Hansard

It is a pleasure to welcome the publication of “Level Up Scotland: A National Action Plan for the Scottish Games Sector” and to recognise the value of Scotland’s games sector to our national economy. I thank all members across the chamber who supported the motion on an industry that can be an ever-greater engine room of growth for our economy.

I welcome to the public gallery Brian Baglow, the founder and director of the Scottish Games Network, and the many others in the Scottish games sector who are tuning in online.

As co-convener, along with Clare Adamson, of the cross-party group on Scottish games ecosystems, I have had the privilege of contributing to the action plan as it has taken shape since the first meeting of our cross-party group, in 2023. I give credit to the authors of the plan for the breadth and depth of their consultation when preparing it.

In common with almost every family in Scotland, gaming plays a daily role in the life of my household: Minecraft, Rocket League, Fall Guys, Among Us, Roblox and a deep emotional—almost spiritual—investment in the world of FIFA. However, it is the economic impact of Scotland’s games sector, particularly in my home city of Dundee, that led to my work on behalf of the sector. The games sector in Scotland already generates £151,382 in gross value added per head of population, which is more than double the Scottish average.

For too long, the Scottish Government has been an analogue operation in a digital age. The pace of technological change is the fastest that it has ever been and the slowest that it will ever be from now on. Grasping the opportunity that is contained in the action plan is just one step towards embracing that reality and all that it entails.

The action plan aims to make Scotland the United Kingdom’s first games supercluster by 2030 and a global leader in creative technology. It recognises Scotland’s unique opportunity, with key players in the industry situated within reach of each other in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee, as well as in other parts of Scotland.

The action plan’s recommendations are ambitious yet practical. They include running a two-year pilot to deliver strategic alignment across portfolios, setting up a pilot fund to support new intellectual property and leverage private investment, establishing a national games and skills education forum to identify skills gaps and connect each stage of education with professional development, and launching a dedicated service that provides business support and mentorship to new and growing studios. The plan seeks to build on the fruits of the two-year pilot by establishing a national games innovation centre to drive long-term growth and cross-sectoral innovation. I look forward to hearing the minister’s considered response to the contents of the plan.

Turning to Dundee, I note that my home city’s contribution to the global games industry is something for Dundonians to be very proud of. Grand Theft Auto, Minecraft and Lemmings are all household names not just across Scotland, but across the entire world, as part of the world’s largest entertainment industry.