BBC, Abertay In Talks For New Game Lab

BBC Scotland is in discussions with officials from the University of Abertay Dundee in Scotland and representatives from other organizations to create a lab environment where students, staff, and game development companies in the area can collaborate to prototype new games. Professor Julie Adair, head of New Media at BBC Scotland, revealed the information during an inaugural lecture today called “Passion, Mass Disobedience and the BBC” at the university where she was recently appointed visiting professor of interactive media and virtual communities. Professor Adair also used the speaking engagement to discuss the ways in which new technologies, such as social networking sites, are fundamentally changing the way broadcasting is evolving. She spoke about the growing relationship between the University of Abertay, a new media university in Scotland that offers some video game development programs, and the BBC studios in the city. “BBC Scotland is very excited about being given the opportunity to base some staff at Abertay's innovative White Space project,” she said. The BBC has also been a major sponsor of Abertay's annual Dare to be Digital competition, which offers young, creative games designers the opportunity to develop their work with industry specialists. Professor Bernard King, principal and vice chancellor of Abertay University, commented in a press release, “Abertay launched its first computer games technology degrees 10 years ago and since then has added computer arts degrees, developed a strong research base and grown Dare to be Digital into an international competition. Since that time I have been arguing strongly for Scotland to seize the high ground in the new landscape of consumer-generated content and Web 2.0 technologies.” He later added, “The new lab that we are planning with Julie and her team will be a hothouse, innovation-studio aimed primarily at developing new concepts of engaging with future audiences and interactive communities. The project will capitalize on the existing expertise within both Abertay and the BBC in driving the future of entertainment content development, targeting younger audiences in particular.”