UK games developer association launches

TIGA was formed in late 2000 when a group of 12 of the UK’s top game developers (from Steel Monkeys, Rebellion, Elixir, Blitz Games, M4, Smoking Gun, Wide Games, IO, Kuju, VIS and others) were brought together with the assistance of Wired Sussex and the DTI. The association aims to benefit the commercial and creative interests of the UK games development industry by:

• Encouraging a climate for investment in games development.
• Providing professional advice, guidance, information, services and goods for its members.
• Representing the games development industry to the legislative and regulatory process (e.g., lobbying for tax breaks similar to those available to the UK film industry).
• Representing the sector in a positive light to government and the public.
• Improving skills and training, professional standards and education within the games development industry.
• Facilitating communication between the individuals and organisations within the games development industry (for instance by regular networking events).
• Improving competitiveness and innovation within the games development industry.

OUT-LAW.COM's John Salmon, who represents a number of games developers, said:

"This looks like a worthwhile development which will benefit UK games developers in the longer term by providing an organisation that can help promote games development on a UK-wide basis."

The meeting will be addressed by Patricia Hewitt (Minister of State at the DTI), Sandy Duncan (Microsoft’s European VP for X-Box), Julian Morse (Head of Specialist Technology with Beeson Gregory) and Simon Terrington (Managing Director of Human Capital).

Further information is available on the TIGA web site at www.tiga.org.uk.