UK game developers petition for financial incentives

by Jem Alexander { Mar 15th 2008 at 9:00AM }

The UK government's recent budget announcement shows that it has turned a deaf ear to the many calls for financial incentives by the video game industry. In response, UK developers have taken up arms and started a petition to go directly to 10 Downing Street. Or, at least, its online home. With British talent being enticed out of the country by Montreal's tax breaks and cash handouts, the petitioners are requesting similar incentives as development prices and team sizes continue to grow larger.

Companies affected by this petition include Rare, several Sony studios (WipEout, Home, Singstar), Media Molecule, Free Radical, Ninja Theory, Evolution Studios, Bizarre Creations and Lionhead Studios, and many others. UK citizens, particularly those interested in getting into the industry in the future, have been asked to sign the petition that aims to help save UK developers some cash and remain in the country.

[Thanks, George]

Tags: politics, UK

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Snipermonky @ Mar 15th 2008 9:08AM

This has been going on for quite sometime in Canada to spur growth in the industry. I'm surprised developers in other countries are only starting petitions now. I guess they didn't know.

CANON DAVID WINTER @ Mar 15th 2008 9:10AM

Petitions always work. Always.

The UK is well too expensive, it's horrible. The cost of living is too high and the rewards are to low. If I was a developer, or creative person, I would leave for better climes.

Mills and Boom @ Mar 15th 2008 9:55AM

I've been offered a nice place abroad but I'm staying put.

Whilst it's not the best development enviroment I've got a nice little office in the hills. I go for a walk or just to the local shop and I come back inspired. And that makes it worth the extra cost to me. I find being in a beautiful and inspirational place aids creativity.

Mills and Boom @ Mar 15th 2008 9:59AM

Hah, well I broke that! It IS a nice development environment, just not in the financial word of it.

Fashion @ Mar 15th 2008 10:14AM

Wow, that was really inspiring. I'll take a walk in the hills. Maybe even now. Or maybe just down to the shops.

Mills and Boom @ Mar 15th 2008 2:36PM

What?

Sam Earl @ Mar 15th 2008 9:35AM

Signed.

I am in a programming course at the moment, and you can see some studios are definitely looking at expanding their horizons over to places such as the US. This kind of petition can only result in a positive outcome, IMO, so why not sign it. I hope it gets somewhere and does some good.

jimbobsmells @ Mar 15th 2008 9:48AM

also signed.

1,010 signatures so far. Never got an e-mail from 10 Downing Street before, so that was a bonus.

ssuk @ Mar 15th 2008 10:09AM

Surprise! Do you think the government, the same people who blame video games for the rise in gun, knife crimes, muggings, stabbings, random violence, motoring violations including speeding, joyriding, car thief, the rise in drug culture, gang culture, youth crime, everything that's wrong with society and Coldplay's last album... Would REALLY want to give developers tax breaks?
The English middle class and upper class all see the Playstation has the new-age Satan, the only game ever created is Grand Theft Auto and there are NO good, wholesome, moral games out there. Much like they think all working class women are whores, everyone who goes to nightclubs are binge drinkers and that you can't go out after night because all the yobs will stab and humiliate you. And since politics is a middle class game to Britain, they're stuck in this stupid mindset, oblivious to reality.

This petition will fall on death ears, especially since the government has commissioned a review into video games, which I'm sure won't come back positive and video games will STILL be used as the easy scape-goat for all woes in society. Sorry UK devs, we're shit out of luck for the foreseeable future. But I hope you all the best.

Stupidiot @ Mar 15th 2008 12:16PM

Wow, generalisations much? Speaking from the English middle class, I don't think I've EVER heard anyone I know blame violent crime on video games, most people just aren't that stupid (most of the time). Also, any comments I hear about working class 'yobs' tend to be light hearted and in the interest of humour.

A Pissed-off English Gamer @ Mar 15th 2008 1:41PM

Well, you certainly have no faith in our political system. Our government has never been terribly against gaming as a medium.

emagius @ Mar 15th 2008 10:11AM

Mmm. Government subsidies. Special interest groups. Lobbyists. Look how far gaming has come!

Poisoned Al @ Mar 15th 2008 10:19AM

Even if the petition DID work, the UK government is so slow and stupid that you'd get a %0.5 break sometime around 2026.

Maverick Saturn @ Mar 15th 2008 12:30PM

Signed, this petition is 100% correct.

This country is majorly expensive, the only bonus is the fact that once you earn the equivalent of measly salary here, you can move out elsewhere and buy a house three times the size.

Markusdragon @ Mar 15th 2008 3:40PM

Signed. In fact, I was the first person to sign (bar the petition creator, of course).

ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force) @ Mar 15th 2008 5:02PM

I'm from France. I moved to the US for the videogame industry. I heard that France is starting to see the results of government financing for its expanding videogame industry, and wouldn't mind returning to my home country if they gave me an interesting offer (compared to the ones I'd be able to find in sunny California, with Blizzard next door, but that doesn't mean anything considering that game developers have to be ready to travel all over the place).

Hearing that the UK is having such problems pains me, and I hope that their government realizes the incredible value that kind of industry has.

Poisoned Al @ Mar 15th 2008 6:42PM

Seeing how politicions on all sides are useless fuck-sticks, I wouldn't hold my breath. The amount of bureaucracy in the UK system boggles the mind. It's filled with useless middle-men who do nothing but warm a seat, so they take their sweet time over EVERYTHING that passes over their desk to make sure it looks like they are doing something, and when it all enviably goes tits up, it's not linked to them. The French way of doing things isn't too pretty, but at least it's simple enough for things to actually get done!

Spin44 @ Mar 16th 2008 1:33AM

Seems video game makers think theyre more important than they actually nice. Lmao, nice.

richie @ Mar 17th 2008 7:44AM

a much fairer petition:

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/wtochallenge/

On this subject, Minister Margaret Hodge said in October 2007: "We're looking at what they [Canada] have done. We're not sure what they have done sticks by the WTO rules on competition and will have to think about challenging what they are doing if they are, in our lawyer's views, breaching those rules."

We strongly urge the government to urgently finish any investigation into the legality of said subsidies and, if appropriate, challenge these through WTO.

We urge the government to take action not by providing tax breaks for the UK games industry, but instead challenge the legality of tax breaks given in other countries. We believe that given an equal chance, the UK games industry will persevere and prosper and remain a significant earner for the UK economy as a whole.

Bjorn @ Mar 17th 2008 9:29AM

The notion of providing tax breaks to counter other countries' tax breaks just leads to a vicious circle. What are we? French?

Instead, let us challenge tax breaks given in other countries. If they are unfair, as it sounds like, then Canada (and other offending countries) will have to stop.

Sign the petition to challenge these tax breaks through WTO: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/wtochallenge/