From lemmings to leaders
Article Date: Mar 23 2005
Russell Kay created the best-selling computer game Lemmings, and made enough money from the royalties to set up his own business, computer games developer Visual Science.
In an industry which gobbles up cash and where one in every hundred titles makes it big, the Dundee-based business is going from strength to strength. It recently announced a turnover increase of 110 per cent on 2002 results to £2.8 million and a pre-tax profit of £100,000.
Computer games veteran Tim Christian, who formerly headed up businesses such as MicroProse and Hasbro Interactive, has invested a substantial amount and has moved from the role of non-executive director to that of chief executive.
Kay, now chief technical officer, will be developing the company’s latest products, which include driving games and one based on a major television series.
‘I like to think we are moving towards being a real leader – not just in terms of games development technology, but in how we treat our staff. Our major assets are our people and we have to create a culture that energises them,’ believes Christian.
