TIGA Touts UK Development Biz Amid U.S. Credit Crisis

UK trade association Tiga says that a number of British developers are benefiting from the decline in sterling against the dollar. The credit crunch has seen the UK currency fall in value by about 14 percent against the U.S. dollar. "The 14 percent decline in the value of sterling against the dollar over the last 11 months has enhanced the inherent value and competitiveness of UK games developers," Tiga CEO Richard Wilson said in a statement. "It is a great time to do business with UK based games developers." Tiga, an acronym for The Independent Games Developers Association, has repeatedly argued in recent years for specific government tax cuts for the games industry in the UK, claiming that countries such as Canada, the U.S. and France offer far more support for their industries. With no such tax breaks on the horizon, Tiga seems to focus on sterling's current low value as an alternative advantage. "The industry has an exceptionally well-qualified workforce, with 80-90 percent of a typical UK studio’s staff being qualified to degree level," Wilson says. "Our management teams have a wealth of experience: 42 percent of Tiga members’ organizations have been in business for six years or more." Concludes Wilson, "Costs are controlled and quality enhanced through an effective approach to outsourcing: approximately two-thirds of Tiga members outsource at least some of their production activities."