A new report exploring Scotland’s 16 creative industries, commissioned byCreative Scotland and Scottish Enterprise and compiled by DC Research found the
Scottish computer games industry to employ 200 people and hold no financial
value. The report gave “computer games” a rounded down value of £0 towards the
Scottish Arts and Creative Industries.
The report was compiled from publically available
data from 2010. However TIGA’s own research compiled in 2011 showed the
Scottish games industry employing 668 permanent staff in 50 games development,
publishing and service companies, representing almost 10 per cent of the UK’s
total games industry, with an estimated annual contribution of £30 million to
HM Treasury.
As reported by www.scottishgames.net the Creative Scotland Economic Contribution study points out that many
companies may be categorised elsewhere leading to the computer games section
having an unnaturally low gross value. However the data could be taken into consideration
in fiscal decisions and funding allocations by the Scottish government,
adversely affecting the industry.
Dr Richard Wilson, CEO of TIGA said:
“While the data in the Creative Scotland report was
compiled across all of Scotland’s Arts and Creative Industries and the
anomalous information explained by the absorption of companies into other categories
in the survey, TIGA believes the results do not reflect the true value of the
games industry in Scotland. We would urge the Scottish Government to take
TIGA’s own 2011 data into consideration.
“Fortunately, the Scottish Government, many MSPs in
the Scottish Parliament and MPs in the Westminster Parliament do recognise the
significance and the great potential of the video games sector. TIGA will
continue to work with the Government, MSPs, MPs, Creative
Scotland and Scottish Enterprise to highlight the importance of the industry. TIGA is pleased that the Scottish Government is taking TIGA's own 2011 data into consideration in the development of a more detailed analysis of Scotland's Digital Games Development Sector.”
“Video Games are a vital part of Scotland’s
creative industries and home to some of the most successful game franchises of
all time. With Games Tax Relief on the horizon for the UK now is the time to
support and celebrate Scotland’s valuable games development sector. Scottish
developers will feature in the British Academy Scotland Awards 2012 and the
2012 TIGA Games Industry Awards. It would be a great boon to the industry where
they also included in the 2012 Creative Scotland awards being held in
December.”
Notes to editors:
About TIGA:
TIGA is the trade association representing the UK’s games industry. The
majority of our members are either independent games developers or in-house
publisher owned developers. We also have games publishers, outsourcing
companies, technology businesses and universities amongst our membership.
Since 2010, TIGA has won 12 business awards and has been nominated a finalist
for 9 other awards. In 2010 TIGA won two business awards including ‘Trade
Association of the Year’ from the Trade Association Forum.
In 2011, TIGA won
eight business awards including ‘Trade Association of the Year’ from the
Trade Association Forum, ‘Outstanding Organisation’ from the Chartered
Management Institute and two Global Business Excellence Awards, including
‘Outstanding Marketing Campaign’. Richard Wilson won the ‘Leadership Award’
from the Trade Association Forum and the ‘Outstanding Leader’ award from the
Chartered Management Institute. In 2012, Richard Wilson won the IoD’s East of
England Director of the Year Award. TIGA is an Investors in People
organisation. Also in 2012, TIGA won a Global Business Excellence Award for
its ‘Outstanding Public Relations Campaign’ for Games Tax Relief.
TIGA's vision is to make the UK the best place in the world to do games
business. We focus on three sets of activities: political representation,
generating media coverage and developing services that enhance the competitiveness
of our members. This means that TIGA members are effectively represented in
the corridors of power, their voice is heard in the media and they receive
benefits that make a material difference to their businesses, including a
reduction in costs and improved commercial opportunities.
For further information, please contact Dr Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO on:
07875 939 643, or email: richard.wilson@tiga.org.