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France To Subsidize Games As Art

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the 50-percent-art-and-50-percent-business dept.

The New York Times is reporting on efforts by the French culture ministry to treat videogames as art. About time. This initiative will include giving tax breaks for game development, and national recognition of game developer achievements (like the arts award received by Shigeru Miyamoto this March). From the article: "With a total of roughly 100 video game companies, France, along with Britain, has long produced more video games than the rest of Europe combined, according to the market research firm Idate, of Montpellier, France. Of late, however, the French companies have been facing tough times. Infogrames has been struggling against high debt, and an American rival, Electronic Arts, bought 19 percent of Ubisoft's shares in 2004. And Vivendi Games earns most of its revenue from one best-selling game, World of Warcraft, said Laurent Michaud, head of the video games division at Idate. 'It is true that the French video game sector is fragile,' Mr. Michaud said. 'But this is true for companies in all markets due to the quick-changing nature of industry.'"

9 of 48 comments (clear)

  1. Canada by HappySqurriel · · Score: 2, Informative

    Currently Canada is offering a competition for independant developers as well:

    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM .20061108.wtelefilmm1107/BNStory/Technology/home

  2. The article does not mention a subsidy. by krell · · Score: 2, Informative

    I could find no reference to any subsidy (word "subsidize" in news item title) in the article. However, I did find a tax break. A tax break should never be confused with a subsidy ("Monetary assistance granted by a government....") since no money is given by the government ($0 of government money spent). A tax break merely lets someone keep more of what they already own.

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    1. Re:The article does not mention a subsidy. by paladinwannabe2 · · Score: 2, Informative
      From Wikipedia
      In economics, a subsidy is generally a monetary grant given by a government to lower the price faced by producers or consumers of a good, generally because it is considered to be in the public interest. The term subsidy may also refer to assistance granted by others, such as individuals or non-government institutions, although this is more commonly described as charity. A subsidy normally exemplifies the opposite of a tax, but can also be given using a reduction of the tax burden. These kinds of subsidies are generally called tax expenditures or tax breaks.

      In some cultures, figuring out what a word means occurs before "correcting" someone's mistake. Slashdot has never been one of thsoe cultures.
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  3. Strap on your armored beret ... by ConfusedSelfHating · · Score: 2, Funny

    while you wield a baguette with a chainsaw attachment. Let the streets of Paris run red with the blood of existentialist zombies. May every mission in your tactical shooter involve a retreat. And don't forget your purse.

  4. always hilarious by krell · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It's always hilarious and quite sad at the same time, the idea that anything the government somehow manages not to plunder from you should be treated as gift from the government.

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    Where were you when the voynix came?
  5. The favored platform... by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 4, Funny

    ..will be the Nintendo Oui.

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  6. There are times not to trust Wikipedia by krell · · Score: 2, Insightful

    "....but can also be given using a reduction of the tax burden..."

    The inapplicably of the word "given" (when there is nothing given at all) shows that to be yet another poorly worded Wikipedia entry. After all, if a mugger takes only your wallet and nothing else he is not giving you your shoes and watch by the mere action of not taking them from you. Thanks for pointing out a Wikipedia mistake.

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    Where were you when the voynix came?
  7. Only one thing to say... by snuf23 · · Score: 2

    Suck it, Ebert.

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  8. Not publishers--the studios themselves! by cold+wolf · · Score: 2, Insightful

    It seems the current game industry business model is starting to break down. All they talk about are how publishers are struggling. Why give publishers a tax break when you can get all the really artistic games a push directly by subsidizing studios themselves? Fuck the publishers altogether--the vast majority of people who have a computer have the internet. The internet is the new publisher.

    Subsidizing publishers is encouraging their mindless hunt for mass appeal--which has nothing to do with creativity.