Scotland has long been at the heart of the video games industry, from early exports such as Lemmings and RollerCoaster Tycoon all the through to more recent titles such as Viewfinder.
Grand Theft Auto - one of the most iconic video game series of all time - was born in Dundee, with the latest addition to the franchise expected to break records when it is released later this year.
Beyond Rockstar’s AAA successes or fondly-remembered favourites from the past, there are also a number of independent developers producing impressive games around Scotland with upcoming titles including MindsEye and Silent Hill: Townfall.
Ahead of their arrival, however, here we take a look at some of the best games to have been made in Scotland.
5. Observation
Observation is a BAFTA award winning game developed by Glasgow-based studio NoCode. who are currently developing the upcoming Silent Hill: Townfall. However in their 2019 sci-fi thriller you play as S.A.M (Systems Administration and Maintenance), the space station's omniscient artificial intelligence, and must uncover what happened to Dr Emma Fisher and her crew. Observation is available on PC, PlayStation and Xbox. | No Code / Devolver Digital
6. Viewfinder
In Viewfinder, a first-person shooter, players must reshape reality and bring pictures to life by placing objects into the world. The surreal puzzle platformer was created by Sad Owl Studios, and its Scotland-based developer Matt Stark who began the project while in university, and was released in 2023. It won the prize for Best British Game at the 2024 Bafta Games Awards as well as New Intellectual Property. | Sad Owl Studios/Thunderful Publishing
7. Manhunt
Released in 2003, Manhunt is a controversial title from GTA developer Rockstar Games which was banned in some countries. A stealth game with graphic and violent gameplay, players control a death row inmate who must participate in a series of snuff films by killing criminal gang members on camera. It has become somewhat of a cult classic, with a sequel released in 2007. In 2016, the original Manhunt was re-released for PlayStation 4 in 2016 | Rockstar Games / Sony
8. Train Sim World
With offices in Stirling, Dovetail Games is a studio which specialises in creating simulation games. Among their best-known games is Train Sim World, which features a number of Scottish services and routes. | Dovetail Games