TIGA, the trade association representing the UK games industry, has launched its new publication Driving the Scottish Video Games Industry Forward: TIGA’s Manifesto for the Scottish Video Games Sector. The launch took place at Holyrood on March 16th ahead of the Scottish elections on May 5th 2011. The event was attended by a number of MSPs, including John Swinney MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, Jim Mather MSP, Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism, and industry representatives.
TIGA called on Scotland’s political parties to put pressure on Westminster to introduce Games Tax Relief and to enhance the R&D tax credits. TIGA also called for the provision of a Creative Content Fund to finance new content development, measures to enhance access to finance, improve skills and to market Scotland aggressively as a good place to do games business.
Dr. Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO, commented:
“It was excellent to see a number of MSPs showing their support for the video games industry in Scotland at our launch.
“Scotland has the potential to grasp the mantle as a world leader in video games development. The opportunity for jobs and growth in the industry will be significantly affected by the decisions made at Holyrood and the lobbying of Westminster. This manifesto sets out the right path to follow to grasp the mantle.
“TIGA would like to thank Joe Fitzpatrick MSP for his assistance in organising the event and his commitment to supporting the Scottish video games industry.””
Joe Fitzpatrick, MSP for Dundee West, commented:
“Scotland has a long and proud history in the video games industry. The TIGA Manifesto is an excellent report that focuses on how politicians can support the Scottish Industry. It is imperative that such a strategic, highly skilled and low carbon industry is supported to flourish in the coming years. We need to invest in our future and in jobs and act to stimulate development of the computer games sector in Scotland and the UK so that we do not lose out to overseas competitors.””
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Notes to editors:
TIGA’s Scottish Manifesto has 10 proposals:
1. Introduce TIGA’s Video Games Tax Relief.
2. Enhance the Small Firms R&D Tax Credit.
3. Consider the development of a Creative Content Fund to finance new content development, with funding made available on a pound for pound basis up to a maximum of £100,000.
4. Scottish Enterprise should adopt a target to invest at least £1 million in Scottish video games businesses over the three year period 2011 – 2014.
5. Examine the concept of introducing a Workforce Development Fund for SMEs, whereby every pound spent on training programmes could be match funded by Skills Development Scotland, up to a level of £1,000.
6. Strengthen links between developers and equity investors to improve access to risk finance.
7. Support start-ups with the provision of 24 month rent free business incubators and a business mentoring programme focussed on enabling developers to become self-publishers.
8. Implement the Digital Scotland proposals so that Scotland has comprehensive, internationally competitive connectivity, with a basic standard of 16 Mbps by 2015.
9. Market Scotland aggressively as an attractive place for inward investment and continue to support export oriented game developers to win business in global markets.
10. Increase investment in higher education as a share of GDP once economic conditions permit; strengthen links between tertiary education and game developers to enhance courses, promote knowledge transfer and foster industry placements; and build on Abertay University’s prototype programme.
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. TIGA was awarded ‘Trade Association of the Year’ and the ‘Member Recruitment Award’ at the Trade Association Forum Best Practice Awards 2010. TIGA has also been named as a finalist in the 2010 Chartered Management Institute (CMI) National Management and Leadership Awards in the category of ‘The Outstanding Organisation of the Year Award (SME)’. TIGA is an ‘Investors in People’ accredited organisation.
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 07875939643: or email richard.wilson@tiga.org; or contact David Hodges on 02070911653