With EA set to break ground for a new facility at LSU, and Gameloft considering similar "endeavors" in New Orleans, Louisiana legislatures have got to be feeling good about the allure of the state's Digital Interactive Media Credit. 1500 miles to the northeast, Massachusetts is considering enacting similar tax incentives for game developers through a bill filed earlier this year by Rep. Vincent Pedone.
As the bill, affectionately known as "H03301," continues to kick around the Mass. Legislature, representatives of specialty tax services provider Alliantgroup take a look at its proposed "rewards" on Develop. While subject to alteration, the current draft of the bill proposes significant tax credits for both labor- and production-based costs incurred by large and small game-related companies alike, including a potential credit for a "promotional logo of the commonwealth of Massachusetts" placed on a game. In other words, stamp a game with a "Made in Massachusetts" logo (as Alliantgroup dubs it) and a company could earn up to a $75,000 annual credit under the bill's current stipulations.
Of course, the bill has yet to be put to a vote by state lawmakers, who can ill afford to sleep on it for long if they want to keep pace in the "quest" to win over the game industry. In addition to Louisiana, Alliantgroup identifies 16 other "game-friendly" states, including neighboring Rhode Island, which last year lured away Curt Shilling's 38 Studios from Mass.
["Made in Massachusetts" logo source: Massachusetts Bay Trading Co, Inc.]
Reader Comments (21)
Posted: May 5th 2011 1:05AM Faenix said
I dont want a useless logo slapped on the front of my games.. on the back put whatever the hell you want..
Posted: May 5th 2011 1:09AM joer22784 said
I'm all for more dev company's coming here. ( I'm from Massachusetts) but I'm all set w/ a stupid logo on my games
Posted: May 5th 2011 1:30AM PointlessPuppies said
Can't wait for a bunch of states to pass this same bill, so that every third game we buy will have a "MADE IN TEXAS!!" "MADE IN FLORIDA!!" "MADE IN MASSACHUSETTS!!" logos
Posted: May 5th 2011 1:39AM Mmmmz said
Well, that's just great!
What the hell am I supposed to name my Droid now that "H03301" is taken?!
What the hell am I supposed to name my Droid now that "H03301" is taken?!
Posted: May 5th 2011 1:43AM Tradio said
wrong direction, we need corporations to pay more taxes not more tax incentives. We not only have a spending problem but we have major revenue issues as well.
Posted: May 5th 2011 1:54AM Mmmmz said
@Tradio
At the same rate, we need more jobs and more importantly more high paying, skilled jobs at that. Especially in certain states. You have more "sophisticated" workers you get higher tiered amenities. Better restaurants, better arts, better schools, the snowball gets larger and larger.
Better jobs means more spending in the state as well. Those workers are likely to spend 25-50% of their spending money on items sold within the state (sales tax). Not to mention their state taxes from their income.
So, while in some cases it makes perfect sense in what you're saying, in others there's a bigger picture to be had.
Reply
At the same rate, we need more jobs and more importantly more high paying, skilled jobs at that. Especially in certain states. You have more "sophisticated" workers you get higher tiered amenities. Better restaurants, better arts, better schools, the snowball gets larger and larger.
Better jobs means more spending in the state as well. Those workers are likely to spend 25-50% of their spending money on items sold within the state (sales tax). Not to mention their state taxes from their income.
So, while in some cases it makes perfect sense in what you're saying, in others there's a bigger picture to be had.
Posted: May 5th 2011 5:09AM An Unnamed Mob said
@Tradio
I have to agree with the poor downvoted Tradio. Mostly because these sorts of programs don't really create new jobs... they just move them from somewhere else.
Also, if you read the bill, there's absolutely nothing keeping a studio owner from moving his company there and pocketing the check for himself. SO in other words: taxpayers get boned, old employees lose their jobs, new employees are no better off, and the studio owner get a fatty check courtesy of the fine folks at Mass.
Hmm.
Reply
I have to agree with the poor downvoted Tradio. Mostly because these sorts of programs don't really create new jobs... they just move them from somewhere else.
Also, if you read the bill, there's absolutely nothing keeping a studio owner from moving his company there and pocketing the check for himself. SO in other words: taxpayers get boned, old employees lose their jobs, new employees are no better off, and the studio owner get a fatty check courtesy of the fine folks at Mass.
Hmm.
Posted: May 5th 2011 9:23AM eat it said
@Jenks
tax break create jobs if the leaders of the company are not greedy SOBs.
but as it stand there are only like a dozen companies like that.
GE not only didn't pay any taxes, they actually received tax credits, and they actually laid people off. mean while the people at the top gave themselves giant bonuses, and money to politicians to change laws so that they can receive even more tax credits
Reply
tax break create jobs if the leaders of the company are not greedy SOBs.
but as it stand there are only like a dozen companies like that.
GE not only didn't pay any taxes, they actually received tax credits, and they actually laid people off. mean while the people at the top gave themselves giant bonuses, and money to politicians to change laws so that they can receive even more tax credits
Posted: May 5th 2011 10:40AM (Unverified) said
@Jenks
No, actually, they don't. And labeling anyone a Bolshevik for opposing tax credits is close-minded. Many conservative economists and lawmakers oppose them as well. I'm studying this topic right now in law school. When states provide tax credits, the money lost must be recouped somewhere, and it is inevitably other taxpayers who are burdened. When Ben Affleck comes to MA to make a movie, MA taxpayers are subsidizing that credit through higher tax rates. The argument that jobs will offset the costs to other taxpayers is pushed by these business' lobbyists, but it's more wishful thinking than factual.
Reply
No, actually, they don't. And labeling anyone a Bolshevik for opposing tax credits is close-minded. Many conservative economists and lawmakers oppose them as well. I'm studying this topic right now in law school. When states provide tax credits, the money lost must be recouped somewhere, and it is inevitably other taxpayers who are burdened. When Ben Affleck comes to MA to make a movie, MA taxpayers are subsidizing that credit through higher tax rates. The argument that jobs will offset the costs to other taxpayers is pushed by these business' lobbyists, but it's more wishful thinking than factual.
Posted: May 5th 2011 12:33PM yada22 said
@An Unnamed Mob
you guys do understand that canada, china, japan, korea, russia and parts of europe have been doing this for years!! it has actually caused tons of talent from our industry to leave the USA to go work in other countries and a lot of major publishers to develop games in other countries. if the US doesnt start doing it we will lose a lot of talent and games will be developed in other countries rather then at home!!!
as for taxing corporations, lets start with wall street!!!
Reply
you guys do understand that canada, china, japan, korea, russia and parts of europe have been doing this for years!! it has actually caused tons of talent from our industry to leave the USA to go work in other countries and a lot of major publishers to develop games in other countries. if the US doesnt start doing it we will lose a lot of talent and games will be developed in other countries rather then at home!!!
as for taxing corporations, lets start with wall street!!!
Posted: May 5th 2011 12:38PM jsx said
@(Unverified) Ben Affleck is from MA, he'd come here anyways. The point is to attract people who wouldn't and convince them to use local talent.
Just because all residents don't get an immediate slice of the initial pie doesn't mean the greater good isn't being addressed, and not all economic stimulation is done by simply transferring money.
As a MA tax payer, I support this 100%.
Reply
Just because all residents don't get an immediate slice of the initial pie doesn't mean the greater good isn't being addressed, and not all economic stimulation is done by simply transferring money.
As a MA tax payer, I support this 100%.
Posted: May 5th 2011 1:58AM rface said
I had to sign up to say this, but the people commenting that this is somehow a bad thing because it ruins their box art are being extremely selfish. Actually, it's not even selfish, it's stupid. This bill would help small studios as well as big ones, giving incentives to small developers isn't a bad thing, especially for games where a bigger budget given to a smaller studio will result in a better product.
I'd like to see more bills like these popping up; bills supporting local developers, big and small, will only result in more and better video games for me, which I like.
I'd like to see more bills like these popping up; bills supporting local developers, big and small, will only result in more and better video games for me, which I like.
Posted: May 5th 2011 2:48AM kevinski said
I couldn't care less about having an extra logo on a box. It's not as though there aren't already a dozen or so logos on any given box, let alone what's on the screens preceding most games' title screens.
That said, I really wish that more states would give game developers incentives like this. It'd encourage the industry to spread out more, and people such as myself who'd like to be closer to certain aspects of the industry wouldn't need to relocate to do so.
That said, I really wish that more states would give game developers incentives like this. It'd encourage the industry to spread out more, and people such as myself who'd like to be closer to certain aspects of the industry wouldn't need to relocate to do so.
Posted: May 5th 2011 4:27AM wilkat87 said
We need this here in Australia as the Australian dev's have sufferd due to the government's refusal to acknowledge how big the game industry is
Posted: May 5th 2011 3:05PM asojax said
It's always great when states do this for any business to bring more jobs in, the problem is most of these credits only last a few years then the company shuts down that department lays off people and opens up in another state that will give them a tax break.
It would be nice to see where games are developed at in the United states but I don't see this helping out as much as they claim it will especially when a new group of people is voted into office and decide to change tax laws.
It would be nice to see where games are developed at in the United states but I don't see this helping out as much as they claim it will especially when a new group of people is voted into office and decide to change tax laws.







