The government is expected to invest around £10 million in the UK games industry, creating hundreds of new jobs over the next three years.
£2 million is being pumped into a specialist development centre at Abertay University in Dundee, where students will team with gaming companies to develop new intellectual properties, while another £1m will be given to a linked centre in Manchester.
With added cash from European development fund initiatives, a total of up to £10 million is expected to be invested in the two centres.
Over the next three years the initiative is expected to create 30 new companies and 400 new jobs, while training another 300 workers, reports the BBC.
"This is good news for the UK games industry," said Richard Wilson, CEO of UK developer trade association TIGA. "We particularly welcome the intention to use the funding to invest in prototypes to support new Intellectual Property (IP) development. Finding sources for finance for new IP is difficult at the best of times."
Like helping to stimulate what is fast becoming one of the beggest media industries in the UK.
Fast growing or not, it isn't a useful industry, it is entertainment and should not be govenment funded, particuarly in the middle of a recession.
Couldnt disagree more.
Gaming is fast becoming the largest revenue provider out of most of the entertainment mediums, the fact that Ireland are trying to poach several Sottish Dev Houses with tax breaks and what not tells me this is an industry worth investing in (just wish i was in it myself ).
This is great news, I am currently learning to use the software to make video games! Ł10 million's a lot of money and this makes me want to go that Uni. It's nice to see the government actually cares about this industry. For once I would like to salute my government, for it is now cool.
Like helping to stimulate what is fast becoming one of the beggest media industries in the UK.
Fast growing or not, it isn't a useful industry, it is entertainment and should not be govenment funded, particuarly in the middle of a recession.
Couldnt disagree more.
Gaming is fast becoming the largest revenue provider out of most of the entertainment mediums, the fact that Ireland are trying to poach several Sottish Dev Houses with tax breaks and what not tells me this is an industry worth investing in (just wish i was in it myself ).
He has a point though. This is basically a token gesture and a waste of Ł10M.
There should already be tax-breaks in the UK for them - we've been losing talent over here for years. I saw a news article on this where they spoke to Media Molecule and Lionhead (it was mainly focused on Guildford) and - though they'd basically stated that they were proud to be British - there were other countries that they could relocate to that would make it a lot more secure financially. I believe Canada was one of those mentioned.
In order to keep the revenue from the Games industry coming in, we need to help the companies already doing it - R*, MM etc. The other thing is that we already do have talent over here - if they accomodated the companies more, there'd be more of a chance for a lot of these guys to get some work.
Gaming is fast becoming the largest revenue provider out of most of the entertainment mediums, the fact that Ireland are trying to poach several Sottish Dev Houses with tax breaks and what not tells me this is an industry worth investing in (just wish i was in it myself ).
The problem is though, most of the real profits made by any games company based in the UK are taken away by overseas owners. The UK needs its own publishing house, distribution network etc. Then the real money will start rolling in. Until then it's always going to be a bit player in a largely American and Japanese industry.
Ł10 Million for the UK Games industry yeah money well spent.....Not !. Are you bloody kidding me Ł10 million quid for what ????? That money could be better spent elsewhere in this current financial crisis jeez give me a break. Why spend good money after bad ?
Sorry but what a waste of ten million pound, and potentially tax-payer money too?, I would much rather see new studios being funded rather then this new intellectual property building crap that is going to be in Dundee, and sorry but Dundee.. of all places?
The only studios worth mentioning at dundee is probably realtime studio and cohort studios, what else is there?
Why not take it to london where it could be accessed by a wide public audience and also a lot of studios too.
Stupid idea, stupid waste of money and above all waste of time.
The sooner the gaming industry can form something similar to what eFactor does (provide startup business with financial support and advice/help) the better.
That would be a ton more beneficial idea then this tripe.
"Fast growing or not, it isn't a useful industry, it is entertainment and should not be govenment funded, particuarly in the middle of a recession."
You have little to no understanding of what a useful industry is from what I can read from you post. Not only will there be new jobs (that is only a surface impact) but you need to look a little more than 5 minutes into the future to see the other benefits. Such as the creation of new products to continue to stimulate the market place.
We need to spend! We need new products to buy!
hopefully this money will help to strengthen the "Gamers Market Place".
It just also happens that Brits are damn good at making games!!! We are also good at football and killing people and we get plenty of funding for both of those so why not the games industry?
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Ł10 million's a lot of money and this makes me want to go that Uni. It's nice to see the government actually cares about this industry. 
