TIGA,the trade association representing the UK games industry, said today that the
UK Coalition Government needed to be alert to the incipient and existing competition
from other countries towards the UK games industry. TIGA made the comments
following publication of a report by Forfas and a statement by the Irish Prime
Minister, Enda Kenny, that Ireland intended to grow the game industry in
Ireland. The Forfas report suggests that if the right policy measures are
adopted then the Irish games industry could increase from around 2,000
employees today to 4,500 by 2015.
The Forfas report, The Games Sector in Ireland: An Action Plan
for Growth
(http://www.forfas.ie/newsevents/news/title,8427,en.php) identifies six key
opportunities for Ireland:
Developing an international cluster – stimulating
connectedness between related sectors, nationally and internationally.
Enhancing skills and experience – addressing short term
needs and building a continuous feed-stock of creative, technological and
commercial capabilities.
Accelerating growth in creative content development –
attracting and developing the talent pool – creating the dynamic
environment.
Building international visibility – raising Ireland's
visibility as a vibrant location for the games sector.Driving R&D and innovation – incentivising
innovation within Irish based firms, anticipating future needs.
Delivering next generation broadband – underpinning
future growth with the provision of widely available, competitively priced
advanced broadband services to homes and businesses
Significantly, the report suggests the need
for Ireland to determine the scope, rationale and benefit of introducing a new
financial instrument/relief to incentivise creative content development.
Dr
Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO, said:
“Although Ireland has
been through a wrenching economic downturn, it already has a very credible business
proposition in place: a corporation tax rate of 12.5 per cent, an R&D Tax
Credit and a well-educated and flexible workforce.
“Ireland has quite
sensibly recognised that an opportunity exists to grow their video games
industry. Unfortunately, while governments in Ireland and elsewhere around the
world are taking steps to support their games development sectors, the UK
Coalition Government lacks a clear strategy to help grow our own sector.
“The Government
should support the growth of the UK games industry through the introduction of a well-targeted tax break for games production; expanding
the scope of the R&D Tax Credits to include the costs of premises, IP
protection and design; and by establishing a Creative Content Fund to co-finance approved game production projects.”
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. In 2011, TIGA won a further four awards at
the Trade Association Forum Best Practice Awards, including ‘Trade Association
of the Year’ for the second consecutive year.
TIGA has been voted a finalist in the CMI Management and Leadership
Awards 2011 in the ‘Outstanding Organisation (SME)’ category. Dr Richard
Wilson, TIGA CEO, has been voted a finalist in the ‘Outstanding Leader’
category. TIGA was also 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 is the trade association representing the UK’s
games industry. Our vision is to make
the UK the best place in the world to do games business. Our mission is to
fight for the interests of game developers. To achieve our vision and mission
we focus on the delivery of three strategic objectives: effective political
representation, profile raising and helping our members commercially. 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.