Georgia passes law offering $25 million in video game tax breaks

Georgia state governor Nathan Deal signed a bill into law this morning that will provide $25 million in tax credits for video game developers in the region, according to a report published to the website of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It's part of a legislation package known as House Bill 958, which includes similar tax relief efforts for food banks and energy-efficient item vendors in Georgia. Hi-Rez Studios (Smite), Tripwire Interactive (Rising Storm) and CCP Games (EVE Online) are among the developers who maintain offices in the state of Georgia, which has a history of attempting to lure digital entertainment companies to the region with generous tax incentives. Regrettably, CCP Games announced today that it plans to lay off 56 employees in the Atlanta office and shut down production on the World of Darkness MMO game, which was in development for roughly eight years. Those who remain in CCP's Atlanta, Georgia office will work to support the company's long-running MMO game Eve Online.