Vaizey: No Video Games Tax Breaks Consideration for Four Years
TIGA should "look at other creative options."
Ed Vaizey, the Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries that once promised tax breaks for the games industry before dropping all support, has indicated that any further lobbying from trade bodies will be a waste of time.
He spoke during a meeting of select Department of Culture, Media and Sport committee members, where it was revealed that, if the industry focused its lobbying efforts on tax relief, it "could mean a hiatus for three or four years [or more] before it realistically comes back onto the table."
This is of course, the man who argued at Develop earlier this year that the industry has made no such argument for the UK to offer tax breaks to the industry. Which is strange, because our memories seem to be quite different on that matter.
Vaizey said that he would "encourage TIGA in particular to look at other creative options." He added that "there are other ways we can support [the games industry]," indicating regional growth funds and "direct support" from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Which sounds like passing the buck, to us.
Curious to know that it won't be for another four years until Vaizey considers tax relief for the games industry - especially considering that would co-incide nicely with any campaigning for the next UK general election...
Source: Gamespot
He spoke during a meeting of select Department of Culture, Media and Sport committee members, where it was revealed that, if the industry focused its lobbying efforts on tax relief, it "could mean a hiatus for three or four years [or more] before it realistically comes back onto the table."
This is of course, the man who argued at Develop earlier this year that the industry has made no such argument for the UK to offer tax breaks to the industry. Which is strange, because our memories seem to be quite different on that matter.
Vaizey said that he would "encourage TIGA in particular to look at other creative options." He added that "there are other ways we can support [the games industry]," indicating regional growth funds and "direct support" from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Which sounds like passing the buck, to us.
Curious to know that it won't be for another four years until Vaizey considers tax relief for the games industry - especially considering that would co-incide nicely with any campaigning for the next UK general election...
Source: Gamespot
Companies:
TIGA
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Comments
Joji 3 Dec 2010 17:05
1/1
Now you all understand why we hate politicians.
Looks like we could be seeing some of our remaining U.K developers moving to Ireland, if not further away. The fools in charge have passed the buck badly. Problem is for them to understand why games need a tax break, those in the games industry do a bad job of explaining it to politicians.
Politicians want to treat games like films, where they might give a tax break for using U.K locations etc. Unfortunately, because games offer countless ideas and concepts, many of which aren't real world, the same can't be applied. On top of that, the likes of Vaizey want to go further and impose their moral agenda on developers creations.
So, if the next big U.K game was The Getaway 2, they'd hate and not support it with tax breaks, for want of ruffling moral/video game violence feathers in the U.K.
Perhaps the U.K games industry should forget them, as they clearly are biased towards it. And if the last embers of U.K industry move to Canada or Ireland, the blame rests with stupid politicians. When we have no industry left, they'll have a hand it it.
Looks like we could be seeing some of our remaining U.K developers moving to Ireland, if not further away. The fools in charge have passed the buck badly. Problem is for them to understand why games need a tax break, those in the games industry do a bad job of explaining it to politicians.
Politicians want to treat games like films, where they might give a tax break for using U.K locations etc. Unfortunately, because games offer countless ideas and concepts, many of which aren't real world, the same can't be applied. On top of that, the likes of Vaizey want to go further and impose their moral agenda on developers creations.
So, if the next big U.K game was The Getaway 2, they'd hate and not support it with tax breaks, for want of ruffling moral/video game violence feathers in the U.K.
Perhaps the U.K games industry should forget them, as they clearly are biased towards it. And if the last embers of U.K industry move to Canada or Ireland, the blame rests with stupid politicians. When we have no industry left, they'll have a hand it it.