Interactive Entertainment Scotland launches to Champion Country’s Thriving Games Sector

Press release – 17th September 2025

Interactive Entertainment Scotland launches to Champion Country’s Thriving Games Sector

Ukie, the trade body for the UK’s games and interactive entertainment industry, today announces the launch of Interactive Entertainment Scotland (IES), a new dedicated Scottish body designed to champion the country’s rapidly growing games sector.

Interactive Entertainment Scotland (IES) will serve as the primary voice for Scottish games companies, working directly with Scottish Government and local stakeholders to advocate for policies that support continued growth. As part of the Ukie family, IES members will benefit from both Scotland-specific expertise and access to the full range of Ukie services and advocacy efforts.

“Scotland has always been a vital part of the UK’s games success story,” said Nick Poole, CEO of Ukie. “The launch of Interactive Entertainment Scotland recognises the sector’s maturity and importance north of the border. IES will provide the focused, local representation that Scottish studios deserve while maintaining the collective strength that comes from being part of the UK’s broader games ecosystem.”

The new organisation will focus on supporting business growth, attracting investment to Scotland, developing talent pipelines through partnerships with universities and colleges, and ensuring Scottish voices are heard in policy discussions both domestically and internationally.

The launch of IES comes at a time when the UK games industry is firmly recognised as a key part of the government’s industrial strategy. The sector contributes over £7 billion annually to the economy and supports more than 26,000 jobs nationwide. Scotland plays an increasingly important role in this story, with both established studios and emerging developers choosing the country as their base. Over the next decade IES will play a key role in demonstrating how we can supercharge growth across the UK.

“The launch of Interactive Entertainment Scotland comes at an inflexion point for the sector globally and an opportune time for Scotland with many of the world’s top industry executives here this week.  The forthcoming release of GTA 6 will reshape the entire video game landscape and our new game Reforj is another example of how Scotland is positioned to win on the world stage.” – Chris van der Kuyl, Chairman of 4J Studios.

Companies interested in joining Interactive Entertainment Scotland or learning more about its services can email [email protected].