Gordon Brown Praises UK Games Industry

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown believes that the UK games industry is “leading the way” in Europe.

He made the comment in a podcast (mp3) aired ahead of the Global Investment Conference, which is occurring in London this week.

“We’re leading the way in creative industries,” said Brown. “[We’re] by far the biggest producer of computer games in Europe.

“And we’re leading the way in digital communications: In a country with only one per cent of the world’s population, more than a third of all internet traffic is routed through UK servers.

“So this coming week is another chance to showcase the UK. This is not just a talking shop though. There will be new commitments of investment off the back of this conference.”

In December 2009 Chancellor Alistair Darling’s pre-budget report failed to include measures aimed at providing tax relief for the UK games sector, a decision labeled by domestic developer Blitz Games Studios as “short sighted”, and by industry trade body TIGA as “a serious mistake and a failure of imagination”.

TIGA CEO Richard Wilson welcomed Brown’s latest comments, saying: “We… urge him to act quickly to introduce a Games Tax Relief as outlined by TIGA2, for the UK games development industry in the coming budget.

“TIGA has made repeated representations to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and to HM Treasury, setting out the case for Games Tax Relief. We hope that the support of the Prime Minister will ensure a commitment by the Government to the introduction of Games Tax Relief and so guarantee that the UK video games industry remains world leading.”