Acti-Evil, or Evil Arts strike again!

[Nightshape]

http://kotaku.com/5572362/rumor-big-publis...ernment-scandal

 

LIVID!

 

I'm calling Activision or EA on this one for sure!

[Morgoth]

Governments need to save, so tax breaks seem a bit counterproductive right now. I think that decision came solely from some UK ministers, not teh evil usual suspect.

[Monte Carlo]

I see both sides of the argument, but the fact is that the games industry is freaking massive, can only get bigger and makes money for UK tax coffers greater than the initial tax-break.

 

Our overseas aid budget is ring-fenced, and all that gets spent on seems to be Mercedes for corrupt dictators. Go figure.

[Mamoulian War]

Update: As reader ahill313 points out, Tiga, an industry group for games developers, and Activision were recently lobbying for tax breaks in the UK.

[Nightshape]

Then it must be EA...

[Morgoth]

I'd say it's Ubisoft. After all, they're stealing all the European talent and bring them to Montreal.

[Mamoulian War]

Many people are saying that it could be some Japanese Megahouse... from what of I read in comments, the reasoning for that sounds pretty plausible as well...

 

My bet is on EA thought, but i might be blinded with hatred towards them

Edited June 25, 2010 by Mamoulian War

[Wrath of Dagon]

This rumour makes no sense, why would a publisher object to games being cheaper to make in the UK? Not that there should be tax breaks for anyone in any case.

[Thorton_AP]

Doesn't EA have studios in the UK?

 

I know they just started up a BioWare Ireland.

[Kaftan Barlast]

I'd say it's Ubisoft. After all, they're stealing all the European talent and bring them to Montreal.

 

 

Probably, all the rest have lots of bussiness in the UK.

[Volourn]

"I know they just started up a BioWare Ireland."

 

Huh?

 

Anyways, sounds like these 'tax breaks' would give European developers unfair advantages so I don't blame whatever publisher wouild try to stop it ebcause it be unfair for them if it did. Don't people bash the US when they try to give unfair advantages to various industries? Didn't the EU actually sue the over stuff like this? L0L

[Thorton_AP]

http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/98030-biow...in-ireland.html

[Pidesco]

Apparently, that's a contact center for Bioware's MMO, not a development house.

[Hurlshort]

Tax breaks are a pretty standard procedure when an area is trying to attract new growth industries.

[Thorton_AP]

Apparently, that's a contact center for Bioware's MMO, not a development house.

 

 

That is true, but I don't know the details of the tax breaks for the development house and whatnot.

 

Regardless, Criterion Games (Need for Speed) is based out of the United Kingdom as well. EA would have to be getting one hell of an advantage in another way, if saving money on game development through taxes was not something that appealed to them.

[SteveThaiBinh]

Governments need to save, so tax breaks seem a bit counterproductive right now. I think that decision came solely from some UK ministers, not teh evil usual suspect.

I agree. Britain is trying to avoid turning into Greece. Ideologically this government would be very happy to give tax breaks to a growing sector of industry, but the money's just not there right now.

[Nightshape]

Apparently, that's a contact center for Bioware's MMO, not a development house.

 

 

That is true, but I don't know the details of the tax breaks for the development house and whatnot.

 

Regardless, Criterion Games (Need for Speed) is based out of the United Kingdom as well. EA would have to be getting one hell of an advantage in another way, if saving money on game development through taxes was not something that appealed to them.

 

EA have Criterion (who I just spent the night in the pub with, respect to Mr Sullivan considering his big speech at E3), and bright light who do the harry potter stuff. Despite this EA have alot of money invested in Canada, so I can see how tax breaks elsewhere may be a threat.

 

Ubisoft, I don't see why they would be against what they have been asking for.

 

Some folk may say there is no money to give the industry a tax break. I don't buy that personally its merely that the giv doesn't see the benefits that tax breaks would bring, regardless... If the the rumour is true its out of line, atleast as far as I can see, the UK dev indistry could grow into a much larger thing, given the help. Canadian countries have had this help and I think it shows in the quality of software the world sees from that place.

[Thorton_AP]

How are tax breaks in the UK going to negatively affect their Canadian studios? Enough so to counteract the benefits tax breaks would definitely give them in the UK?

 

I know it's an easy target to just say "Oh this must be Activision or EA" but I'm skeptical that they would actively undermine the operating cost savings they would have without one heck of a valid reason.

[Nepenthe]

Looks like this is an intra-EU issue to me (distorting competition within the single market, which is in effect true). I have no idea why one of the big cross-atlantic publishers would react in this way, it makes no sense as they can and no just shut studios down or move them. Is there anyone of sufficiently large size left operating on the continent? What's the status with Infogrames/Atari?

[Mamoulian War]

http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/98030-biow...in-ireland.html

 

I do not want to dissapoint you, but Ireland is completely different country

 

[Thorton_AP]

North Ireland is most definitely part of the United Kingdom.

 

Admittedly Galway is not a part of it, but would have just made more sense to say that Galway is not a part of northern Ireland.

Edited June 27, 2010 by Tigranes
Anger management

[Mamoulian War]

sorry dude, but i am well know geography police in my surroundings I just had to do it

 

*hugs*

[Nemo0071]

*hugs*

Aaawwwwww... *group hugs*

 

 

Eh, maybe not.

 

[Walsingham]

I see both sides of the argument, but the fact is that the games industry is freaking massive, can only get bigger and makes money for UK tax coffers greater than the initial tax-break.

 

Our overseas aid budget is ring-fenced, and all that gets spent on seems to be Mercedes for corrupt dictators. Go figure.

 

Basically we're looking to save cash. But as Monte points out, I don't see quangos getting slashed, or life support for corrupt ****wits getting axed either.

 

EDIT: Besides, I don't think a raw unvarnished tax break is necessarily what UK game studios need to be successful.

Edited June 27, 2010 by Walsingham

[Nightshape]

I know pleanty of folks who are looking at Canada and going "I should probably go there, cheap, better pay etc..."

 

Yes, I've looked too.

 

This is directly related to how Canada is treating the industry. The UK is an extremely expensive place to develop a game in, this country hemorrhages talent like a hemophiliac does blood.

Edited June 27, 2010 by Nightshape