$19.3M live-in game studio might be heading to Scotland

The Scottish city of Dundee could play host to a new kind of game development studio featuring built-in accommodation to provide game devs with a "fully immersive live-in experience."

As reported by The Courier, the "studiotel" build is part of a £1 billion ($1.25 billion) renovation project that would see Dundee's waterfront completely redeveloped. 

It's hoped the studio complex, which is slated to cost around £15.5 million ($19.3 million), will bolster the city's reputation as an international game design hub, helping it attract the best talent from around the globe. 

Plans for the complex are already being drawn up, and it's anticipated the build will be funded by a private sector developer. The Tay Cities Deal -- a council set up to deliver fair economic growth across the region -- is also expected to contribute an additional £2 million ($2.5 million). 

The studiotel's supporters have suggested the complex has the potential to contribute around £70 million ($87.5 million) to the local economy over the next decade, and could even become a major tourist attraction. 

"With virtual reality and other immersive technologies reshaping the future of the digital interactive content development industry, we in the Tay Cities region must act now so we can benefit from being a leading destination for digital content development," said UK Games Talent and Finance CIC chief executive, Paul Durrant.

Still, while some might think the notion of a live-in studio is an appealing proposition, there are surely others from within the games industry that'll be concerned about its potential to normalize and support crunch game development. 

For those who've experienced crunch first-hand, the idea of facilitating the controversial method -- which usually sees staff work around the clock to hit development milestones -- by giving people the means to live in-house might seem anything but appealing.