Realtime Worlds Joins Tiga

Crackdown developer Realtime Worlds joined UK trade association Tiga (The Independent Game Developers Association), citing the association's "determination" in representing game devs in the UK. "The time is right for Realtime Worlds to join Tiga," said Realtime Worlds CEO and creative director Dave Jones. "We urge other games developers, particularly in Scotland, to work with Tiga in advancing the cause of the games development sector. Realtime Worlds is looking forward to working with Tiga in the months and years ahead.” Based in Dundee, Scotland and founded in 2002, Realtime Worlds is currently developing APB (All Points Bulletin), a PC and Xbox 360 MMO due 2009. The company raised $50 million in series B funding in March 2008, part of which went toward regaining global distribution rights for APB’s forthcoming release. Tiga now includes 157 members, most of which are game developers, in the UK and in Europe. The association’s recent activities include calling on the UK government to implement Georgia-style tax breaks for game developers and partnering with the ELSPA to to promote the country's video game industry to the government, parliament, and the media with a campaign titled ‘Games Up?' Tiga CEO Richard Wilson added: "Tiga is changing. We are engaging more effectively with politicians and with policy makers, we are raising the media profile of the video games industry and we are expanding the range of services available to Tiga members. Realtime Worlds’ accession to Tiga is a vote of confidence in our new strategy." He concluded: “Games developers must work together if we are to make the UK the best place in the world to do games business. Tiga already provides a powerful voice for the video games industry in political and governmental circles. If more games businesses follow Realtime Worlds’ lead and join Tiga, we will be able to represent the games development industry still more effectively, in Scotland, England and indeed, throughout the UK.”