Gov responds to UK games industry woes

By Robert Purchese Published 10 June, 2008

"Takes seriously" its creative role.

The UK Government has said it "takes seriously" the role of the videogame industry and is going to look at evidence for introducing tax breaks like those recently awarded in France.

The politicians were responding to a petition lead by famous UK outfit Eidos, which complained about being unable to compete with studios in other countries that are more readily assisted by their leaders.

"The Government takes seriously the contribution of the UK's creative industries to the economy and to the UK's cultural richness. Creative Britain - New talents for the New Economy, published earlier this year, set out the 26 commitments with which the Government would support the creative industries," read the statement.

"In that document, the Government committed to making sure that the creative industries, including the games sector, were aware of and made the best use of the generous Research and Development tax credits for small and medium-sized enterprises, introduced by the Government in 2000. The Government has already been promoting the credit within the industry.

"The Government must be mindful of the need to ensure fair competition and value for money for tax payers whilst ensuring that any tax incentives are supported by evidence. The Government is conscious of the recent approval of a cultural tax relief for games in France and is working with the UK industry to collect and review the evidence for introducing such a credit in the UK."

The promises of help are non-specific, but send a signal to other UK developers that the issue has been noted.

The original petition eventually accumulated over 2100 signatures, and called for help in a sector expected to grow "phenomenally" in the next three years. Rising development costs, it suggested, made commissioning work here too expensive and created an environment almost impossible for an independent studio to survive in.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (21) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Saladin #1 4 years ago

    I have absolutely no doubt that the government is giving this help in order to exercise a veto over the content of the software that is produced. It's a sneaky way to gain a financial choke-hold on the games industry.

  • PlugMonkey #2 4 years ago

    Er, ye-es.
    .
    .
    .
    .
    Nurse!

  • MrChuckles #3 4 years ago

    The government will do precisely nothing. Then all the talent will go to the US and Canada and makes games more cheaply there.

    The government see the industry at the moment as a good way to earn a bit more tax for no effort on their part.

  • Eldritch #4 4 years ago

    Welcome to UK Gamer.

  • CannonAnBall #5 4 years ago

    Don't the government see us all as 'a good way to earn a bit more tax for no effort on their part'?

    Put simply the Government couldn't give a shit about anything. Money is the objective. As long as it's coming in who cares. If they can find new ways to earn money then hurrah, even better chaps!

    Side step the real issues and bring the money in.

  • Farfarer #6 4 years ago

    Sounds like a verbose fob-off to me!

  • GitSomE_UK #7 4 years ago

    Bollocks... UK Government doesn't give a shit about the industry.

  • Bulbatron #8 4 years ago

    I think we're all being a bit harsh on the government, you know. They've got new TVs for their second homes to buy, you know! You don't know how hard it is to maintain two homes! Cleaners have to be employed, kitchens have to be fitted! It's not easy!


    Seriously though. The government always hinders people and never helps them.
    Edited by 1 at 11/06/08 @ 18:46

  • peterfll #9 4 years ago

    Tax them all, tax them heavily, make them pay that's what I say - they all drive fancy cars and sit in jacuzzis all day with naked women snorting lines of gak and pouring magnums of champers down their gullets.

  • hiddenranbir #10 4 years ago

    The government always hinder people and never help them.

    Yeah, bloody NHS. They should just scrap it! And the state primary/secondary schools.

    Let's just not have a government. Then I'm sure gaming will truly thrive...
    Edited by 1 at 10/06/08 @ 19:05

  • Golgo #11 4 years ago

    The government 'takes' everything 'seriously' about which it plans to do nothing.
    As long as it can be seen to be listening, that's the main thing...

  • Bulbatron #12 4 years ago

    The government always hinders people and never helps them.

    Yeah, bloody NHS. They should just scrap it! And the state primary/secondary schools.

    I wasn't talking about the NHS or schools though, was I? But let's face it, they are maintained at as small a cost as possible.
    Edited by 2 at 11/06/08 @ 18:45

  • FWB #13 4 years ago

    Who would vote for gaming PM?

  • Nithron #14 4 years ago

    hiddenranbir: I don't think he was trying to say any government is just a hindrance, more, this one specifically.

    And, you know, the evidence is pretty much on his side

  • timberwolf #15 4 years ago

    so thats no to tax breaks then.

  • asphaltcowboy #16 4 years ago

    Welcome to UK Gamer.

    What are you actually complaining about?

  • jaywalker3010 Verified Mastering Manager, Square Enix #17 4 years ago

    and by the time anyone actually DOES anything god knows how many more developers/publishers will have gone under, or taken over or become EA Scarborough.

    Its a joke, it truly is.

  • Dan234 #18 4 years ago

    Of course any tax breaks will have strings attached, like unis that go with their begging bowl to the government for funds to carry out an investigation have a much higher chance of getting the cash if they mention climate change in some way.

  • Bulbatron #19 4 years ago

    Thank you, Nithron. That was what I meant, but perhaps I should have been a little clearer. Obviously we need a government, but preferably one without the self-serving opacity of this government.

  • LOLLERS #20 4 years ago

    Maybe it should have thought about this 5 years ago when all the studios were going out of business and before all the good ones were bought by Americans?

  • CHAZBIGPOTATO #21 4 years ago

    Everytime I read a government statement the dialogue comes out in the voice of Gordon Brown in my head.