TIGA, the trade association representing the UK video games industry, today published information showing that between July 2008 and September 2010, there was a 9 per cent fall in the number of people employed in the UK games development sector. Meanwhile, the global industry’s software sales grew by 16 per cent between 2008 and 2010. TIGA called on David Cameron, the Prime Minister, to back the UK video games industry and other high technology businesses by introducing Games Tax Relief and by enhancing the R&D tax credits for SMEs.
Dr Richard Wilson, CEO of TIGA, said:
“At a time when the global video game industry is growing, the UK development workforce is declining. A key reason for this decline is that video game developers in the UK are at a competitive disadvantage. Many of our key competitors provide tax breaks for video games production. No such tax breaks for games production exist in the UK. Investment and jobs are drifting away to other countries.
“David Cameron, the Prime Minister will today set out a vision of London’s East End becoming a hi-tech rival to Silicon Valley in the USA. This is potentially interesting, but the PM is missing a trick. The UK video games industry is a high technology, high skilled, export oriented and environmentally friendly sector that can be world beating with the right Government support. TIGA’s proposed Games Tax Relief would create a more level playing field and boost investment, job creation, innovation and power growth in the video games sector. TIGA urges the Coalition Government to look again at Games Tax Relief and improve R&D tax credits to help high technology firms including development businesses.””
TIGA will be publishing a full census on the UK Development sector later this month. Contact eva@tiga.org for more details.Ends