Film industry dismisses claims of gaming contemporaries
One of the more vocal supporters for a tax break for games developers is the Australian games industry, whose developer association the GDAA has regularly lobbied for a good subsidies environment for developers.
Often the association points to the credits available to Australian games companies as reason for its lobbying, but according to one film industry insider, the local studios should stop complaining and "should be left on their own to see who survives".
The anonymous comment comes in a report on ITWire. In the piece, a film industry insider says the Australian developers should be left to die out 'leaving a much more robust, leaner game industry, able to survive on its own two feet'.
However the GDAA rejects the suggestion.
“As developers, our responsibilities tend to end once the game has been completed. We love to get involved in marketing and promotion, but as a rule that's left to the Publishers. So for the most part, cooperation among Australian developers is limited to the development process itself. And it's true, we do help one another out where we can. We are a very close knit community, which is rare in any industry, and pretty unique to Australia in terms of game development," said association head Tom Crago.
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“I'm a big fan of Australian films, and absolutely believe that our film industry should be supported by the Australian Government. It's important to understand, though, that without that support, the industry would not exist in anything like the form that it exists today. To that end, it's a bit rich for the film industry to say that games should go it alone. The fact is, we have gone it alone since day 1, receiving no federal support whatsoever. In spite of this, we have been able to become far more viable commercially than our friends in film. The bottom line here is that screen culture in all its forms should be treated equally.”
I think it is important to distinguish between Australian Games Industry, as the call it, and the Western Australian Games Industry.
Western Australia receives no support from the GDAA, in fact, we are still waiting for our membership reply, from 2006.
we have since moved on, and have made our own head way in the industry. we renounce any association with the GDAA, and some what resent the implication that we be tarred with the same brush as the "Whingers".
WA companies are fighting it alone, the hard way...
in the true Aussie spirit, we will survive , we will over come. We are doing it the hard way, but we will get there, alone and with out whinging and hand out. This means we will be stronger…
As a major game developer & employer in Perth.
I hope that the international readers realize the seperation between perth & the East Coast of Australia, it is vertually a seperate country.
Perth is moving ahead in leaps & bounds & we are doing this with out the assistance of any Government grants. Perth is assisted in it’s efforts by it’s close proximity to Asia.
Perth is now the richest State in Australia that now produces 37% of Australia’S GDP as a result of the minning & resources boom. Now being compared with the likes of Dubai…
This … is now being re invested into new growth industries such as Electronic Entertaniment such as games and digital media.
Perth is fast becoming the new epi-centre & digital hub in Australasia. Viva Perth
As a major game developer & employer in Perth.
I hope that the international readers realize the seperation between perth & the East Coast of Australia, it is vertually a seperate country.
Perth is moving ahead in leaps & bounds & we are doing this with out the assistance of any Government grants. Perth is assisted in it’s efforts by it’s close proximity to Asia.
Perth is now the richest State in Australia that now produces 37% of Australia’S GDP as a result of the minning & resources boom. Now being compared with the likes of Dubai…
This … is now being re invested into new growth industries such as Electronic Entertaniment such as games and digital media.
Perth is fast becoming the new epi-centre & digital hub in Australasia. Viva Perth
those cheapscate Australians.
Why would taking this stance in Australia be any different to taking this stance in the UK?
I've not heard of anybody sniping at the UK games industry over it's lobbying for tax breaks. The same economic downside and mechanics would apply.
