Dance game firm turns to children

David Rowe says they are excited about the new contract

An Aberystwyth company which was behind a hit dance-along computer game has won a contract to develop a similar game for children.

Broadsword Interactive says it has won a six figure contract from a US client although no other details are revealed.

More than half a million copies of Dance:UK have been sold since its launch three years ago.

That dance routine game was made for PlayStations, but the latest game will also be for the Nintendo Wii.

Chief executive of Broadsword Interactive, David Rowe, said the company, which is moving into £500,000 purpose-built premises on the Aberystwyth Science Park, was "very excited" about the new game, which will be for a global market.

Dance:UK was also popular in Europe, with a variation produced for an Italian dance company, but it did not get distributed in the US.

It challenges players to follow moves on a pressure mat.

Christmas sales

The game under development will be a similar product but targeted specifically at the seven to 12 age group,

"The game will revolve around accessible pop songs, with lyrics sanitised to suit the age group, and some tracks re-recorded for the purpose of the product," Mr Rowe said.

"We will be involved in a great deal of research and development in taking this product to market in time for the Christmas sales period next year."

Exports now account for 90% of Broadsword Interactive business following the success of Dance:UK which dominated the Playstation One chart for 14 weeks.

The innovation also helped win the firm a Bafta Cymru award in 2005.

The Dance:UK game was popular across Europe

Mr Rowe and John Jones Steel launched the firm in 1995 to develop innovative new games.

Mr Rowe moved to mid Wales eight years earlier with his wife - whose family is from the area - and their autistic son to work as a freelance illustrator.

The company has been working with International Business Wales (IBW) , the overseas trade and investment arm of the Welsh Assembly Government to promote its business abroad.

IT has also been offered an assembly investment grant and a recruitment drive to fill four more graduate posts, on top of its workforce of 24.

Mr Rowe said the assembly support had been important in getting the firm exposure at key trade shows in Los Angeles.

He said:"Creativity and originality is essential in an industry where so many companies are competing for the same business.

"We have to ensure that we remain at the cutting edge of computer game innovation, and that means recruiting high calibre employees."