Tiga touts Games Up?’s unifying campaign

The UK’s trade association for independent developers, Tiga, has put out an official statement backing its role in the recently announced Games Up? campaign.

Tiga is working with publisher-facing trade association to help unite the 15 campaign sponsors in a bit to "promote the
country’s games development industry to Government, Parliament and the media" the organisation said via lobbying over economic and education issues.

"There has been a 15 per cent fall in science graduates over the last decade, contributing to skill shortages in the video games industry," the association said.

Richard Wilson, CEO of Tiga, added: “The story of UK games development has been one of success for the last 25 years. We have the largest video games industry in Europe; we make a positive contribution to the country’s balance of payments; and we sustain 10,000 highly skilled jobs around the country.

“However, our industry faces challenges that can no longer be ignored: in particular, heavily subsidised competition from abroad and skill shortages at home.

“Tiga will work with other key players in the video games industry through the Games Up? campaign to argue for a tax break for games production and for measures to improve the quantity and quality of graduates relevant to the games industry.

“With the right policy environment in place UK games developers can play a leading role in the global video games industry of the future.”