ESA prez asks Texas to extend tax incentives for game developers

In an op-ed piece fort the Austin American-Stateman, Entertainment Software Association president Michael Gallagher asks the Texas legislature to extend the state's economic incentive programs for the game industry -- such incentives were signed into law in 2007 by Governor Rick Perry. The bills that would extend the incentives are currently under consideration.

Gallagher states that the game industry accounts for more than one third of the $345 million invested in the state by the entertainment industry in 2007. He says further that video games are an extension of Texas' "rich cultural past" as represented by SXSW, which begins its 2009 show this week. Gallagher points out the benefits that games have brought, such as dexterity improvement for senior citizens, job training and teaching tools. He neglects, strangely, to mention that they are also awesome.

As Gallagher notes, several states are considering similar measures or extending the ones already in place and concludes, "While economic incentives for the video game industry are a sound investment for Texas' cultural legacy, they are an even better investment for the people of Texas." Let's hope the bills pass, if only to finally find out what Warren Spector has been up to.