Despite this, the sector is evolving rapidly, with a wide variety of new companies springing up across the whole of Scotland. In addition to development studios, a growing number of companies providing tools and technologies to the interactive world are achieving notable success on a global level.
Companies such as Delta DNA, which provides analytics, Chilli Connect, a backend-as-a-service (BAAS) provider and Dimensional Imaging, a 3D facial imaging and animation studio are all working with multinational companies, IP owners and blue chips, helping to provide the technologies upon which the industry as a whole is evolving.
So it’s heartening to see seven Scottish companies nominated in the 2017 Develop Awards. Created and run by Develop, the games industry magazine, the awards recognise and reward achievement across a growing range of categories in the interactive world.
Independent Glasgow-based development studio No Code, creators of the critically-acclaimed The House Abandon & Stories Untold horror games, leads the charge with nominations in four categories.
Dundee’s Yo Yo Games, creators of the Game Maker Studio development platform, follows with nominations in three categories, while Stirling’s best-kept secret, Dovetail Games, the company responsible for numerous best-selling Train and Flight simulator games, picked up two nominations.
The most unexpected nomination has to be the Best Performance category, with No Code’s founder Jon McKellan, who voiced characters in the studio’s games, appearing alongside actors Mark Hamill, nominated for his role as The Joker in Batman: Arkham VR and Brian Blessed for his role as the Grand Sensei in Loco Dojo. Very much the Scotland world cup draw category for Jon we’re afraid…
We asked Jon for a reaction to his nomination. He told us:
It’s absolutely ridiculous that I be nominated in the same category as Luke Skywalker and Prince Vultan. I’m a UI artist, *maybe* a writer. Maybe. Thankfully I have next to no chance of winning!
The full list of Scottish companies nominated in the 2017 Develop awards are:
- No Code (Stories Untold)
- Sound Design
- Best Writing
- Best Performance
- Micro/Start-Up Studio
- Ant Workshop
- Micro/Start-Up Studio
- Dovetail Games
- Publishing Hero
- In-House Studio
- Axis Animation (multiple projects)
- Creative Outsourcer Visual & Development
- Krotos Ltd (Dehumaniser)
- Design & Creativity Tool
- YoYo Games (Game Maker Studio)
- Design & Creativity Tool
- Tools Provider – Production
- Engine
- Speech Graphics
- Technology Provider
The awards ceremony takes place as part of the annual Develop games conference, at Brighton’s Metropole hotel on July 15th.
The full list of categories and nominees can be found on the Develop magazine website.
Good luck to all of the companies nominated.