Wed, Jun 17, 2009 | 14:29 BST
UK games must pass “British” test for tax breaks
Yesterday’s Digital Britain report has proposed that UK games must pass a “culturally British” test to qualify for tax relief.
A similar system is currently employed in the UK film industry, where projects rack up “British” points depending on content.
There’s no detail yet as to how a game’s “Britishness” is going to be graded as yet.
We’re using quote marks, because “Britishness” is a concept about as nebulous as the Horse Head nebula on a particularly nebulous day.
Note to UK devs: just make games about being intrinsically miserable, saying “fuck” every other word and aspiring to work in the local Co-op. Tax credits a-go-go.
Thanks, EG.
14 comments
#1
Captain Fruitloop
17/06/09, 2:30 pm
Well, that’s that fucked from the word go.
Seriously, how many successful UK-produced games qualify as ‘culturally British’? Fable, yeah, maybe Tomb Raider. And then…errrm?
GTA, Burnout, the TT Lego games, any Bizarre Creations racer – forget it.
Maybe SCEE could resurrect The Getaway franchise.
Edit – oops. Tomb Raider isn’t actually developed in the UK anymore, is it?
#2
G1GAHURTZ
17/06/09, 2:36 pm
It’s just a proposal…
#3
Blerk
17/06/09, 2:36 pm
Henry Hatsworth!
“This is England” is brilliant, btw. You should all watch it if you haven’t already.
Edit: Film title corrected to make Pud look silly.
#4
No_PUDding
17/06/09, 2:39 pm
So is “This is England”. Obviously wherever Blerk lives, he gets the watered down version, so people aren’t offended.
#5
theevilaires
17/06/09, 2:41 pm
lol thats Blerk in that pic LMAO!!!!!!!!!
#6
G1GAHURTZ
17/06/09, 2:41 pm
I’ve seen it, and thought it was pretty messed up, tbh.
The ending is just stupid and only seems to be there for the shock value, not because it makes any particular sense.
#7
anasui
17/06/09, 2:42 pm
this is beyond pathetic, its not even laughable
Britishness? I have a hard time finding it in real life, if you dont count my old uncle. He’s a toff all around
#8
DrDamn
17/06/09, 2:43 pm
@Captain Fruitloop
.
I’d say one of the best parts of the GTA series – the humour – marks it absolutely as a British game. It doesn’t matter where it’s set. Bizarre racers have included significant tracks in London. Burnout would benefit from less DJ Atomica and more British-ness
I think it’s too early to get carried away with what this actually means yet.
#9
No_PUDding
17/06/09, 2:46 pm
G1GAHURTZ, I do know what you mean. But I think at the same time, it’s supposed to demonstrate what racism is. It’s not a logical thing, it’s something really subconscious.
#10
Syrok
17/06/09, 2:47 pm
And Codemasters can make a proper Rally game again. \o/
#11
deanimate
17/06/09, 2:53 pm
great film
#12
freedoms_stain
17/06/09, 5:23 pm
This is fucking stupid.
The games industry is international, devs should be free to make the games they want, not hobbled by requirements like this for tax breaks.
If they’re going to put a condition on it then let that condition be on creativity and quality – i.e. benefit games that are actually going to sell, because the appeal of games based on pork pies and rain are of limited international appeal. Fuck it they’re of no appeal to anyone anywhere, domestic, international, anywhere.
#13
deftangel
17/06/09, 5:52 pm
Something like Fable 2 would get caught by this criteria. Peter Molyneux is fond of saying that’s a game you could only make here.
I think the French do the same thing with their tax credits. Brit Points based system sounds bonkers though :/
#14
deftangel
17/06/09, 5:56 pm
On reflection it might not be *that* bad if the Games version of the test is a sensible version of this;-
http://www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk/culturaltestpoints