THE growth of digital technology has generated many new industries. One that doesn't always get taken as seriously as it should is the video game industry.

Keen local game player Paul Murphy, chief executive of the North Yorkshire Business Education Partnership (NYBEP), recently updated me on the global gaming scene and York's important contribution to it.

Video games are big business. Some estimates put the annual global turnover at $10 billion - more than the movie industry. Indeed, the biggest games have development budgets equivalent to that of a Hollywood blockbuster. And these days, Hollywood makes sure every major release has a video game.

One of the myths about video games is that they are the preserve of teenage boys who spend hours shooting aliens. In fact, recent surveys indicate the average age of video gamers is now 30 - and nearly a third of them are women.

My gaming friends assure me that the range of games is immense. Many of them have strong story lines and are subtle, cerebral experiences.

As a Science City, York naturally has a number of examples of companies associated with this industry. Indeed, the UK's largest independent retailer of games, Gamestation, has its headquarters in York and is a former winner of the Evening Press Business Of The Year.

Another example is Media Mill, based in Shambles, which supplies a range of audio design services for the video game industry.

York is also home to a company with a particularly well-established reputation: Revolution Software. Its founder-director, Charles Cecil, is regarded as an industry guru. The company's success is largely based on the Broken Sword series of games, which enjoy a cult following and have won numerous industry plaudits.

These games, sold worldwide on a variety of formats, fall into the "cerebral" category - rich in plot and character development, with emphasis on solving complex puzzles, rather than on fast reflexes.

Many gamers are keenly awaiting the fourth incarnation in the series, which is due to be released later this year.

But this isn't the only project on which Mr Cecil is working. Later this year, Hollywood will be releasing what is expected to be one of the summer blockbusters: the film of the best-selling novel, The Da Vinci Code. The film stars Tom Hanks and Audrey Tatou. Naturally, it will be accompanied by a video game with the same title - and every effort will be made to ensure the film and the game tie in with each other.

It has been widely reported in the gaming press Mr Cecil has been employed as a special adviser to the company making the video game of the Da Vinci Code, and Mr Cecil has had a number of meetings in Hollywood with Ron Howard, the film's director.

Mr Cecil isn't yet able to comment on this - but it is clear this is a major coup for this small, independent York-based company.

Mr Murphy's anticipation of the new game is palpable. He told me: "I've always enjoyed playing Revolution's games. The news that Mr Cecil is involved with the game of the Da Vinci Code is very exciting. People are going to take the game much more seriously as a result."

It is good to know York's global reach gathers strength, and also that it is not confined to one or two specific businesses or sectors. As our sunset industries recede, it is crucially important that new, vibrant, knowledge-based businesses replace and better their contribution to the local economy.

Mr Cecil's Revolution is just one of York's shining stars in the burgeoning digital sector. We are fortunate to have such a strong platform for future growth.

Updated: 11:02 Wednesday, March 01, 2006