Scotland

Overview

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom, bordered by England to the south. Unlike other countries in the UK, Scotland has its own parliament and governs its own rules. Some Scottish people do not like being a part of the UK and want it to break off into independance, although many others say that this would bankrupt the nation and would not work. Scotland has many famous exports such as Irn Bru, Scotch Whiskey, and was once notorious for building the best Warships in the world. Unlike many stereotypes Scottish people do not commonly wear kilts, as they are for ceremonial occassions such as weddings.

Scotland also has a great influence on the games industry. As of September 2010 there are 46 game developers based in Scotland. Most notably Rockstar North (the creators of the Grand Theft Auto series) who are located in the nations capital Edinburgh. Another gaming contribution Scotland has made is Chris Sawyer a Scottish computer game developer who is best known for designing and programming Transport Tycoon and the RollerCoaster Tycoon. Other companies based in Scotland include Real Time Worlds and Proper Games. Several companies have stated they are being forced to move outside the country due to other nations offering tax incentives for video game developers. In August 2009, TIGA the trade association that represents the UK gaming industry proposed a tax-cut system that would provide tax cuts to gaming companies depending on the cultural impact the company has. As of November 2010 this proposed policy has not passed.

Two pioneers in the creation of the television and the telephone (Alexander Graham bell and John Logie Baird respectively) were born in Scotland and both inventions play a massive role in the current video game climate.