Tiga stance unchanged amidst UKIE merger talk

Tiga is uninterested in talk of a merger with fellow UK game industry trade body UKIE, a spokesman has told Develop.

During last week’s UKIE AGM, chairman Andy Payne said he was "extending a hand" to Tiga CEO Richard Wilson and the board to discuss how the two trade bodies could collaborate.

He said such a merger would be easier for politicians and the media, and the current split meant the game industry only had "half our voice, half our power".

UKIE CEO Jo Twist also said that while it already cooperates on certain matters, "in these hard times we need to tighten our belts and pull our socks up”.

In response, a Tiga spokesman said although it was "flattered by their continued admiration" of the trade body, its position remains the same as it was in 2011.

The two trade bodies had come close to a merger in 2011, but those talks broke down, and Tiga subsequently released a statement that it did not see the value in distracting itself from other important industry matters.

In a statement at the time, Tiga said: "We do not see value in distracting ourselves with talks towards such an end while the games industry faces pressing matters including Games Tax Relief, R&D tax credits, improving access to finance, migration policy, education and skills and IP."