Tiga warns UK devs against Americanisation of games

UK-developed games are becoming increasingly Americanised and are moving away from British themes, says Tiga CEO Richard Wilson.

In a statement congratulating Neon Play for receiving the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, Wilson said games like the developer’s mobile title Traffic Panic London showed there was a market for culturally British games.

He said however there had been an under-production in culturally British games in favour of more Americanised titles, but was confident that a UK games tax relief system, which is currently under investigation by the European Commission, would assist studios in self-publishing and creating British-themed titles.

“The experience of Neon Play, which has developed games such as ‘Traffic Panic London’, also shows that there is a market for culturally British video games,” said Wilson.

“Unfortunately, there is an under-production in the supply of culturally British video games. Many games are made overseas because of the tax credits that are available and so many culturally British elements are lost or replaced by those of the nation making the games. Of the games that are still being made in the UK, many are increasingly being made with an Americanised theme.

“Games Tax Relief solves these problems. Games Tax Relief should assist more studios to self-publish and so keep a British flavour to their games. Additionally, Games Tax Relief will lower the cost of games development in the UK and accordingly should encourage global publishers to develop games with British characteristics.”

Neon Play CEO Oli Christie added that the studio was incredibly proud to have won the Queen’s Award for Innovation, and that he hoped the EC would recognised how important culturally British games are to the industry.

“We are incredibly proud to have won this Queen’s Award for Innovation,” he said.

“And it goes to show the importance of creative game studios to the UK economy. I really, really hope the EU Commission realises this and how vital culturally British games are to the UK games industry. Games Tax Relief is hugely important to stimulate our industry and the production of more culturally British video games.”