New "culturally British" test for games Comments by Johnny Minkley

@kangarootoo and sneetch

This sounds like a fine idea. There would also have to be a fight that takes place on the cross-walks of Tower Bridge, possibly with a cameo by the time-travelling ghost of Peter Cushing.

Oh dear ... I hate politics.

The fact that British developers feel the need to kiss the ring of Gordon Brown to succeed is sickening. A free and open society is supposed to return power to the customers, so that they can choose with the wallets which companies are worthy of staying in business. But here we have a political elite, corruptly using its position, it's command of taxes, to fulfil its arbitrary desires. This is degrading to the entire videogame industry. It should not be used as a vessel to promote nationalist propaganda for a morally bankrupt government drunk on its own power. If shame were a feeling these people were capable of, then they would drown in it.

I want only one "culturally British" game, I'll PAY THEM TAX IF THEY DO IT!!!! The Getaway 3 Sony you slags, get back on it! If you don't I'll murder your wife and steal your boy.

/ puffs cigar, swears and burns down a restaurant while shooting old bill like a good south londoner does

F**king do it Sony you muppets, NOW! If I have to start counting the fingers you haven't got.....

Nocturne, I'd hardly say the current gov were a nationalist-orientated vehicle. If anything, they pander to it too much, rather than 'have' it themselves. 'British culture' is a very, VERY common angle of approach for business and popular rhetoric atm. I'd hardly say that was just down to Gordon Brown.

RedSparrows,

Britain may be undergoing a resurgence in patriotic sentiment, but for Gordon Brown and his cronies to use the power to tax as a means to appeal to that sentiment is sickening. If they believe points can be won with the electorate by such a gesture, than I fear for the future of Britain itself. If anyone but these crooks in Parliament attempted anything similar, then they would be accused of extortion, and rightly vilified.

It shouldn't just be given to all British game companies. That would imply the government are trying to get more people to move to Britain, get more (games) businesses in Britain and make Britain a world centre for games production. That's not what the government does with films and there's no reason to do that with games.

The government are trying to promote the exploration of what makes Britain unique and export that to the rest of the world. British films aren't there because they're made in Britain, but because they tell British stories with a British sense of humour and with British characters.

The problem is that games are not only about stories. In fact, what we spend most of time arguing is that they are more than stories because of the interactivity and gameplay. Some games don't have any story. It would be interesting to see a game that is culturally British to play, rather than just have British accents and knife crime. Almost like some boardgames have gameplay mechanics that are typically German, though I guess that's more because lots of those sorts of games come from there. But a game that encourages or depends on the reserved nature Brits are apparently renowned for could be along the right lines.

As for GTA and Fable, Rockstar and Microsoft Games Studio are hardly strapped for cash. The companies that need to benefit from it would be smaller, possibly independent companies. The ones that take risks and make interesting games. Not the ones that rehash the annual cash cow.

It looks like the government are offering tax relief. Not grants. There's not free money, the companies would just have to pay less of what they earn to HMRC.

Excellent. Be prepared for...

Pipesmoker's Revenge
Ratchet and Clank: the Tweed and Trilby Years
Bespoke Suit Larry

By the way, in response to the guy bemoaning the British unwillingness to live this miserable rock. Well, the English-speaking alternatives are too dreadful to contemplate.

Enough idle chit-chat. I'm off to make a game about Morris Dancers.

well the Codies 'Colin McRae Rally' series is undoubtably a british game franchise...
even though the games were developed by Irish, Spanish, French, Italian, English, Scots nationals.
Nationality of the devs shouldn't be an issue imo.
Tbh though, to qualify you should just be based in the UK, with your company and employees living and paying thier taxes in the UK.

it should be less about promoting british culture and more about promoting british gaming business.
Thats the core issue here. talent is leaving the UK for foriegn shores... and taking thier revenue with them.
These measures are necessary to stem that flow.

it shouldnt matter if you game is based in London or Mars.
my 2p.

^ aye