WPP makes £4m investment in Scottish computer games company

WPP Group has bought a stake in a Scottish software company that specialises in developing videogames, including the Bafta-winning driving action game 'Crackdown'. It has bought a minority stake in Dundee-based Realtime Worlds making an investment of £4.1m, joining existing investors Maverick Capital and New Enterprise Associates. Realtime is behind the Xbox 360 game 'Crackdown', the 'Grand Theft Auto'-like game that allows players to explore a world in various vehicles and for their characters to evolve special abilities, and play co-operatively with others online. It was nominated for five gaming Baftas in 2007 and won two, for best action and adventure and best use of audio. WPP's investment in the company follows its purchase of a stake in online games company WildTangent. Realtime has more than 200 staff, and offices in Seoul and Colorado, as well as its headquarters in Dundee. It was founded in 2002 by games industry veterans behind famous games such as 'Grand Theft Auto' and 'Lemmings'.