The UK. Supporting your growth

Size of market

• Overall market size 2012 = £1.6Bn

• Mobile games – the 2012 UK App market is worth £450m and will surpass the half billion mark next year (research2guidance, 2012) and over half is spent on games**

• Traditional games – the UK console market remains strong despite the falling sales figures that comes with the changing business distribution models

• Great talent – The UK has the largest development community in Europe with over 250 development studios and 100s more small development teams and freelancers***

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**Research2Guidance, 2012

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A rich and diverse ecosystem

• There are many clusters of games companies across the UK, in cities of London, Manchester, Sheffield, Newcastle, Liverpool, Birmingham, Dundee, Guildford, Oxford, Cambridge and Brighton

• There are over 250 professional game developers with many more freelancers and smaller studios producing mobile and social games

• There is not the concentration in London, due to the way in which the traditional games industry evolved

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The UK in this sector

• Overseas companies choose the UK to base their EHQ as it has the market, talent and the business connections to ensure that their games are given the best chance of succeeding across Europe

• R&D tax credits provides a boost to games companies developing core software and content for all gaming platforms

• The UK government has provided the additional incentive of a tax credit for games companies from 2013

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R&D Tax Credit

SME rate (fewer than 500 people worldwide/ €100M turnover)

225% Tax Relief of qualifying expenditure

Reduces cost of R&D by 30%

If loss making can be surrended to receive cash equivalent of 25% of expenditure

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Games Tax Relief

Games Tax Relief designed in consultation with industry as a response to significant global challenges to position of UK as continuing centre of creative excellence

Announced in Budget 2013 simultaneous with incentives for production of Animation & High End TV (modelled on successful Film Tax Relief)

Games Relief specifically subject to EU Ratification process. DCMS & industry working with EU on further round of consultation

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Games Tax Relief

Headline = 25% Tax Relief on applicable expenditure

Qualification:

Applicant is UK registered company and recognised production entity

Core expenditure in UK >25% total budget

Production passes “cultural test” as defined and administered by BFI

Relief claimed retrospectively through company returns

No minimum budget threshold

Recognition of new business models

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Get in touch

Mark Leaver

UKTI Creative Media Specialist

+44 (0)7884 490937

mark.leaver@uktispecialist.com

@mark_leaver

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