Channel 4 appoints first Games Commissioning Editor

Channel 4 announces the appointment of Colin Macdonald as its first Games Commissioning Editor. He will be based in Glasgow and report into Convergent Formats Commissioner Anna Cronin.

Macdonald is a respected and pioneering figure in the gaming industry and has worked on some of the most innovative titles of all time including Lemmings, Grand Theft Auto and Crackdown.

In this newly created role Macdonald will act as Channel 4's main point of contact for gaming companies and will be responsible for commissioning games that complement TV shows and projects that have the potential to cross over to TV.

Head of Channel 4 Online Richard Davidson-Houston said: "Colin is a brilliant addition to the team. This appointment is another step towards becoming a partner of choice for independent creative voices from a range of disciplines and from around the UK."

Convergent Formats Commissioner Anna Cronin said: "I am hugely excited that Colin's joining Channel 4 in this newly created role. He's a class act, with acres of gaming experience including working on some of my favourite games. I couldn't imagine a better creative talent to be championing games for Channel 4."

Colin Macdonald said: "I'm delighted to be joining the team and tremendously excited by the possibilities for gaming within Channel 4. I am very much looking forward to working with the UK's finest in games development talent to build on the great work that's been achieved so far."

Macdonald entered the games industry in 1990 as Software Manager of SAM Computers Ltd, the manufacturer of the last British home computer. Following that experience he founded and ran a small games development and publishing company bringing around twenty titles to market, including licences of Lemmings and Prince of Persia. He joined DMA Design in 1997 as Producer on the multi-billion dollar generating Grand Theft Auto franchise. Then helped found and was Studio Manager of Realtime Worlds, where he helped raise over $80m in investment and oversaw development of the two million selling, BAFTA-winning game Crackdown.