Scottish Games Network

Hello World! Startup Summit 2026: The Official Delegate Guide Welcome to the Hello World! Delegate Guide. This event is officially sold out, with 150 delegates joining us at the University of Glasgow ARC to explore the 'commercial scaffolding' required to build sustainable games businesses in a volatile global market. This guide contains everything you need to navigate the day, from the full programme to details on travel claims and our digital community.

The official delegate guide for the 2026 Hello World! Scottish Student Startup Summit, with everything you need to enjoy the day.

Games Talks Live Returns to Edinburgh, Dundee and Glasgow this March The Scottish Game Developers Association (SGDA) has announced the return of its Games Talks Live series, with a three-city tour taking place across Scotland’s primary games hubs from 24 to 26 March 2026. The events, which have been a staple of the local industry calendar since 2019, will feature a mix of lightning talks and networking opportunities designed to foster collaboration between developers, publishers and investors.

The SGDA's popular events series Games Talks Live returns to venues in Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, in March 24-26 2026

Scotland’s Games Cross-Party Group – Last Meeting Before 2026 Elections The momentum following the recent Parliamentary debate on Scotland’s games sector is translating into action. The next meeting of the Cross-Party Group (CPG) on Scotland’s Games Ecosystem will take place on March 18th, from 18:00 - 20:00. Interest from across the industry and academia has already been exceptionally high. With the committee room in the Scottish Parliament restricted to a strict capacity of only…

Scotland's Games Cross-Party Group will meet for the last time before the Scottish elections on March 18th 2026. Submit your agenda topics and register today.

Political Consensus: Scottish Liberal Democrats Adopt Games Action Plan Pillars The political momentum behind the future of the Scottish games ecosystem has reached an all-time high. Following the publication of the Games Action Plan, the subsequent debate in the Scottish Parliament and the launch of the IES manifesto, the Scottish Liberal Democrats have now formally adopted Level Up: Scotland's Games Action Plan into their official party policy. At their spring conference, the party passed a motion calling for a major boost to the sector, but the significance of this motion goes far beyond general support.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats have endorsed and supported the delivery of Level Up: Scotland's Games Action Plan at their 2026 conference.

Hello World! Startup Summit: Final Tickets Remaining as Industry Experts Join Line-up We are entering the final week of preparations for the Hello World! Startup Summit, taking place on 2nd March at the University of Glasgow ARC. With over 125 delegates now registered, the event is approaching a total sell-out. The summit is designed to provide the commercial understanding required to build a sustainable games business in 2026. Under the theme of the…

Hello World! Startup Summit: Final Tickets Remaining as Industry Experts Join Line-up

We are entering the final week of preparations for the Hello World! Startup Summit, taking place on 2nd March at the University of Glasgow ARC. With over 125 delegates now registered, the event is approaching a…

Show the Craft. Build the Industry. Free Demo Spaces at Hello World! The Hello World! Startup Summit has already surpassed 120 registrations, bringing together a high-concentration of future founders, ambitious freelancers, and senior talent in transition. We are opening our exhibition space in the University of Glasgow ARC Atrium to Scottish indie studios for a "Living Lab" showcase. This is not a traditional trade show booth. We are looking for studios to:

Show the Craft. Build the Industry. Free Demo Spaces at Hello World!

The Hello World! Startup Summit has already surpassed 120 registrations, bringing together a high-concentration of future founders, ambitious freelancers, and senior talent in transition. We are opening our exhibition space in…

Scottish Games Network Opens “Hello World!” Startup Summit to Developers Impacted by Recent Industry Redundancies In response to the ongoing wave of layoffs, redundancies and studio closures across the UK games sector, the Scottish Games Network (SGN) is today opening its Hello World! Startup Summit to industry professionals currently affected. The event, taking place on March 2nd at the University of Glasgow ARC, has already seen over 100 registrations from aspiring founders and students from across Scotland.

SGN is opening its Hello World! games startup event to developers across the UK impacted by recent closures, layoffs and redundancies.

Industry Alignment: IES’s First Scottish Manifesto Validates Action Plan Priorities IES Manifesto Launch: The conversation around the future of the Scottish games sector has reached a new level of agreement and consensus. Following the historic debate in the Scottish Parliament and the Business & Employment Minister's commitment to a "line-by-line" review of our Level Up: Scotland's Games Action Plan, we are pleased to see Interactive Entertainment Scotland (IES) …

Industry Alignment: IES’s First Scottish Manifesto Validates Action Plan Priorities

IES Manifesto Launch: The conversation around the future of the Scottish games sector has reached a new level of agreement and consensus. Following the historic debate in the Scottish Parliament and the Business &…

Handmade Horrors: Jack King-Spooner Unveils Stop-Motion Nightmare ‘ABIDE’ Jack King-Spooner, the Edinburgh-based artist and developer renowned for his singular, surrealist aesthetic, has returned to Kickstarter with his most ambitious project to date: ABIDE. Developed alongside long-time collaborator Talha Kaya under the Talha & Jack Co banner, ABIDE is a first-person horror game that utilises handcrafted dolls, prosthetic gore effects, and stop-motion animation to create a "stomach-churningly appalling" interactive experience.

ABIDE, the latest stop-motion title from the talented team behind indie hits Judero & MASHINA, is now crowd-funding. Support them here!

4J’s Open-World Sandbox Game Reforj is in Pre-Alpha on Xbox 4J Studios, the Dundee developer that put Minecraft on consoles, is excited to announce that its open-world sandbox Reforj is open on Xbox Insider! The pre-alpha game is ready for players to have their say in "how the game is forj-ed." This release comes after a multitude of title updates - informed by community feedback, 'Pioneer Program' playtesting and player-studio collaboration that has shaped the title’s development journey.

4J Studios' voxel-based sandbox world-building game Reforj is now in open pre-alpha on the Xbox Insider programme.

Now Crowdfunding: Tiny Terra Spaces Following the successful unveiling of its demo in late January, Glasgow-based Ludus Pax Studios is taking the next major step in its development journey. Solo developer Silviu Soare has officially launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring the full vision of Tiny Terra Spaces to life, with a focus on its innovative educational 'Serious Game' features. Building on the ‘Big Ambition’

Ludus Pax Studios has launched a Kickstarter campaign for its cosy Scottish island building game, Tiny Terra Spaces. Make your pledge today.

New National Games Qualification and Skills Forum to Headline 2026 Education Symposium PAISLEY, SCOTLAND – The Scottish Games Education Network (SGEN) has announced that the 2026 Scottish Games Education Symposium will serve as the launchpad for two of the most significant developments in the nation’s games talent pipeline: the unveiling of a new dedicated games qualification and the formal mapping of a Scottish Games Skills Forum. Taking place at West College Scotland on…

The 2026 Scottish Games Education Symposium takes place at West College Scotland in Paisley on March 3rd 2026. Registrations Open Now.

Help Needed – Hello World! Why Industry Insight is the Missing Link The Hello World! Startup Summit isn't a classroom exercise; it is a phase change for the way games students are supported in Scotland. While the country's academic pipeline is world-class at teaching the craft of making games, the business of games is often a self-taught, high-stakes gauntlet. In 2026, the barrier to entry is low, but the barrier to sustainability is higher than ever.

Help needed - Hello World! is looking for industry experts to help games students learn: funding, pitching, greenlighting & market validation

Hello World! Startup Summit – One Month to Go for Scotland’s Future Games Founders With only a month to go until the Hello World! Startup Summit arrives at the University of Glasgow ARC on March 2nd, 2026, the Scottish Games Network is calling on the next wave of pro game developers to sign up and secure their place. This is NOT a traditional academic conference; it is a practical, hands-on day designed to help students at all stages, recent graduates, and those navigating the current wave of industry redundancies decide if starting their own games business is the right path for them.

Hello World! the Students Startup Summit takes place in Glasgow on March 2nd. Come and learn what it takes to start your own games business.

WATCH: Momentum Builds at Holyrood for Scotland’s Games Future Level Up: If you missed the live stream of the Scottish Parliament yesterday, you missed a significant turning point in the ongoing evolution of our industry - with a ministerial commitment to review the action plan "line-by-line" at a future meeting of the cross-party group for Scotland's games ecosystem. Building on the foundations laid by Clare Adamson’s 2023 motion, last night’s debate represented a massive step forward in strategic coherence.

WATCH: Momentum Builds at Holyrood for Scotland’s Games Future

Level Up: If you missed the live stream of the Scottish Parliament yesterday, you missed a significant turning point in the ongoing evolution of our industry - with a ministerial commitment to review the action plan "line-by-line" at a…

Live Debate: Scotland’s Games Action Plan @ Holyrood: 17:50, Feb 3rd 2026. The parliamentary debate on Level Up: Scotland's Games Action Plan will take place around 17:50 tomorrow afternoon - Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026. Tickets are already sold out to attend the session in-person, but you can watch live and online using the Scottish Parliament TV streaming service. I'll be present in Parliament for the debate and hope to live blog the whole thing as questions are asked, complete with printed copies for any Members who wish to take a physical copy home.

The Parliamentary debate on Scotland's Games Action Plan will take place at 17:50 on Tuesday 3rd of February 2026. Watch online here.

From Paper to Parliament: National Games Debate Confirmed for Tuesday, Feb 2nd I am incredibly proud to announce that following our launch events in Edinburgh and Dundee - and a week of unprecedented national media coverage - the Scottish Parliament has officially scheduled a debate on the Level Up: Scotland's Games Action Plan. On the afternoon of Tuesday, February 2nd, MSPs from across the political spectrum will take to the floor of the Holyrood chamber to…

From Paper to Parliament: National Games Debate Confirmed for Tuesday, Feb 2nd

I am incredibly proud to announce that following our launch events in Edinburgh and Dundee - and a week of unprecedented national media coverage - the Scottish Parliament has officially scheduled a debate on the Level…

Tiny Terra, Big Ambition: Ludus Pax Studios Unveils Cosy Scottish Island Builder ‘Tiny Terra Spaces’ Glasgow-based Ludus Pax Studios has officially unveiled its third commercial title, Tiny Terra Spaces, a relaxing, low-poly island builder that brings a More Than Games twist to the traditional city-building genre. Led by solo developer Silviu Soare - a First Class Honours graduate and double court medal winner - in collaboration with artist Penny, Ludus Pax is moving away from high-stress mechanics to embrace the growing "cosy games" movement.

Tiny Terra, Big Ambition: Ludus Pax Studios Unveils Cosy Scottish Island Builder ‘Tiny Terra Spaces’

Glasgow-based Ludus Pax Studios has officially unveiled its third commercial title, Tiny Terra Spaces, a relaxing, low-poly island builder that brings a More Than Games twist to the traditional…

New journal paper published with @ellatasm.bsky.social and our colleages at Edinburgh Napier University: 'What training do workplace mentors receive to support degree apprentices? An activity theory analysis, focusing on inclusion'

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Hey #games #videogames folks. Please interact, reply, or share this post @brianbaglow.bsky.social has copied in every #MSP we've been able to find on Bluesky, so let them see you're out there.

Missing In Action: Why Scotland's Games Action Plan is the Scale-Up Engine Sir Tom Hunter is Looking For - The Scottish Games Network The Hunter Foundation has launched: The Entrepreneurs Manifesto For Scotland. How do we ensure it supports Scotland's Games Action Plan?

Earlier this week The Hunter Foundation launched its new Entrepreneurs Manifesto For Scotland. Its a great piece of work and aligns very neatly with our own Level Up: Scotland's Games Action Plan. Find out more here...

scottishgames.net/2026/01/27/m...

Missing In Action: Why Scotland’s Games Action Plan is the Scale-Up Engine Sir Tom Hunter is Looking For Sir Tom Hunter recently issued a challenge to the country: The Entrepreneurs Manifesto for Scotland. It is a bold, necessary, and unapologetic call for a 'laser focus' on scaling businesses, driving productivity, and embracing the AI revolution. Sir Tom asks: "Why doesn't the Government call on us to help grow the Scottish economy and increase the tax take?" It is an excellent question.

The Hunter Foundation has launched: The Entrepreneurs Manifesto For Scotland. How do we ensure it supports Scotland's Games Action Plan?

The World is Watching: Let’s Level Up Scotland If I’m honest, I’m still trying to process the last week... After two years of trying to deliver Scotland's Games Action Plan - running workshops, pulling together over a thousand data points, separating the practical and achievable from the aspirational, and finding ways to work with the country's existing infrastructure - we finally handed Level Up Scotland over to the country last Wednesday.

The World is Watching: Let’s Level Up Scotland

If I’m honest, I’m still trying to process the last week... After two years of trying to deliver Scotland's Games Action Plan - running workshops, pulling together over a thousand data points, separating the practical and achievable from the…

Scotland’s Games Action Plan Heads to Holyrood: Michael Marra MSP Lodges Motion for Parliamentary Debate The momentum behind Level Up Scotland has reached the floor of the Scottish Parliament. Following our dual-city launch earlier this week, Michael Marra MSP has officially lodged a motion (S6M-20521) calling for a dedicated Members’ Business debate on the National Action Plan for Scotland's Games Sector. The motion recognises the sector’s "growing importance to Scotland’s economy" and specifically highlights our goal of scaling the industry to…

Scotland's Games Action Plan heads to Holyrood as Michael Marra MSP lodges a motion (S6M-20521) calling for a dedicated Members’ debate. We need YOUR help to make it happen.

Greeny yellow background graphic for Level Up Scotland, with outline of Scotland on background with black text announcing the launch of Level Up Scotland: A National Action Plan for the Scottish Games Sector.

Tomorrow is the launch of LEVEL UP #SCOTLAND: The National #Games Action Plan see you in #Edinburgh in the AM and also there is another event in #Dundee in the #PM more info at the @scottishgames.bsky.social website scottishgames.net/2026/01/14/l...

At the launch event for the @scottishgames.bsky.social "Level Up Scotland" national action plan for the Scottish Games Sector.

Great plan from @brianbaglow.bsky.social and co and with support and engagement from @scottishgov.bsky.social

Scotland’s £1bn Games Plan: New Roadmap Targets A “Games Supercluster” | Glasgow City Of Science & Innovation Developed by the Scottish Games Network, the Level Up Scotland – Games Action Plan is the country’s first unified strategy for gaming and sets out a bid to create the UK’s first “games supercluster” n...

🎮 Scotland’s new Games Action Plan is here — tackling fragmentation, talent shortages and the lack of a unified national strategy holding the sector back

📍 @scottishgames.bsky.social
👇 Learn more

glasgowcityofscienceandinnovation.com/scotlands-1b...

Congrats to @brianbaglow.bsky.social on today's launch of the @scottishgames.bsky.social Games Action Plan. "Level Up Scotland" sets out a bold vision for industry, academia, and the government to unlock the potential in the Scottish games community: scottishgames.net/scotlands-ga...

Two Years, Two Cities, One Goal: Why Today Changes Everything for Games in Scotland Level Up: Scotland's Games Action Plan: Today, at 09:30 in a room at CodeBase Edinburgh filled with MSPs, and again at 13:00 in the Abertay CyberQuarter in Dundee, we are doing something that has never been done before in the history of our sector. We are handing over a unified vision for the future of games in Scotland. When I started this journey in November 2023, I knew the Scottish games ecosystem was the country's…

Scotland's Games Action Plan launches today, with events in Edinburgh and Dundee for press, politicians, parliament and the games community.

LEVEL UP SCOTLAND: The National Games Action Plan is Ready. Join Me for the Launch. For the last two years, we’ve been talking. We’ve had town halls, one-on-ones, surveys, feedback, and deep-dive sessions. I’ve gathered over a thousand data points and had huge amounts of feedback from hundreds of you - developers, educators, and entrepreneurs - about what the Scottish games ecosystem needs to grow and thrive. Finally, the talking is finished. The work is done.

Level Up: Scotland's Games Action Plan will launch on Wednesday January 21st, with events in Edinburgh (AM) and Dundee (PM). Join me there.