By Stefan Morkis and Jenna Cairney

A DUNDEE computer games company is set to move up to another level after securing $50 million of funding.

Realtime Worlds yesterday announced details of the investment, which has been led by Maverick Capital, New Enterprise Associations and WPP.

The money, roughly equivalent to £25 million, will allow Realtime Worlds to expand and develop new creative properties.

Realtime Worlds founder and chief executive officer David Jones said, “Securing funding of this size from partners that are leading the financial and marketing communications industries further affirms Realtime Worlds’ position as one of the most creative, respected and successful game development companies in the world.

“Since our founding we have been fortunate to have some of the gaming industry’s top creative talent crafting amazing, groundbreaking interactive entertainment products.

“With this new infusion of capital, Realtime Worlds is poised to deliver new original experiences to games around the globe and to push the boundaries of online gaming.”

Mr Jones founded Realtime Worlds in 2002 alongside gaming industry veterans Ian Hetherington and Tony Harman.

Mr Jones wrote the first version of Grand Theft Auto which was released by DMA, the software firm he founded in 1989.

Following a merger with Gremlin, DMA released a second successful version of the game, although a series of deals led to the intellectual rights and the design team being sold to US firm Take Two.

Although Mr Jones no longer has any input on the game, his idea has become one of the most successful video game franchises in the world.

Grand Theft Auto IV is due for release in two weeks’ time but pre- orders mean it has already sold out across the UK and is expected to sell more than six million copies worldwide, despite concerns about its violent content.

The company, which has its headquarters in Dundee and offices in Seoul in South Korea and Boulder, Colorado, employs more than 200 staff worldwide who have worked on global franchises such as Lemmings and Grand Theft Auto.