Realtime Worlds: games tax break calls continue
The Scottish Government and a leading business body have restated their call for tax breaks for the games industry in the wake of Realtime Worlds entering administration.
Jim Mather.
- By Graham Huband
- Published in the Courier : 19.08.10
- Published online : 19.08.10 @ 12.56pm
Enterprise minister Jim Mather and Scottish Chambers of Commerce chief executive Liz Cameron expressed their regret at the situation Realtime finds itself in and said the company's difficulties show just how vital it is to provide the correct environment for enterprise.
Despite plenty of figures within the industry arguing tax breaks were irrelevant to Realtime's troubles, they said the studio's experience is a harsh lesson that must be learned, and called on the UK Government to do a U-turn and provide tax relief to a sector where the ratio between risk and reward is so high.
Mr Mather said the first priority has to be to Realtime's staff but the situation highlights wider issues in the sector.
"This announcement is extremely disappointing and I am concerned for Realtime Worlds' employees, their families and the wider community, for whom this will be an anxious time," he said.
"The Scottish Government is in contact with the company and will do all we can to minimise the impact of this announcement and protect these local, highly-skilled jobs in line with our efforts to support Scotland's key creative industries — and their global reputation for excellence.
"We understand that the administrator is seeking to sell the company as a going concern, thereby retaining the skilled and talented workforce in Dundee and protecting the local economy, and we will do everything we can to support this work.
"The games development industry in Dundee has been built on the world-class talent that has been developed in the area, and we are confident that this world-leading talent will remain in Dundee's games development sector.
"But Scottish-based games developers must be allowed to compete on a level playing field through tax breaks. That is why it is particularly disappointing that the UK Government has so far failed to listen to the industry and the Scottish Government on this crucial issue."
Liz Cameron said Scotland's games industry must be able to compete with the rest of the world.
She said, "Obviously this is a worrying time for the talented staff at Realtime Worlds and for the Scottish video games industry in general, where the company was one of our largest and most successful businesses in recent years.
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