, greenlighting & market validation

Hello World! Startup Summit – One Month to Go for Scotland’s Future Games Founders With only a month to go until the Hello World! Startup Summit arrives at the University of Glasgow ARC on March 2nd, 2026, the Scottish Games Network is calling on the next wave of pro game developers to sign up and secure their place. This is NOT a traditional academic conference; it is a practical, hands-on day designed to help students at all stages, recent graduates, and those navigating the current wave of industry redundancies decide if starting their own games business is the right path for them.

Hello World! the Students Startup Summit takes place in Glasgow on March 2nd. Come and learn what it takes to start your own games business.

WATCH: Momentum Builds at Holyrood for Scotland’s Games Future Level Up: If you missed the live stream of the Scottish Parliament yesterday, you missed a significant turning point in the ongoing evolution of our industry - with a ministerial commitment to review the action plan "line-by-line" at a future meeting of the cross-party group for Scotland's games ecosystem. Building on the foundations laid by Clare Adamson’s 2023 motion, last night’s debate represented a massive step forward in strategic coherence.

WATCH: Momentum Builds at Holyrood for Scotland’s Games Future

Level Up: If you missed the live stream of the Scottish Parliament yesterday, you missed a significant turning point in the ongoing evolution of our industry - with a ministerial commitment to review the action plan "line-by-line" at a…

Live Debate: Scotland’s Games Action Plan @ Holyrood: 17:50, Feb 3rd 2026. The parliamentary debate on Level Up: Scotland's Games Action Plan will take place around 17:50 tomorrow afternoon - Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026. Tickets are already sold out to attend the session in-person, but you can watch live and online using the Scottish Parliament TV streaming service. I'll be present in Parliament for the debate and hope to live blog the whole thing as questions are asked, complete with printed copies for any Members who wish to take a physical copy home.

The Parliamentary debate on Scotland's Games Action Plan will take place at 17:50 on Tuesday 3rd of February 2026. Watch online here.

From Paper to Parliament: National Games Debate Confirmed for Tuesday, Feb 2nd I am incredibly proud to announce that following our launch events in Edinburgh and Dundee - and a week of unprecedented national media coverage - the Scottish Parliament has officially scheduled a debate on the Level Up: Scotland's Games Action Plan. On the afternoon of Tuesday, February 2nd, MSPs from across the political spectrum will take to the floor of the Holyrood chamber to…

From Paper to Parliament: National Games Debate Confirmed for Tuesday, Feb 2nd

I am incredibly proud to announce that following our launch events in Edinburgh and Dundee - and a week of unprecedented national media coverage - the Scottish Parliament has officially scheduled a debate on the Level…