Reply to: Computer games industry faces 'brain drain' crisis

[threaded]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/n...in-crisis.html

Computer games industry faces 'brain drain' crisis
Britain's £1bn computer games industry is in crisis as many of the nation's best developers are leaving in a "brain drain" to Canada, industry leaders have warned.

Dr Richard Wilson, chief executive of Tiga, the trade body representing computer game developers, said "mammoth" tax breaks and subsidies in Canada are putting British businesses at risk and warned that thousands of jobs that could have been created in the UK are going overseas.

He said the Government has failed to help the industry despite junior minister Tom Watson saying the sector could play a "substantial role" in helping the UK out of recession.

The industry had expected a special mention in the Business Department's Digital Britain report released last month but computer and video games were not included.

Ed Vaizey, the shadow video games spokesman, said: "The Government's dithering has now been exposed as causing real damage."

Gareth Edmundson, head of Ubisoft's UK game development business, said he would like to create 1,000 jobs at the company's Newcastle offices but tax breaks abroad make the UK uncompetitive.

The computer games industry contributes £1bn to the UK's gross domestic product – more than the film industry, which receives generous tax breaks.

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Come back Bogeyman!

This is old news. It was well over a year ago the Canadians started this, and it has worked.

[Spacecadet]

I think if you read the WHOLE SENTENCE you quoted you'll realise he's talking about the pay. It's quite subtle, maybe you need to read slower.

talking about the what? you missed a word

i'll get my

[d000hg]

You either know nothing about video games or you meant something completely different by that sentance
UK has produced some of the most critically acclaimed games in the world

I think if you read the WHOLE SENTENCE you quoted you'll realise he's talking about the pay. It's quite subtle, maybe you need to read slower.

[Spacecadet]

That's hardly surprising as the pay in the UK games industry is rubbish

You either know nothing about video games or you meant something completely different by that sentance
UK has produced some of the most critically acclaimed games in the world

[gingerjedi]

That's not guaranteed at all. There are a lot of game development outsourcing companies in Asia & Eastern Europe with developer licenses and console development hardware from MS/Sony (these cost £thousands and you have to get approved first).

No more 'Freedom Fighters' then, can we expect to see some games where the yanks get their asses kicked for once?

[lightng]

Salaries are low but at least your job won't go to India

My brother is a programmer in the games industry (strangely enough he moved to Canada). He says they do outsource some things. For instance the making of virtual boots worn by the characters of one game he is working on is outsourced to a company in China. The more creative & technical roles are still kept inhouse however.

[d000hg]

A very kind recruitment agency has done a lot of my research work for me:

http://www.datascope.co.uk/our_clients.html

I know Datascope, always quite helpful as it goes. Although they are doing some weird "community" thing right now which I'm not so sure about.

None of my potential leads on that list. May PM later if I remember.

[voodooflux]

In related news it looks like Square Enix are set to acquire Eidos.

[DodgyAgent]

Chat up line of the day

A very kind recruitment agency has done a lot of my research work for me:

http://www.datascope.co.uk/our_clients.html

[d000hg]

I know some current and ex games programmers. Very long hours poring over vast amounts of shabbily written C++. Many games get canned by the publisher, or flop, so you often don't see any bonus for your 18 months' work. Salaries are low but at least your job won't go to India

That's not guaranteed at all. There are a lot of game development outsourcing companies in Asia & Eastern Europe with developer licenses and console development hardware from MS/Sony (these cost £thousands and you have to get approved first).

[swamp]

I know some current and ex games programmers. Very long hours poring over vast amounts of shabbily written C++. Many games get canned by the publisher, or flop, so you often don't see any bonus for your 18 months' work. Salaries are low but at least your job won't go to India

[Ravello]

If you want to go further just PM me.

Chat up line of the day

[DodgyAgent]

Is embedded programming really relevant? I mean you do get specialists in console development but that's not quite the same thing as far as I'm aware. I know a few companies in the north-east (and worked at one of them) but I am not sure this isn't a joke post

No not at all. I am saying that I am sure I could extend our capabilities into finding games specialists or C++ people with strong maths.
If you want to go further just PM me.

[d000hg]

Do any of you kind souls have any leads into this industry, or names of companies with development centres in the UK (I know some of the usual suspects such as Eidos and EA), or where I can find a list of such companies. I have a lot of embedded sofware engineers on my books from all over europe who would like to work in the UK. There is commission for any of you wishing to supplement your income.

DA

Is embedded programming really relevant? I mean you do get specialists in console development but that's not quite the same thing as far as I'm aware. I know a few companies in the north-east (and worked at one of them) but I am not sure this isn't a joke post

[DodgyAgent]

Do any of you kind souls have any leads into this industry, or names of companies with development centres in the UK (I know some of the usual suspects such as Eidos and EA), or where I can find a list of such companies. I have a lot of embedded sofware engineers on my books from all over europe who would like to work in the UK. There is commission for any of you wishing to supplement your income.

DA