TIGA, the networkrepresenting developers and digital publishers, today applauded Neon Play’s
achievement in winning a prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise
and said that its development of games such as ‘Traffic Panic London’ showed
that there is a market for culturally British video games. Games Tax Relief should
enable more UK studios to develop culturally British video games.However,
the European Commission is currently undertaking a formal investigation into
the case for Games Tax Relief.
Neon
Play, a TIGA member, won a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the “Innovation”
category. The Queen's Awards for Enterprise recognises outstanding achievements
by UK businesses in the categories of Innovation, International Trade and
Sustainable Development.
Dr Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO, said:
“On behalf of the entire TIGA
network I would like to congratulate Oli Christie and the team at Neon Play on
their superb achievement in winning a Queen’s Award for Enterprise. It is a magnificent and well deserved success.
It also demonstrates TIGA’s argument that the video games industry has the
potential to contribute to an export led recovery.
“The experience of Neon Play,
which has developed games such as ‘Traffic Panic London’, also shows that there
is a market for culturally British video games. Unfortunately, there is an
under-production in the supply of culturally British video games. Many games are made
overseas because of the tax credits that are available and so many culturally
British elements are lost or replaced by those of the nation making the games.
Of the games that are still being made in the UK, many are increasingly being
made with an Americanised theme.
“Games Tax Relief
solves these problems. Games Tax Relief should assist more studios to
self-publish and so keep a British flavour to their games. Additionally, Games Tax
Relief will lower the cost of games development in the UK and accordingly
should encourage global publishers to develop games with British
characteristics.”
Oli Christie, CEO of Neon Play and TIGA board member,
said:
“We are incredibly proud to have won this Queen's Award
for Innovation. And it goes to show the importance of creative game studios to
the UK economy. I really, really hope the EU Commission realises this and how
vital culturally British games are to the UK games industry. Games Tax Relief
is hugely important to stimulate our industry and the production of more
culturally British video games.”
About TIGA:
TIGA is the trade association representing the UK’s
games industry. The majority of our members are either independent games
developers or in-house publisher owned developers. We also have games
publishers, outsourcing companies, technology businesses and universities
amongst our membership. Since 2010, TIGA has won 14 business
awards and has been nominated a finalist for 16 other awards.
TIGA's vision is to make the UK the best place
in the world to do games business. We focus on three sets of activities:
political representation, generating media coverage and developing services
that enhance the competitiveness of our members. This means that TIGA
members are effectively represented in the corridors of power, their voice is
heard in the media and they receive benefits that make a material difference to
their businesses, including a reduction in costs and improved commercial
opportunities.
For further information, please contact Dr Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO on:
07875 939 643, or email: richard.wilson@tiga.org.