The Quiet Work: An Update on the Next Chapter for Scottish Games

You may have noticed that the news feed on the Scottish Games Network has been quieter than usual over the past week.

That quiet has not been for a lack of activity. In fact, it’s been precisely the opposite.

Behind the scenes, this has been a period of intense and focused work. It’s been a week of meetings and conversations with organisations across – and around – the entire games ecosystem. It’s been about starting new dialogues, continuing long-running collaborations, and nurturing the relationships and connections necessary to build even more effectively in 2026 and beyond.

For years, I have worked to build a blueprint. Now, we, collectively, are laying the foundations for what comes next.

Part of that foundational work is recognising that as Scotland’s games ecosystem matures, it requires more specialised and focused organisations to drive it forward. The days of one organisation (and more honestly, one person) trying to be all things to all people must end if we are to be truly effective.

All of the recent changes across Scotland mark a strategic evolution. The SGDA is a dedicated voice for developers and studios – their new accelerator is a perfect example of this vital, focused work. The Scottish Games Network can now fully embrace its role as the ecosystem organisation: the connective tissue linking our brilliant developers to education, to government, to the wider creative industries, tech, screen and the rest of the world.

Part of embracing that role means evolving our own platform. To that end, another key workstream has been the upcoming restructure and redesign of the Scottish Games Network website itself. Our goal is to transform it into the central, authoritative hub for the entire ecosystem.

Back in August 2025, I asked for help building and evolving the editorial output from SGN. I was humbled when over 30 people from across the ecosystem volunteered their time and expertise to help with this project, and I want to publicly thank them – and assure them this is still happening – I… just had to get the Games Action Plan finished and ready for publication (more of which below). Together, we will build a far more comprehensive media channel that not only reports the news, but actively investigates, supports and showcases the incredible people, organisations and work being done across Scotland.

This is not a division – it is a sign of an evolving and maturing sector.

This new direction is already being delivered through the projects that have been the focus of this quiet work:

• The Games Action Plan: The completed, community-generated, national blueprint that provides the entire ecosystem with a unified, data-driven path forward.
• Hello World!: The talent pipeline, delivering on the Action Plan’s promise to inspire and cultivate the next generation of studios, developers and creators.
• More Than Games: The innovation engine, connecting the incredible skills of our industry to the wider digital and creative economy.

The quiet phase is nearly complete. Over the next few weeks, you will see a series of major announcements as the scaffolding comes down and the results of this work are revealed.

The pivotal moment will be the meeting of the Cross-Party Group on Scotland’s Games Ecosystem on Tuesday, November 18th. This will be the public forum where we, as a newly focused and aligned community, will formally present the Action Plan and begin the next exciting chapter for games in Scotland.

The work continues, and I look forward to sharing the next steps with you all in the near future.

#actionPlan #comingSoon #games #HelloWorld_ #MoreThanGames #scotland #SGF26

Scottish Games Network Shares Five Ecosystem Fund Applications – What Would Work For You?

As you might know, the Scottish Games Network (SGN) is continually working on initiatives to support and grow our incredible games sector here in Scotland. Recently, we submitted five applications to the Scottish Government Ecosystem Fund, and today, I’m sharing those proposals with you.

My goal in making these applications public is to foster transparency and, more importantly, spark a sector-wide conversation about the challenges they are designed to address. Far too many of the amazing things in Scotland’s games happen in isolation. By sharing my thinking openly, we can not only talk about the projects themselves, but the future of the games sector in Scotland.

Here’s a brief overview of the five Ecosystem Fund applications I’ve submitted:

Why Share These Now?

I believe in the power of our community. By sharing these Ecosystem Fund applications before any decisions are made, I hope we can get valuable feedback, spark discussions, and ensure that SGN’s efforts are truly reflective of what the sector needs and wants.

Furthermore, we all know that games, despite their immense cultural and economic contributions, can sometimes be overlooked when it comes to accessing certain types of funding or strategic support. This is one of the key reasons I am currently developing the Games Action Plan for Scotland – to provide a clear roadmap for the sector’s growth and to champion its needs more effectively.

This public discussion around these Ecosystem Fund applications plays into that broader strategy. Should any of these specific bids not be successful through this particular fund, the conversations we have now – about their value, their design, and their importance to you – will be incredibly valuable. It will help us prioritise, refine these ideas further, and potentially identify alternative pathways to bring them to life, underpinned by the strategic framework of the Games Action Plan.

So, I encourage everyone – developers, students, educators, and support organisations – to take a look. There’s a dedicated Ecosystem Fund Channel on the SGN Discord channel for conversation and where you can share your thoughts.

Thank you

~B

#applications #EcosystemFund #games #GamesStartupPodcast #HelloWorld #IndieBootcamp #LondonGamesFest #scotland #SGF26