Disillusioned ken!

Don't know if anyone has had a chance to look at the scottish affairs committee meetings about the games industry, incredibly detailed debates if you have patience to watch it all (highly recommended if your interested in the politics) - video 1 and then video 2.

It contains debates about (in no order)

• - Tax Breaks
• - Violence in games (ye i know)
• - Abertay and Dundee as a hub
• - Other Development hubs in the UK
• - TIGA's financial forecasts if tax breaks were implemented, TIGA itself
• - ...my god so many more

I'm looking at this from a broad brush-stroke here but the main things I took away from these meetings were 2 MPs' obsession with the violence in games, Denial that TIGA's projected figures were accurate, changing their mind that tax breaks were "poorly targeted" and a great respect for Abertay.

Regarding the violence the basics of it was that Iain 'I want as much MP expenses I can get and more' Davidson and I believe Fiona Bruce the Conservative MP (Sorry if I have misquoted), both seemed almost loathe to be giving financial backing to games that could at all be considered violent.... is that the country we're living in? One that says: we are aware that only 8% of games (roughly) are 18+ but that is impacting on the likelihood of tax breaks being provided for the rest....

REALLY!? 8% and you probably won't let that slide?

Along with that there was an indirect dismissal of every game that was for entertainment purposes when the repetition of their respect for games that were for educational purposes, training fire-fighters etc.

NOW, don't for a moment think I don't hold this genre in high regard because I do. These types of training simulators are helping train people for jobs that can save peoples lives and educate generations but until the MP's start recognizing ALL genres then we won't be taken seriously as an art form, when film was discussed violent films weren't mentioned. Convenient. So its OK for kids to be watching violent films?

Here's some quotes from Edward Troup:

• "well im not sure i would say that it was poorly targeted" - Troup contradicting what was said by george osbourne

• "the government wasn't keen to extend the number of reliefs in the tax system unless there was strong evidence of market failure, there had to be strong evidence to support any intervention" wasn't from him fair enough but hello? Do we just hang around until and industry is dead before reviving it? Its dying now, but apparently the government isn't happy unless the industry is close to death

• "im told that the video games industry based on 2008 figures contributed £386m to GDP and based on 2009 figures the film industry contributed £4.5bn" - I would love to see how he got those figures, serious doubts they are strictly accurate, either that or they were contorted to suit the government's position.

• "im saying that the i disagree with the assumptions that the creation of a job will be helpful to the UK industry" ....

• "i dont know how the government would respond in 20 years time if every other country was offering games tax relief" - nice.

Other quotes

• Iain Davidson "They are breeding an attitude that violence is a way to solve problems" - sigh, are they actually Iain? Based on what facts can you come to that conclusion.

More of the same I am afraid but one thing I am happy with was how eloquently everyone representing our industry spoke, lets just hope now the politicians can actually take it on board. Unfortunately knowing the intrinsic lack of foresight I expect the politicians to only help the games industry when the boat for us to be a global power has long since sailed