UK tax break news is "just fantastic," says JAW boss as industry cheers

Just Add Water head Stewart Gilray has described news of impending UK games dev tax breaks as "fantastic," while TIGA boss Richard Wilson has said the Labour move is "inspired".

"The UK games industry is respected worldwide, offering creativity and innovation year on year," the British developer told VG247.

"To finally get recognition in such a way that will ultimately help the industry is just fantastic. We still need to hear the details though, but it promises to be quite interesting."

Just Add Water was responsible for PS3's Gravity Crash, the PSN shooter that launched at the end of 2009.

TIGA CEO, Dr Richard Wilson, obviously agreed.

“This is an inspired decision," he said in a statement. "In backing Tiga’s Games Tax Relief the Government has chosen the future over the past, growth over decline, success over failure. Games Tax Relief will increase employment, investment and innovation in the UK video games sector.”

He continued: “Our research shows that Games Tax Relief over a five year period should create or protect 3,550 graduate level jobs, increase or safeguard £457 million in development expenditure and encourage developers to adopt new business models and create new Intellectual Property. Games Tax Relief will ensure that the UK remains a world leading developer of video games. Games Tax Relief is good for the UK video games industry, good for UK consumers and good for the UK economy.”

Rebellion’s CEO and TIGA chairman, Jason Kingsley said the move is “the right decision for the future”.

“Games Tax Relief is also a decisive achievement by TIGA,” he said. “There are around 1,000 trade associations in the UK working to influence Government policy. In 2009, only one sector was invited by the Government to submit a case to change UK tax policy – the games industry.”

British Chancellor Alastair Darling today confirmed that the UK games industry is to benefit from tax breaks in a similar way to the UK film industry.

The move comes after years of lobbying Government from bodies such as ELSPA and TIGA.

We'll bring you details on what's actually on offer from Labour as soon as they drop.