Tax breaks for 'culturally British' games

[wamdue]

not a gamer myself, so im looking for opinon on this, but to me it sounds

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/a160546/tax-breaks-for-culturally-british-games.html

Games developed in the UK must be "culturally British" to qualify for tax relief.

Announced as part of the Digital Britain report, the government will provide tax breaks for "culturally British video games" much like the film industry, according to Eurogamer.


The review quotes the system in place for British movies, where those that "speak to a British narrative, rather than the cultural perspectives of Hollywood or multinational collaborations" will be given cultural tax credits.
A similar system will be installed shortly to determine what is British and in what ways titles qualify as part of the scheme.

im guessing this means it has to be more than just the location, so simply setting your shoot pimps & steal cars games in London wont qualify?

 

[Mike Farley]

not a gamer myself, so im looking for opinon on this, but to me it sounds

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/a160546/tax-breaks-for-culturally-british-games.html

Games developed in the UK must be "culturally British" to qualify for tax relief.

Announced as part of the Digital Britain report, the government will provide tax breaks for "culturally British video games" much like the film industry, according to Eurogamer.


The review quotes the system in place for British movies, where those that "speak to a British narrative, rather than the cultural perspectives of Hollywood or multinational collaborations" will be given cultural tax credits.
A similar system will be installed shortly to determine what is British and in what ways titles qualify as part of the scheme.

im guessing this means it has to be more than just the location, so simply setting your shoot pimps & steal cars games in London wont qualify?

What if you regain health by stopping for tea? And your character says "Jolly good" every time he guns down a pimp?

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Tax breaks for video games?

Holy fucking fuck.

 

[wamdue]

where did you second post go? quickly to sum it up

1) there is some great homour to be had here, where is Mock the Week when you really need it

2) Grand Thef Auto: London wont get the tax cut, but something like a WW2 Flight Sim might.

 

[Lonemagpie]

*This* is why there should be a decent Dr Who game...

 

[SlaveOfSeven]

I was going to make a joke about a shooter with Elgar as the PC and the Pomp and Cirumstance Marches as the sound track, but then I remembered that some dumb action game is being made out of the Divine Comedy and it didn't seem so funny anymore.

 

[Goliath]

I was going to make a joke about a shooter with Elgar as the PC and the Pomp and Cirumstance Marches as the sound track, but then I remembered that some dumb action game is being made out of the Divine Comedy and it didn't seem so funny anymore.

Hey! I'm looking forward to that dumb action game.

 

[SlaveOfSeven]

Hey! I'm looking forward to that dumb action game.

heh To be honest, I haven't even read it, and even if I had I'd probably enjoy the dumb action game a whole lot more anyway.

 

[Starkers]

So we should expect a load of period drama first person shooters coming soon?

 

[TheArsenal]

I wonder if a game like Football Manager would count?

 

[Lonemagpie]

So we should expect a load of period drama first person shooters coming soon?

I've been saying for bloody years that a Sharpe FPS or free-roaming adventure would be brilliant...

 

[Thor Damar]

I was going to make a joke about a shooter with Elgar as the PC and the Pomp and Cirumstance Marches as the sound track, but then I remembered that some dumb action game is being made out of the Divine Comedy and it didn't seem so funny anymore.

Hey! I'm looking forward to that dumb action game.

I'm sure that it'll be a Hell of a good game.

Also Culturally British video games? We don't have a culture just a bunch of drunk poets and playwrights.

 

[Captain Shaw]

So how long before the first Binge drinking game comes out.
We could have a life on mars game and all pretend to be Gene Hunt that could be fun.

 

[Starkers]

So we should expect a load of period drama first person shooters coming soon?

I've been saying for bloody years that a Sharpe FPS or free-roaming adventure would be brilliant...

The only trouble with a Sharpe FPS is that you're limited with weapons, single shot muskets probably wouldn't appeal to the call of duty generation..

 

[Goliath]

I was going to make a joke about a shooter with Elgar as the PC and the Pomp and Cirumstance Marches as the sound track, but then I remembered that some dumb action game is being made out of the Divine Comedy and it didn't seem so funny anymore.

Hey! I'm looking forward to that dumb action game.

I'm sure that it'll be a Hell of a good game.

Also Culturally British video games? We don't have a culture just a bunch of drunk poets and playwrights.

Sounds like the basis for at least a few games to me.

SHAKESPEARE STAR--recite famous soliloquies to score points.

TOPSY TURVY--a platformer based on the operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan.

OPERA MANAGER--you are G F Handel, trying to keep your opera company afloat in 18th-century London, despite soaring costs, ferocious competition, and temperamental star singers. Recycle previous works to save money, and curry favour with the Whig oligarchy by writing bombastic patriotic oratorios and coronation anthems. Up to four players can play the rhythm minigame based on Handel's operas: one conducts the orchestra; one provides the harpsichord continuo; and the remainder control the singers.

Etc.

Come to think of it, I rather like that last one.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

The only trouble with a Sharpe FPS is that you're limited with weapons, single shot muskets probably wouldn't appeal to the call of duty generation..

Oh, probably not. A Revolutionary War FPS with a realistic rate of fire would be interesting as all get out, but not particularly commercial.

I know! Hooligans is ready for an update for modern consoles. (That was the game that one of the game magazines at the time called "morally reprehensible." No, it was just ahead of its time.)

And I've love to see LEGO Doctor Who. Traveler's Tales, make it happen!

 

[Lonemagpie]

So we should expect a load of period drama first person shooters coming soon?

I've been saying for bloody years that a Sharpe FPS or free-roaming adventure would be brilliant...

The only trouble with a Sharpe FPS is that you're limited with weapons, single shot muskets probably wouldn't appeal to the call of duty generation..

Muskets, swords... fuck the CoD generation, it'd work for the Oblivion and Fable 2 generation!

 

[wamdue]

*This* is why there should be a decent Dr Who game...

cant disagree with that, hell if its for PC I might even get it myself

I wonder if a game like Football Manager would count?

only if the players are English, so it would have to be a game based on one of the lower levels

We could have a life on mars game and all pretend to be Gene Hunt that could be fun.

cant disagree with that either

 

[FordSVT]

Tax breaks for video games?

Holy fucking fuck.

Governments give many industries tax incentives to do a variety of things. In the UK and Canada, it is common for government to give tax incentives to inspire local content. Strangely enough, I don't seem to find this as HYSTERICAL as you seem to.

 

[firehawk12]

Tax breaks for video games?

Holy fucking fuck.

Governments give many industries tax incentives to do a variety of things. In the UK and Canada, it is common for government to give tax incentives to inspire local content. Strangely enough, I don't seem to find this as HYSTERICAL as you seem to.

Not to mention the US Military loaning a submarine to Stargate SG-1. Not for nothing, but if you're going to talk about a waste of taxpayer money...

Anyway, I think this is the only compromise that they could think of. UK game companies have complained that Canada is essentially stealing all their business (Canada passed UK in one of those top developer nations ranking things a while ago), but the UK government just didn't see the value in giving tax incentives to game companies.

Thing is, it's an odd line. I would consider Fable 2 to be British... but what about Grand Theft Auto 4? I consider it British satire, but I imagine most people don't see it that way.

I'd also be curious to see that apply to Canada as well. Like Television (SG1 again!) and Film, pretty much all Games made in Canada have actually nothing to do with Canada... except maybe the NHL franchise.

But there ya go.