Labour and The Coalition Government clashed over tax relief for British video games studios on live TV earlier today.
Speaking on the BBC Politics Show, Labour Shadow Minister for International Development Gareth Thomas claimed that the Tories and Liberal Democrats were putting jobs at risk unnecessarily by scrapping the scheme. Liberal Democrat MP Tom Brake cited APB creator RealTime Worlds as an example of the insecure nature of the industry. He suggested that Labour hadn't truly "costed" for games tax relief when in office.
Brake said: "It was going to cost £192 million. The Government [has to be] well placed to pick winners... In the game industry, we've just seen RealTime Worlds in Scotland - responsible for Grand Theft Auto - has gone put of business... We need to make sure the infrastructure is strong [before investing in a sector]."
Brake's advisers could do with a little assistance, it seems: RTW founder Dave Jones was involved in the creation of the original, top-down GTA whilst at DMA Design, but has long since been disconnected from the Rockstar series.
Labour MP Thomas said that there had been a "whole series of British jobs created by the games industry in the UK", but that due to the lack of a tax credit, there was now a "question mark that jobs created can now be maintained".
Brake countered that the tax relief was a "another spending commitment made by Labour that was uncosted" and said that the Opposition's claim to be able to put the tax relief in place but still cut 20 per cent of state spending "doesn't add up, I'm afraid."
Labour pledged that video games studios would be given a subsidy in line with the UK film industry as part of its March Budget - a decision backed by leading Tories.
However, Coalition Chancellor George Osborne ruled out the move as part of his first spending review in June.
Prime Minister David Cameron this week admitted in Parliament that it had been a "difficult decision", but ruled out a U-turn.
Today's Politics Show London was broadcast live from the MCM Expo in London.
At one point, a giant Darth Vader stomped around behind both MPs. They pretended not to notice.
function print_article(id) { window.open('/print.php?id=' + id, 'print', 'width=500,height=600,scrollbars=yes,toolbar=no,resizable=no'); } function email_article(id) { window.open('/email.php?id=' + id, 'email', 'width=484,height=420,toolbar=no,resizable=no'); } Honestly, why did so many people vote for the Torries ? its just going to end up a repeat of the last time they were in power
Realtime Worlds never had anything to do with Grand Theft Auto ...This is what happens when a group of millionaires try to run a country. It's such a shame when some of the greatest games in history have come from these isles. I doubt you would see another Perfect dark or goldeneye under this current government. How many billions did the Iraq war cost? How many AAA Videogames could have been funded with that money?citing RTW tbh was bad as they were going down no matter what it seemedNext to the japs us brits used to be the best in games developing but slowly due to high cost we are being driven out of the game. I got a good idea why don't we put a stupid amount of tax on games and destroy that industry just like the rest of british industry NOT!!!!. Stupid politicians letting the rest of the world overtake us in every way possible why they spend all the taxes on 3rd homes and whores.Goldeneye developed under a Tory government; billions wasted on Iraq War under Labour government; 13 years of power with no tax breaks for gaming... just saying. They're all as bad as each other. I don't see why gaming should be a special case anyway. Loads of industries need help and corporation tax has come down for every company now. With a handful of exceptions, these aren't some little companies making these games, they're more than likely massive multi nationals worth billions. Let's give them some money back!!
How many billions did the Iraq war cost? How many AAA Videogames could have been funded with that money?Estimates vary with most of the ones I have read around the 4 to 5 billion mark though for all I know it could be more or less...
Anyway, Labour had 13 years to introduce this. All politicians, no matter what party, are as bad as one another.
Also, I love how your priorities are AAA games over schools, hospitals and jobs. 
Hate to break it to you, but the world needs banks a hell of a lot more than it needs games... Besides which, who lends money to developers to finance making games?APB dev failed because of them releasing 2 "meh" games.@Killieman Helping the game industry WOULD help jobs.
I'm currently at Uni doing a games art & design course so I've been following this story closely. The main issue and why it keeps getting brought up so much is people like me who only have learnt how design games will be forced to either move to a different country where they have thriving games companies or we have to go back to Uni (which will cost us and the government more money) to learn a skill that would actually get us a job in this crap country.
This tax cut was really needed but now we are getting screwed over big time.
wow so the tories just pulled out an extra 500 million pounds to give to the EU budget which is not even democratic ,but can`t find the funding for the games industry and something that will help keep jobs n make new ones.This government is bk to front and now privatising are nukes and selling them to the americans and selling the royal mail to TNT or german post hahaha WTF did we actually win are freedom in past wars or what cause we selling the crown jewels right now.600 billion pounds pumped into the banks after they f**ked up. We could have AAA game every week.
Hate to break it to you, but the world needs banks a hell of a lot more than it needs games... Besides which, who lends money to developers to finance making games?
Ok, here's the thing. If dev studio will f**k things up by releasing meh games, it goes to administration. Game over.
When banks f**ked up, government pumped them with money, but not bankrupting devs studios or other companies.If nearly every single person, pension fund etc in the UK had shares in Realtime and they employed tens of thousands of people, I expect they would have bailed them out.
Not that is makes it morally right, but I don't think banks have been bailed out worldwide as part of some capitalist agenda. Although maybe the banks got into that state as part of some capitalist agenda - knowing the government would bail them out!?!
This is the legacy of Labour's time in power. Lie's impossible promises and damaged economy and a huge debt that now needs drastic action to recover it. If anyone here really believed Labour were ever going to go through with their promise for a tax cut on the games industry then they were and are gullible.Ok, here's the thing. If dev studio will f**k things up by releasing meh games, it goes to administration. Game over.
When banks f**ked up, government pumped them with money, but not bankrupting devs studios or other companies.
But banking is integral to the functioning of the economy. And our games industry, while successful, is chicken-feed in comparison. To put it in perspective - since the start of the banking crisis / credit crunch / whatever you want to call it; HBOS on its own has laid off more than twice the total number of people employed by UK games developers...Honestly, why did so many people vote for the Torries ? its just going to end up a repeat of the last time they were in power
They didn't! The conservative party did not gain enough public support to win the election. Thats why we are all suffering adhoc reactionary policies that were not put to the public BEFORE the election. We should be grateful Cleggy hasn't let black wednesday Dave have it all his own way... yet.
roflmaoi blame anyone that voted torie or libdem. FOOLS
Like it'd be any different with one of the other parties in power, really, just accept it and shake your fists in private.hi this is all down to the labour lefty party what caused all this headlinesLabour MP Thomas said that there had been a "whole series of British jobs created by the games industry in the UK", but that due to the lack of a tax credit, there was now a "question mark that jobs created can now be maintained".My job is not subsidised by the goverment and I get no tax credits so I'm sorry, my heart bleeds. But maybe the Uni educated spongers can get off their high horse and actually make their own way in the world instead of expecting government hand-outs. Its a cruel world, get over yourselves.News | Reviews | Previews | Features | Interviews | Cheats | Hardware | Forums | Competitions | Blogs Top Games: PES 2011 | BioShock: Infinite | Deus Ex: Human Revolution | Assassin's Creed Brotherhood | Call Of Duty: Black Ops | FIFA 11
Zelda: Skyward Sword | Portal 2 | Dead Space 2 | Killzone 3 | Halo Reach Top Reviews: SAW II: Flesh & Blood: The goriest game of all time? | Football Manager 2011 | Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 | Review: Call of Duty Black Ops - Official Peripherals | Fable 3 | Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare
Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 | Professor Layton and the Lost Future | Rock Band 3 | Arcania Gothic 4 | DJ Hero 2
Copyright 2006 - 2009 Future Publishing Limited,Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath, UK BA1 2BW
England and Wales company registration number 2008885
No comments:
Post a Comment