Could UK Tax Breaks Pave the Way For GTA London?

Posted by Soulskill on Thursday March 25, 2010 @07:43PM from the blow-your-whistle-at-hookers-and-gently-reprimand-them dept.

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."

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name change needed by Bazman · 2010-03-25 21:13 · Score: 5, Funny

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.
Re:Been there, done that? by delinear · 2010-03-25 21:49 · Score: 5, Funny

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...