TIGA Presses Scottish Government To Create Developer Fund

A new proposal from UK game industry trade group TIGA urges the Scottish government to establish a Creative Content Fund that would provide up to £100,000 in loans to developers of new game projects. Under the proposed system, funding would come in the form of matching funds for approved projects, which studios would be expected to pay back after the project started bringing in revenue. A share of the continuing profits from supported projects would help ensure the fund's continued solvency and operation. The proposed fund would only cover games in a wide range of genres and platforms, but only apply to projects in which the studio owned its own IP, TIGA said. The group suggested that such a fund would be a way for the Scottish government to show its support for the game industry without having to go through the larger UK Coalition Government, which has failed to pass promised tax breaks for developers in the country. "The Westminster Coalition Government is failing to invest in the Scottish and UK game development sector," TIGA CEO Richard Wilson said in a statement. "The Scottish Government now has the chance to show decisive leadership in support of the video games industry by adopting TIGA's proposal for a Creative Content Fund." "TIGA’s proposed CCF would improve developers' access to finance, stimulate original IP generation and promote studio growth," Wilson continued. "It would enhance the independence of developers and strengthen the prospects for the expansion of the Scottish video games industry." Earlier this year, the Scottish government showed support for the game industry by adding a student game design competition to the 2014 Commonwealth Games.