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Could UK Tax Breaks Pave the Way For GTA London?
BanjoTed writes "An interesting — if tongue-in-cheek — bit of speculation is up at MCV about the possibility of a Grand Theft Auto title across the pond. 'Chancellor Alistair Darling's pledge to support the video games development industry with tax breaks could do more than simply protect the future of the UK dev sector,' the site claims. 'It could also have dictated the setting of the next Grand Theft Auto.' Its reasoning? That developers will only be eligible for new UK tax breaks if their games can be proven to be 'culturally British.' Being based in the UK alone is not sufficient for this — instead, the games in question must promote Britishness. Hence MCV's conclusion that Grand Theft Auto V may well be set in London — saving Rockstar an estimated $16m in the process."
But from European cities, I'd rather have Amsterdam on it.
All the trolley trams and cyclists would make speeding around town...somewhat challenging i expect.
On the other hand, we dutchmen are well known for our fondness of...coffee. ;-)
People replying to my sig annoy me. That's why I change it all the time.
I'm sorry, but I strongly think the tax benefits should be withheld unless there's a hot tea minigame. Give me that cup of Darjeeling baby yeah baby yeah!
Professor Karmadillo Songs of Science
And anyway, GTA, with its focus on wanton violence and abuse, is somewhat dated. How about a completely different approach: A game where the objective is to drive in a safe, economical, environmentally responsible and polite way through London City in the rush hour, taking into account the one-way system, the roadworks, the tens of thousands of pedestrians crossing the street in front of you, the fact that the London streetmap looks a bit like a Mandelbrot fractal and that streetnames change on average every 20 meters. Now that WOULD be extreme.
We don't have "Grand Theft Auto" in the UK. We have the slightly politer-sounding "Taking without owner's consent".
TWOC: London
doesn't seem right.
They'll never make their money back. Everyone knows that the Knowledge takes about 34 months to prepare, they'll never get enough gamers to pass the exam!
GTA's focus on wanton violence and abuse may be dated for London, but it would be highly apt for GTA:Glasgow.
It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for being subtle.
I'd be keen on seeing how they could implement the congestion charge into the game. Especially in the early parts where you're generally short on cash - somehow beating pedestrians and prostitutes to death for their spare change to pay the fee doesn't seem to promote quite the image of Britishness I would guess the law is aiming at.
On that note, a game involving binge drinking, violence, knife crime, teenage pregnancy, police brutality and political corruption would definitely promote "Britishness" at the moment, but I can't see Our Glorious Leaders giving it the official stamp of approval...
Driving like Jeremy Clarkson in some of his more manic modes would be fun, too.
Instead of pressing the left stick activating the car's horn, it could cause your character to shout, at full volume, "POWWWWERRRR!!"
Bonus points for putting an indestructible blue phone booth somewhere.