Happy New Year?

An Agenda for the Wider Industry

Which leads me back to my original question: How do we get the best for all parts of the industry in the future?

Well, we firstly need to work together. UKIE came into existence, to represent the interests and needs of the whole interactive entertainment industry - whether they be developers, emerging start-ups, publishers, retailers or academic institutions – and we can play a lead role in championing the collective industry.

We are currently developing our long term plan around four key areas – business support, IP protection, skills and education and health and social responsibility - making sure that what we do delivers value to our members, whatever the size of their business or where they fit into the games industry.

One of the benefits of joining UKIE is that we operate a 'one-member/one-vote' policy – meaning that all members have an equal say in the activities that UKIE undertakes. So if you're not a member, make sure you join so that you can help shape the industry's future.

We have already started to deliver evidence of our broader remit, when, just before Christmas, UKIE set out its agenda for ensuring the UK's wider videogames and interactive entertainment industry continues to grow. In responding to the Government's Growth Review, UKIE took the opportunity to promote its skills agenda, and set out its proposals for ensuring greater access to finance (particularly for small and medium sized business); the protection of intellectual property; and support for technological convergence.

The practical measures we outlined in our Growth Review submission, particularly around access to finance, demonstrate UKIE's commitment to supporting the entire interactive entertainment industry – whatever the size of the businesses involved and whether they be developers, emerging start-ups or publishers.

This includes amending rules around Venture Capital Trusts and Enterprise Investment Schemes to allow project-based (as opposed to portfolio) investment; conducting a supply-side audit of banks to determine where blockages may exist in lending to interactive entertainment companies; providing support for prototyping to help products become more commercially viable and therefore more attractive to banks and investors; the introduction of a royalty box to support innovation and R&D; and the retention and modification of the R&D tax credit scheme.

UKIE also reaffirmed its support for the current IP framework and for the Digital Economy Act and urged the Government to take action to reduce infringement of IP rights, particularly in the online space. This includes measures to tackle unlawful file sharing and the sale of pirated goods and circumvention devices and services online.

Looking Ahead

We plan to build on this agenda and deliver even more in 2011 - making sure that we offer our members, new and existing, the services that they need. One service we will soon be offering is a series of member business seminars. These will be led by key industry figures, debating and advising on the big commercial issues and opportunities facing the industry today and in the future and will be open to all members – whatever the size of your business.

The industry has changed. We need to accept that change, put aside any historical differences and focus on common goals for the good of the wider industry. There should be no them and us, only a united video games and interactive entertainment industry that forces government and the world at large to sit up and take notice of the UK's leading creative industry. I hope that we can go some way to achieving this in 2011, we invite others to join us