A new cross-department committee has been formed by the government in order to address the facing the gamers industry; the group created after ELSPA met with creative industries minister Sion Simon last week.

ELSPA boss Michael Rawlinson was pleased with this outcome, describing it as 'upbeat', and adding: "The Minister assured us that the Government is confident of being able to introduce pro-PEGI legislation before the next election."

PEGI will of course take charge of game ratings later this year, gaining legally enforceable status while the loses their currently held mandate.

"We also covered the other hot topic of the moment: tax breaks for the industry. Sion Simon confirmed that the Treasury is now open in principle to the idea of tax breaks for the country's video games industry," Rawlinson continues.

"But endlessly calling for tax breaks is not enough. What is obvious is that hard evidence has so far been very lacking so the Minister has now asked ELSPA to help further the debate by furnishing that evidence. This, of course, we are happy to do."

Tax breaks a-hoy, British developers?

By Luke Guttridge