France vies to give artful tax break for game industry
by Ross Miller 
{ Nov 6th 2006 at 3:25PM }
France's Culture Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres is hoping to classify gaming as art. In doing so, the French gaming industry including Ubisoft, Vivendi and Infogrames would receive a 20 percent tax break. France already considers cinema a form of art.Ignoring the debate on whether or not gaming is an art, the classification has major opposition from the games industry in and around France. The primary concern, as explained by Patrice Chazerand of Interactive Software Federation of Europe, is government interference with the game design process. Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot supports the tax break, though its no surprise since Ubisoft could only benefit from savings when their developer studios are too global for French interference.
In March, French decreed the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres to game designers Michel Ancel, Frédérick Raynal and Shigeru Miyamoto.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Nytemare @ Nov 6th 2006 3:40PM
WTF! I thought gaming was becoming a sport, not an art :P
Fredyytoot @ Nov 6th 2006 3:41PM
i hace bo idea wat that ment
Dogle @ Nov 6th 2006 3:43PM
I guess I dont really understand how anyone could argue games are not art? I mean, artists create them, so what else would it be?
Steve @ Nov 6th 2006 3:44PM
Typical. The artistic community tends to be extremely vocal about demanding increases in taxes to fund their counterproductive welfare programs, but I guess this is just another example of the artistic community supporting higher taxes to punish the productivity of everyone other than themselves.
And from what I understand about the french economy, they need to lower the tax rates of just about every industry if they ever expect to see some economic growth. Their low $29,600 GDP per capita and high 10% unemployment rate cannot be fixed by Ubisoft alone.
nintendo fan @ Nov 6th 2006 4:26PM
Well it's about time.
32_Footsteps @ Nov 6th 2006 4:00PM
Hmm... here's a question - does anyone in the French video game industry have any evidence that the French government would attempt to interfere with their industry? And moreover, would the French Constitution allow the government to so interfere whether or not the tax break went into effect?
My skill with French law is not that great, but I personally suspect that this is much ado about nothing, and that the French video game industry would unequivocably improve with such a designation/tax break.
Nintendo_Fanboy @ Nov 6th 2006 4:04PM
CHEAPER GAMES!
Pal @ Nov 6th 2006 4:30PM
Games can be art as films can be art! For those who believe in the art of film and don't support video games, watch Joe Dirt and argue that it's art; let's see how smart you will sound, yes?
Pal @ Nov 6th 2006 4:31PM
To Nintendo_Fanboy:
MORE PROFIT!
> @ Nov 6th 2006 5:01PM
This is just another step in gaming going mainstream; Im not sure about the cultural aspects, but, the economics make sense to support the industry in the same way that film and music industries are supported (with lower taxes).
Rayonic @ Nov 6th 2006 5:09PM
Hopefully the French government doesn't wreck their game industry like they wrecked their film industry. They mean well, but their schemes often backfire.
For example, movie theater quotas mean that tons of cheap domestic films get made so theater owners can show all the big international blockbusters. They can't show Lord of the Rings unless they're showing Generic Romance Film #436.
tracked @ Nov 6th 2006 5:13PM
I don't see what the problem is. Less tax means more profit. More profit means more money risked on games. This might actually get companies like EA to develop more games in France. Which means that the French economy would receive another kick to start.