Finally, France may give a tax break to videogame industry

[Soldat_Louis]

I learnt today that French representatives voted 3 days ago an amendment about giving a tax break to French videogame industry. Techdirt.com has more about it. (http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20070201/175446.shtml)

This was a last minute amendment in the context of a law about tomorrow's television, discussed february 11th. The amendment was proposed by conservative rep. Patrick Ollier with the complicity of Culture Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, who had already tried to give this tax break to game industry. This amendment is inspired by Canadian tax break.

Now, the problem is that European Commission didn't approve this amendment yet. The Commission will normally give its answer between may and june, but it already said that tax break could be allowed to be given on condition that it is for the purpose of cultural products. Which means no tax break will be given on "violent games". For example, according to what I've read on a French website (http://www.zdnet.fr/actualites/imprimer/0,50000200,39366739,00.htm), a product like WOW : Burning crusade wouldn't receive a tax break. Such a limitation infuriates French game developpers.

Edit : This story has been covered by Reuters (http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=technologyNews&storyid=2007-02-01T185450Z_01_L0151931_RTRUKOC_0_US-FRANCE-VIDEO.xml)

[GamePolitics]

Hey, Louis...

Thanks for sharing that. We had also noticed that development and Jabrwock, I believe, is working up some coverage of it...

-GP

[ZippyDSMlee]

Soldat_Louis
I wonder what game would count as "cultural " if a God of war game was made but using French theme and cultural would that pass the muster?
aahhh neo censorship gotta love it.....

[Soldat_Louis]

Soldat_Louis
I wonder what game would count as "cultural " if a God of war game was made but using French theme and cultural would that pass the muster?

Frankly, I don't know.

As I've said on my comment to GP's news, for French politicians, such a game can count as "cultural". But for EU commissioners, who are likely to exclude from this "cultural" field anything that contains violence, it may not count.

Also, you have to know that video games started to be considered as cultural products essentially for reasons of intellectual property. This was why Mortal Kombat could be considered, from a legal point of view, as an "original intellectual creation", because it featured graphical and gameplay elements that could be considered as original (details are on this page (http://www.afjv.com/juridique/050609_droits_auteurs_jeux_video.htm), in French).

In fact, as many terms are vague, I don't know what to think of it. All I can do is to wait the decision of EU commission.

[ZippyDSMlee]

Frankly, I don't know.

As I've said on my comment to GP's news, for French politicians, such a game can count as "cultural". But for EU commissioners, who are likely to exclude from this "cultural" field anything that contains violence, it may not count.

Also, you have to know that video games started to be considered as cultural products essentially for reasons of intellectual property. This was why Mortal Kombat could be considered, from a legal point of view, as an "original intellectual creation", because it featured graphical and gameplay elements that could be considered as original (details are on this page (http://www.afjv.com/juridique/050609_droits_auteurs_jeux_video.htm), in French).

In fact, as many terms are vague, I don't know what to think of it. All I can do is to wait the decision of EU commission.

Sound's like they forget that Video games are media thus art by default....

[Soldat_Louis]

I update this thread because European Commission just approved French tax breaks for games (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=31451), on condition that they meet the "criteria of quality, originality and contribute to cultural diversity".

Though the inspirator of this law, Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, is no longer culture minister nor even representative, he must be happy of this success.

[ZippyDSMlee]

Frankly, I don't know.

As I've said on my comment to GP's news, for French politicians, such a game can count as "cultural". But for EU commissioners, who are likely to exclude from this "cultural" field anything that contains violence, it may not count.

Also, you have to know that video games started to be considered as cultural products essentially for reasons of intellectual property. This was why Mortal Kombat could be considered, from a legal point of view, as an "original intellectual creation", because it featured graphical and gameplay elements that could be considered as original (details are on this page (http://www.afjv.com/juridique/050609_droits_auteurs_jeux_video.htm), in French).

In fact, as many terms are vague, I don't know what to think of it. All I can do is to wait the decision of EU commission.

So it could be said tat French political and normal culture are very open to media in general?