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Australia drains NZ game development talent

aid to the games industry is under ‘‘active consideration’’.

But Stephen Knightly, chief operating officer of Auckland gaming studio Rocketwerkz, says consideration is not good enough when Australian companies are already poaching local talent.

‘‘Given borders are closed, the only place that Australia can really get their talent is from New Zealand. Talent is flowing in a one-way channel from New Zealand to Australia,’’ Knightly says.

While tax incentives for the creative industries are often likened to the film sector, there is a key difference when talking about gaming.

‘‘With a games industry incentive you are not paying Hollywood producers to come in, you are trying to get creative New Zealanders to stay.

‘‘Unlike film, in games the intellectual property in games stays local.

‘‘That is why the return on investment for the taxpayer is several times higher for a game than it would be for an international film.’’

The risk is not that New Zealand businesses will fail, but that they will jump over the ditch, Knightly says.

‘‘The New Zealand game studios will be fine because they will open up shop in Australia,

create jobs in Australia, and pay tax in Australia. The people who lose out are those who want to work in high-tech creative jobs, and people who want tax revenue.’’

Sam Ramlu, managing director of Method Digital and Wanderer studios, an Auckland studio working on a virtual reality game with funding from Sony, says it is difficult to find a reason to stay.

‘‘What is the incentive to stay here? Apart from the fact that personally I want to grow the

industry here, I want to be creating opportunities here. But it is hard to ignore that 40 per cent difference especially now it is just across the ditch,’’ he said.

It is also difficult to stay when the hard work of the industry is not properly recognised by many.

‘‘People are still surprised there is a games industry in New Zealand.

‘‘Yet people are thriving and studios are doing incredible things that have been picked up by international companies.

‘‘It is almost that despite the fact that it is not funded people have been making this amazing stuff. Imagine if it was funded what that would be adding to our economy.’’

For Bradley, one issue is ensuring a New Zealand voice is heard on the world stage.

‘‘Video games are the next battlefield of globalised culture. Do we want other countries to be the dominating voice? Because that is what will happen if New Zealand does not support their own industry.’’

‘‘Given borders are closed, the only place that Australia can really get their talent is from New Zealand.’’ Stephen Knightly Chief operating officer, Rocketwerkz

Business

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2021-10-24T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-10-24T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://stuff.pressreader.com/article/282780654709578

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