Scottish games industry

Monday 13th September 2010 – On the day that the House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee visits UKIE’s latest member, the University of Abertay in Dundee, The association for UK Interactive Entertainment (UKIE) outlines its response to the Committee’s inquiry.

The House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee is investigating the economic impact on Scotland of not offering tax breaks to the video games industry and other ways of financially supporting the industry.

UKIE’s response to this inquiry reiterates its support for video games tax relief and sets out the impact that not adopting this relief will have on the industry in Scotland and the wider economy, particularly on the creation of original intellectual property, where the UK has traditionally been strong, and on inward investment.

UKIE also welcomes the Committee's focus on alternative financial incentives for the industry. In particular UKIE would welcome more practical guidance and support on how to monetise intellectual property and an assessment of how the video games industry can make full use of research and design tax credits.

UKIE is also looking at other ways of helping the sector and enabling its members to work closely together to identify new business models that support industry growth. UKIE member, Abertay University’s administration of a new £5 million prototyping project fund is an excellent example of this.

The prototype project fund makes money available for games creators and is expected to create up to 30 new companies and 400 new jobs in the interactive entertainment industry within the next four years. Senior industry figures from UKIE’s membership will sit on the prototyping project’s approval panel for grants and UKIE shall be promoting the funding to its wider membership and the industry.

UKIE continues to work with fellow industry trade body, TIGA, to examine the value of tax breaks and other means of financially supporting the video games and interactive entertainment industry.

UKIE Director General, Michael Rawlinson said, “UKIE fully backs the Scottish Affairs Committee’s inquiry and we are keen to work as closely with the Committee as possible. Our response reiterates our support for the introduction of tax breaks for the video games and interactive entertainment industry. We also look forward to continuing to work with a TIGA led group to further examine the value of tax breaks and other means of financially supporting the video games and interactive entertainment industry.”

Please contact the UKIE press office if you would like any further information on our response to the House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee inquiry.

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Contacts:

For all press enquiries, please contact the UKIE press office on T: +44 (0)20 7300 6143 or E: press@ukie.info

About UKIE

The Association for United Kingdom Interactive Entertainment or UKIE is a trade body that represents the whole of the UK’s video games and wider interactive entertainment industry. Founded in 1989 (and formerly known as ELSPA), UKIE’s membership includes games publishers, developers and the academic institutions that support the industry.

UKIE works with government to champion a range of issues including age ratings, education and skills, tax incentives and protecting intellectual property rights. It also works with the media to ensure true and accurate representation of the sector by raising awareness of the industry’s positive economic contribution and the societal benefits of gaming to policy makers, regulators and consumers.

One of UKIE’s key roles is to support its members by providing them with key market information, promoting careers and offering the business support services, training and best-practice knowledge to enable them to operate most effectively.

In addition, UKIE works with GfK Chart-Track to compile weekly, monthly and annual retail charts and sales reports for the UK market.