© Rockstar Games
I’ve written recently about new technologies booming in Scotland in terms of becoming a robotics hub, of St Andrews University developing a ‘global domination accelerator (!) and of Dundee become a ‘Top Technology City’ at:
https://thoughtcontrolscotland.com/2017/02/18/teckle-dundee-good-news-special/
Now a FB friend (another Robertson!) has alerted me to this:
‘Number of Scottish games firms grows 600% in five years’
Develop on February 19th headlined the above dramatic figure and wrote:
‘The British home of Grand Theft Auto, Scotland, has been praised for its recent ‘exceptional’ growth in games by the Scottish National Party. The latest year where games revenue was recorded was 2013, when turnover totalled £67.6 million – a leap of nearly £30 million on the £38.1 million stat noted in 2010.’
There are now a 100 computer games firms in Scotland when there were only 15 as recently as 2010. Of these, 95 are registered in Scotland. The SNP funded 40 post-graduate games places on a course at Abertay University and lobbied for tax relief for the sector.
According to Develop, Grand Theft Auto V, produced in Scotland is the ‘fastest selling entertainment product of all time.’ Within three days of its release it had passed the figure of $1 billion dollars in sales. That’s just three days and one product. I can’t find out just how much of that goes toward Scottish GDP.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Theft_Auto_V#Commercial_performance
http://www.develop-online.net/news/number-of-scottish-games-firms-grows-600-in-five-years/0216866
Talking-up Scotland 
Also the investment in the aluminium smelting plant at Lochaber, seems to be good news for jobs etc, and is going to be using renewables for power (the ‘cleanest’ smelting plant in the world??):
http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst10539.html
and
http://news.gov.scot/news/lochaber-once-more
from the (scottish) government. They are using hydro-electric and biofuel to power the upgraded plant: “The Group met for the first time before Liberty unveiled two new biofuel generators at the Lochaber smelter, marking the beginning of the site’s redevelopment.” and ‘GFG Alliance (Liberty/SIMEC) Executive Chairman Sanjeev Gupta said:
“One of the key reasons we invested in the Highlands was because people welcomed us here. That’s been reinforced by the positive response of the many agencies in the new Lochaber Delivery Group who are eager to play their part in delivering the goal of a clean, competitive and sustainable manufacturing sector in the Highlands.”‘ (sorry, not sure how to do ‘double’ quotes…)
They actually mentioned it on Radio Scotland, so it wont be a secret… oh, well, maybe it is still.
LikeLike
Thanks
Mind if I post a piece in this?
LikeLike
on
LikeLike
Grand Theft Auto …..Scottish Hero. Leslie Benzies, end of 2016 was developing a new product……”Everywhere”
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_Benzies
LikeLiked by 1 person
John, do what you will and more with it, as you do! (I haven’t had time to look up impacts on the community etc either)
LikeLiked by 1 person