Publisher Sabotaged UK Tax Breaks?

Serious business.

Published: 22:08, 24/06/2010 by Tuffcub.

Related stories:
Government Announces UK Tax Breaks For Games Industry

13
UK Gaming Tax Break Scrapped

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Games Industry Gets Tax Breaks

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Oklahoma!

After InfinityGate comes the less snappy SabotagedTaxBreaksGate. Develop are running a story where they claim a ‘global publisher’ actively campaigned against the government giving the UK games industry tax breaks, something they talked about before the general election. The Develop story states:

One of the biggest game companies in the world exerted pressure on the UK government and British trade associations to abandon plans for UK tax breaks.

A few days ago the plans for tax breaks were scrapped as part of the budget, with the Chancellor explaining they were ‘unfairly targetted’. Develop state:

It appears as though one publisher at least is celebrating the success of its own lobbying. This company had apparently viewed game tax relief as a measure that would have given the UK an unfair advantage over other nations.

If these claims are true then there is a serious issue address, a publisher with little or no UK presence is allegedly directly influencing how our government is run. This is not just a little tit for tat scandal within the games industry, Develop are claiming a publisher is putting UK games developers at a disadvantage and influencing government policy.

Please refrain from directly accusing anyone within the comments section.

Source: Develop

Comments section has been disabled for this post.

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hannes_truce [Member]
24/06/2010 at 22:11

Level 5
Member since: Sep 2008

I recon it was Sierra.
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- PoorPaddy89 [Member]
  24/06/2010 at 22:46
  
  Level 4
  Member since: Aug 2009
  
  “OOOOOH! Sierra!”
  
  :D
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- bajere [Member]
  25/06/2010 at 09:17
  
  Level 5
  Member since: Aug 2008
  
  It involves money…bound to be * ;)
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jimmy-google [Member]
24/06/2010 at 22:12

Level 5
Member since: Feb 2009

I can only think of 2 as well, but 1 of those has improved in recent years.
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- theDAZBOMEGATRON [Member]
  24/06/2010 at 22:30
  
  Level 3
  Member since: Jan 2010
  
  Are you on about EA Wives?
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Charmed_Fanatic [Member]
24/06/2010 at 22:17

Level 6
Member since: Aug 2009

* comment removed *
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- JoshHood [Small briefcase w*nker]
  24/06/2010 at 23:05
  
  Level 4
  Member since: Forever
  
  Doesn’t really make sense to be EA, given that they have a bunch of studios here.
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  - Charmed_Fanatic [Member]
    25/06/2010 at 00:27
    
    Level 6
    Member since: Aug 2009
    
    lol i did have a ;-)
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STILLCANTTHINKOFAGOODPSNNAME [Member]
24/06/2010 at 22:19

Level 4
Member since: Mar 2010

* comment removed *
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teflon [Community Team]
24/06/2010 at 22:19

Level 6
Member since: May 2009

Wait, what? UK tax breaks would give our developers an unfair advantage? How about a lack of tax breaks is putting us at a disadvantage BECAUSE OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE THEM!!!

This makes me particularly angry. (If you hadn’t noticed)
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cc_star [Team TSA: Writer]
24/06/2010 at 22:21

Level 8
Member since: Forever

2 of the biggest companies have a massive interest in Canada
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- AG2297 [Community Manager]
  24/06/2010 at 22:27
  
  Level 6
  Member since: Feb 2009
  
  I can only think of the obvious one (U) :(. But saying that some of the biggest have massive interest in other countrys like Japan and of course USA. Could be any of them.
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  - cc_star [Team TSA: Writer]
    24/06/2010 at 22:30
    
    Level 8
    Member since: Forever
    
    There is another big one.
    Actually completely unrelated (?) to this, EA’s Bioware & and EA Montreal (producers of FIFA & other franchises) are based in Canada.
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  - AG2297 [Community Manager]
    24/06/2010 at 22:43
    
    Level 6
    Member since: Feb 2009
    
    Im surprised how the UK still has such a large amount of studios considering things. I guess we must have a lot of talent (R*) and innovation (MM).
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theDAZBOMEGATRON [Member]
24/06/2010 at 22:21

Level 3
Member since: Jan 2010

Shit like this happens all the time in the USA, thats why people want to get into Congress, it’s a real earner.
What about DEB, Lord shit for brains Mandelson pushed that one through, and he’s not even an MP, EMP, and probably not even a human.
Money talks, makes the rules, and subjugates everyone else.
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- cc_star [Team TSA: Writer]
  24/06/2010 at 22:35
  
  Level 8
  Member since: Forever
  
  Yes, this!
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Tzares [Member]
24/06/2010 at 22:21

Level 4
Member since: May 2009

* comment removed *
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AG2297 [Community Manager]
24/06/2010 at 22:23

Level 6
Member since: Feb 2009

One of the biggest gae companies in the world… could that mean it might be a console maker as well as a publisher. Sony has roughly 6 studios in the UK so wouldent be them. This type of story makes me angry! Putting many jobs at risk and future jobs because they dont want the UK to have an even chance (nevermind an advantage, at the moment its a disadvantage).
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- cc_star [Team TSA: Writer]
  24/06/2010 at 22:37
  
  Level 8
  Member since: Forever
  
  Rare & Lionhead would dictate it isn’t MS either, in fact without saying who it is, we could probably say who it isn’t
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  - AG2297 [Community Manager]
    24/06/2010 at 22:41
    
    Level 6
    Member since: Feb 2009
    
    Yep not likely to be MS. They have also opened up some Kinect Studio near me from what ive read so seem to be investing in the UK if anything. Cant think of anything except Japan for the big N. Hard to think of them saying such a thing though as they potray themsleves as such a friendly company.
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Pete_UK [Member]
24/06/2010 at 22:39

Level 4
Member since: Mar 2010

* comment removed *
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- cc_star [Team TSA: Writer]
  24/06/2010 at 23:35
  
  Level 8
  Member since: Forever
  
  MS have a bunch of studios here like Lionhead and AFIK Rare, the also have a PC development studio near Cambridge I believe and I’m sure their beancoumters would be able to make some crossover to gaming to get s slice of the pie, so if this is true it’s doubtful to be them
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