“Imminent” decision on Games Tax Relief is make or break for UK’s top three future

By February 26, 2014 Press Releases

Update emerges at launch of new games industry & educational programme, BUGS

TIGA, the trade association representing the UK video game industry has commented on news that the European Commission’s decision Games Tax Relief (GTR) is ‘imminent’, saying for the UK to ever regain its position in the top three of video game producing nations, GTR must be given the green light.

The news emerged this week at the launch of BUGS, a new programme supported by TIGA, designed to bring the UK’s academic institutions and games businesses closer together, with the theme of the evening being precisely how the UK could regain its place as a top three game maker.

BUGS is a live network connecting UK video game businesses directly with the best UK video game students, akin to LinkedIn for the best British game development students. The crucial difference being that, on the BUGS website, every graduate also has a portfolio of complete games, allowing you to see what they’ve actually made, and what their specific role on the development team was.

For students and their games to be featured on the BUGS platform, a team of evaluators, headed by Jon Hare, co-founder of Sensible Software and a leading UK games industry figure, must approve and sign off each game as being of a professional standard with regard to robustness and completeness.

All BUGS students learn what it’s like to make games in teams of programmers, artists and designers to the exacting standards of real-world business whilst they are studying.

TIGA, the only trade association to have consistently campaigned for Games Tax Relief, convinced the UK Government to introduce the measure in April 2012. However, the decision by the EU Commission in April 2013 to launch a formal investigation into the case for Games Tax Relief has delayed the introduction of the measure and the sector specific benefits it would have delivered for the UK video games industry.

  1. commented:

“Given the launch event for BUGS was focused on how the UK can once again become a top three games producing nation, it was apt to hear from the DCMS that the EU’s decision on Games Tax Relief (GTR) is expected soon, because tax relief is an absolute must-have if the UK is to achieve this.

“BUGS is an important project which has been conceived and built to make the UK games industry stronger and more competitive, by enhancing still further the quality of and then making them easier to find and assess.

“It’s a great example of how our industry is doing everything it can to enhance its performance at home and on the global stage.

“Yet there is no question that the approval of GTR is the one measure that would have the most transformative effect on our industry.

“TIGA’s research shows the introduction of Games Tax Relief should generate and safeguard over 4,660 direct and indirect jobs; £188 million in investment expenditure by studios; increase the games development sector’s contribution to UK GDP by £283 million over five years and enable the production of culturally British video games.

“TIGA urges the UK Government to keep up the momentum and persuade the EU Commission to authorise the introduction of Games Tax Relief at the earliest possible opportunity.”

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About TIGA  TIGA is the trade association representing the UK video game industry. We help developers and digital publishers build successful studios, network with the right people, save money and access professional business advice. We also have outsourcing companies, technology businesses and universities amongst our membership. Since 2010, TIGA has won 16 business awards.   TIGA focuses on three sets of activities: 

  • Political representation
  • Media representation
  • Business services  

This enhances the competitiveness of our members by providing benefits that make a material difference to their businesses, including a reduction in costs and improved commercial opportunities. It also means our members’ voices are heard in the corridors of power and positively represented in national, broadcast and UK video game trade media.

Get in touch: Tel: 0845 468 2330

Email: info@tiga.org 

Web: www.tiga.org 

Twitter: @TIGAMovement

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TIGAMovement 

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/tiga   

For Further information, you can also contact:  

Dr Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO on: 07875 939 643, or email: richard.wilson@tiga.org

Drew Field, TIGA Communications Director on: 07720 643 344, or email: drew.field@tiga.org 

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