PS4 boost for game developers

SCOTLAND’S video game ­developers are in a “great ­position” as the industry prepares for the launch later this year of Sony’s latest console, according to trade body Tiga.

More than 1,500 people are employed across Scotland’s games industry, which contributes £30 million a year 
to the economy, and Tiga chief executive ­Richard Wilson 
said the PlayStation 4 (PS4) would give developers an opportunity to showcase their technical abilities.

He added: “It’s exciting to have a new console coming out with new capabilities and incredible graphics, which is going to be enormously attractive for game developers.”

Gordon McLean, technical director of Dundee-based Beartrap Games, said: “The PlayStation 3 was notorious for being hard to get the 
most out of, but the PS4’s 
architecture is closer to a PC, so it’ll be easier to get stuck in there quite quickly.”

Paul McGee, managing ­director at fellow Dundee company ­Secret Lunch, said he was aiming to speak to Sony representatives at next month’s Game Developers Conference to show off the firm’s new ­title Shu.

McGee said: “It’s a game that builds on the early 
console titles from the 1990s and we’d really like to see it on the PS4 or the next Xbox. That would be very exciting.”

Secret Lunch was formed last year by a group of graduates from Dundee’s Abertay University, which will also 
be attending the industry gathering in San Francisco, as will the team from Beartrap.