(press release)
Australian Video Game Industry Peak Body Calls on Federal Government to Commit to Supporting the Interactive Entertainment Industry
GDAA will call on the Federal Government to support the industry when its Game Connect: Asia Pacific 2007 Conference and Expo will be launched at an Industry Luncheon at the MCG (Jim Stynes Room), Wednesday 4 July 12.30pm
"The Game Developers Association of Australia (GDAA) calls on the Federal Government to commit to extending to the video game industry the 40% rebate which was recently granted to the film industry" said Tom Crago, President and Greg Bondat CEO of the Game Developers Association of Australia (GDAA).
The video games industry in Australia is experiencing a serious fiscal inequity and imbalance compared to the film and special effects industry sector of the entertainment industry. The government is guilty of a serious neglect of one of the fastest growing industry in the creative and entertainment sector.
The video game industry in Australia is in a unique position to attract much of the current AUD$30 billion international industry and all that is required are sensible tax concessions for international investors - exactly what the exceedingly well looked after film industry receives.
By 2011, the worldwide gaming market will be worth $48.9 billion at a compound annual growth rate of 9.1% during the five-year period with the Asia Pacific region remaining the region with the highest overall spending on gaming during the period and reach $18.8 billion in 2011, according to a PwC forecast. See http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=16589
It is now critical that the Federal Government starts to recognise the economic contribution of the video game industry in Australia through its domestic sales of over $400m, export growth of over $100m, employment of over 2,000 young Australians (average age of game developers is 28).
"The Federal Government could do much to learn from the Canadian government which has created over 10,000 jobs in video game development over the last four (4) years through the right financial incentives" added Tom Crago and Greg Bondar.
We estimate that at present there are 8,500 people directly employed in the video game industry in Australia. (This is broken down as follows: Development: 2000. Publishing and Distribution: 1500. Retail & Sales: 5000.) With the production rebate extended to the game development industry we envisage that, skills shortages not withstanding, the number of people employed in game development in Australia could triple to 6000 within three years. We could also expect to see growth in the other areas of the industry.
It is not unrealistic to think that by the end of 2010 we could have 18,000 people directly employed in the video game industry in this country.
The GDAA now calls on the Federal Government to immediately review its commitment to the Interactive Entertainment (video game) industry by also extending the 40% film rebate to the video game industry.
My guess is that this will never happen or at least not any time soon :).
Got any grounds for that guess?
I think this should and will happen. Not overnight, but soon enough. Just gotta get the ball rolling.
<a href="http://au.gamespot.com/news/6173581.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=news…">Q&A: GDAA head calls for more support for Aussie game industry</a>
Given the limitations on film financing, do developers really want this to happen?
Do we really want to develop Rabbit Proof Fence: the Game?
Yer 18.000 working at foreign owned game company's. Just like our film industry when all the mony our government put's in to it. It's just so american's can film in australia. Onlay a littlebit of mony is actually for making australian films. It will be the same for our game industry.
Just out of curiosity do we even have any film companies. Or do we just have boring old ffc australia.
I think they have been actually cutting government funding for film because these Australian productions and Australian themed films, haven't made any money back -- most haven't even been shown at cinemas because they are so bad.
Funding for games better not be so as to make Australian themed garbage that doesn't sell. Not even here ;).
It's stupid they can make aussie movies and games universal but they dont. How do you think the korean and japanese films and game industry got so good. By being universal thats how.
I hate australian themed moveis they alway's show a side of australia that's long sice been dead. But the retard's keep making them and we all hate it but they havent relised yet. If our games
have to be like crock dick head d then we may as well give up now
becuse like Anonymous said we all think it's garbage.
We shuld be able to make eny kind of game we like with australian
people that ar normal not stuped. you coul make a series zombi
fps set in sydny but no it wont be fake enuf for them.
Australia Zoo, the game, dangerous animals everywhere.