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Tiga: 1,700 industry jobs will be lost without UK tax breaks
Tiga CEO Richard Wilson has written an open letter to the British government, claiming that 1,700 jobs will be lost in the UK video game industry over the next five years if it doesn't receive tax breaks. He also believes that if the industry received a 20 percent production tax credit, that investment would increase by £220 million ($303m USD) over five years and create 1,600 jobs.Tiga requesting tax breaks in the UK is nothing new, but the organization has been stressing the issue lately. International competition from France, Canada and the US is taking its toll on UK-based developers as, according to the letter, "the UK game development industry fell from third largest in the world based on revenue in 2006 to fourth position in 2007 and is expected to fall to fifth place in 2009."
Who knew: Publishers don't like being called child killers [update]
Update: Sony is considering action against the ad agency for the unauthorized use of what looks like a PlayStation controller. In addition, Codemasters and Konami have both expressed their disagreement. Konami mentioned its Dance Dance Revolution series, which requires standing and moving, and Codemasters' CEO Rod Cousens said, "Governments have a unique ability to get it wrong."Game publishers have begun speaking out against the "Change4Life" ad campaign, which draws a direct link between video games and early death. For whatever reason, Sega and Atari do not wish for their multimillion-dollar businesses to be associated with the death of children.Sega Europe president and COO Mike Hayes told MCV that the company is "very disappointed" with the ad. "It remains a deep frustration that video gaming is selected to present a negative image of the UK's children, youth, consumer at large and the industry." He said that a "poorly informed advertising agency" must be responsible for an ad that singles out gaming instead of more passive media like television, music, and reading. Atari has also spoken out against the ad, announcing its support for MCV's complaint, and saying that "At best, the campaign is misleading and at worst, damaging to the industry, its reputation and its potential." In addition, the developer organization TIGA also registered its displeasure with the ad, filing a formal complaint with the Advertising Standards Authority.The Department of Health issued a statement in defense of "Change4Life," saying that it is "not saying that children shouldn't play computer games or eat treats, but parents and children need to be aware of the benefits of a balanced diet and an active lifestyle."Source -- SegaSource -- AtariSource -- TIGASource -- UK government responds
Tiga: 85% of UK developers want tax breaks, programmers not easy to find
This made us laugh: A report by UK trade organization Tiga found that 85% of developers in the UK supported tax breaks for game production. Only 85 percent, really?! Did the remaining 15% not understand the question? Anyway, the report also covered the UK game industry's slipping size and skill shortage.Of the 100 UK-based CEOs and managing directors surveyed, 63% had faced skill shortages in the last year, with programmer vacancies as the most challenging to fill by 74% of those respondents. Tax burdens and foreign competition were listed as the top two barriers to expansion. Tiga CEO Richard Wilson hopes that the government will introduce a 20% tax break for local developers so the region can compete against Canada and a growing number of US States with tax incentives. [Image]
Tiga re-requests UK tax breaks in wake of Wisconsin incentives
Tiga, the trade association for game developers in the UK and Europe, points to Wisconsin's recently passed incentives for game developers as a sign for the UK government to get on the tax break ball. GI.biz reports that Tiga's CEO, Richard Wilson, is asking the UK government to "play its part" and "establish a more favourable tax environment, increase the supply of skilled graduates without sacrificing quality and keep the regulatory costs on business relatively low."Tiga recently made similar statements after the US state of Georgia gave some tax relief to the games industry. Wilson's comments about "skilled graduates" is probably the result of a recent report in the UK, which found that the country was experiencing a skilled labor shortage. The UK and Australia are currently competing in a tax break whine-off as other nations and states offer various forms of attractive tax relief to game developers.
Tiga: Georgia incentives highlight UK game devs need tax breaks
Tiga, a trade association for game developers in the UK and Europe, made a statement today that tax incentives in other territories are hurting UK games development. The group highlights the recent tax breaks announced by the US state of Georgia as something the government in its own country should be doing.Richard Wilson, CEO of Tiga, says the Georgia tax breaks show how other state and national governments are competing to make the most "hospitable environment for games production." He believes the UK needs to create tax credits and increase the supply of qualified graduates to grow the industry. He points out the UK can't afford to ignore "heavily subsidized competition" from competing nations. Australia's GDAA has also been pushing its government to give the games industry the 40% tax break it offers the film industry.[Via GI.biz]
UK developer consortium Tiga cries foul over Canada tax breaks
It's common knowledge that game companies have been migrating to Canada's developer-friendly shores for some time, a side effect owing more to the region's inviting tax breaks than to its scenery or love of winter sports. Now the UK's Independent Games Developers Association, a gathering more commonly known at Tiga, has cried foul, referring to Canadian government subsidies to game developers as unfair, and that by offering tax incentives "the playing field is increasingly tipped against UK based games developers."Tiga CEO Richard Wilson has issued a statement calling for the UK government to investigate whether or not Canada's tax breaks for game companies violate any World Trade rules -- something the organization feels is "likely" -- and if so, to "take action via the World Trade Organisation against Canada at the earliest opportunity." Until such a ruling can be made, however, Wilson has asked the government to "introduce tax breaks for game production in the UK in order to level the playing field against unfair competition." Honestly, nobody likes a crybaby, and if the UK would would match the efforts of Canada, maybe developers like Eidos or Ubisoft wouldn't be so keen on bundling up and setting up shop in America's great white north.
