What next for Dundee?

In the past few years Dundee has been a strong example of how a positive local games development ecosystem should work, from micro-studios and local government all the way up to the big triple-A studio Realtime Worlds. But now that triple-A studio has entered administration, where does it leave the region?

Naturally, everybody is working firstly to ensure that Realtime Worlds can be either sold or broken up as assets in as strong a way as possible, while others have been quick to offer words of support or messages of alternative employment opportunities.

TIGA CEO Dr Richard Wilson spoke on BBC Scotland this morning about the need for greater support and cohesion in the months to come to make sure that Dundee - and Scotland - remains a vibrant place to do business.

But, having visited the city and seen the way that the games development community fed off itself, I'm forced to wonder just how much of a keystone Dave Jones and his investment capital was for the surrounding area.

There was already history with Visual Science, of course - and you can certainly argue that out of its ashes came some great things - so it's important to keep a sense of perspective on current developments.

Already, out of Realtime Worlds, has sprung Ruffian - which worked on Crackdown 2 - and while many staffers at the APB company are likely to have to move away to find immediate employment, at least Dundee can boast a solid background of support for new ventures.

In the first instance it has Paul Durrant and the University of Abertay, which will continue to attract strong talent in the form of students to its Dare to be Digital competition - but also has additional investment for its prototyping scheme.

And also hovering in the background is Interactive Tayside, with Donna Fordyce and her colleagues constantly working to promote local firms and offering business advice - while the Neon festival will once again bring some deserved attention to the city later this year.

So - time will tell just how much of a pull Realtime Worlds was to Dundee, and how it will fare without it should the worst happen. But for those affected (who all have our sympathies) at least there's the hope that Dundee is one of the best places in the UK for new independent ventures to rise up and take root.