Dundee has ‘secret weapon’ which could forge gaming industry links with Iceland

By Rachel Amery

October 13 2022, 6:00am

Dundee's new esports arena, planned for the waterfront, could be one of the places that could be linked up with Iceland.

Could Dundee’s gaming industry be linked up with Iceland?

It’s something the UK Government is considering.

A special delegation is visiting the island nation to investigate potential exchange programmes between the capital Reykjavík and Dundee.

Links could also be created between Iceland and Dundee’s new £60 million esports arena.

‘There are strong links’

Dundee has long been a powerhouse for gaming.

International companies are based in the city, with heritage covering some of the biggest games in the world like Grand Theft Auto, Lemmings and Minecraft.

And later this month Dundee will be hosting a two-day conference and an awards ceremony as part of Scottish Games Week.

Iceland’s gaming industry may be smaller. But after visiting the country’s largest gaming company, CCP Games, UK Government minister Malcolm Offord believes it could be a gaming powerhouse of the future.

Speaking to The Courier from Reykjavík, the Scotland Office minister said: “Reykjavík and Dundee are very similar in size, they are both sitting on the ocean, and are outward-looking maritime cities – there could be links there.

Malcolm Offord, a UK Government minister in the Scotland Office, at the Blue Lagoon in Iceland.

“There are strong links between Iceland and Scotland but it could be much stronger.

“What they don’t have is degree courses like Abertay’s.

“In Iceland they have to persuade university graduates to come across and get into gaming, whereas we are providing a steady stream of specialist developers and programmers at Abertay.

“They were very jealous of that.”

Malcolm Offord (third from right) with the team from CCP Games.

He said Abertay University is Scotland’s “secret weapon” and could be the place to start forging a link between the two cities.

Mr Offord added: “What would be really great is if young people from Scotland could go on an internship for six months to Iceland.

“Coming here would be great for them and they would learn a hell of a lot along the way.”

Esports link could be big business

Another way to link up the two cities’ gaming industries could be through Dundee’s new esports arena.

The new 4,000-seat arena is due to be built on the Waterfront and is hoped to become the “world’s best streaming venue”.

Esports are professional sports competitions using computer games, often with players competing against each other in popular games such as Fortnite and Call of Duty.

And esports is a big business the world over – including in Iceland.

The new esports arena will be built on Dundee Waterfront

Mr Offord said: “Thinking about the esports arena in Dundee, they are doing similar things over here.

“It shocked me to think this could be another link.

“The UK Government is investing £8m into the gaming fund in Dundee and this could be a new collaboration for international business because all over the world people are playing esports all day.”

Scotland to take part in Arctic Assembly

During the rest of the visit to Iceland, Scotland Office ministers will attend the Arctic Circle Assembly.

Mr Offord says he will put Orkney “front and centre” at the assembly as one of Iceland’s closest neighbours.

The Scottish Government’s External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson will also be attending the assembly, and said it offers an “excellent opportunity” for Scotland to work with others on rural wellbeing and climate change.