The launch later this year of the game on Xbox Live Arcade is another success for the competition launched eight years ago.

Dare to be Digital, devised as a project to encourage collaborative working between software engineer and creative artist students at Abertay, now attracts entrants from all over the UK, Ireland, China and India. It is complemented by a public exhibition, Dare ProtoPlay, held in Edinburgh during August.

The competition, which now boasts six-figure sponsorship each from Channel 4 and the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, has become a focal point for the global creative industries sector.

Entrants are scooped up by the leading digital media companies, including Rockstar North and Realtime Worlds in Scotland as well as Google, Microsoft, Electronic Arts and the BBC.

The teams from China and India have been supported under the Government’s Fresh Talent initiative and companies are also being formed in Scotland by those taking part.

There are plans to grow the competition and exhibition into truly international events with teams from Europe, the rest of Asia and North America taking part. Abertay also intends to extend the concept to a competition for converging broadcast and online media and for innovation in the food sector.