Spurred by Eidos/SCi's suffering in the global market, Dan Spence, a 3D animator, has started a petition to the Prime Minister for UK gaming tax breaks.

This comes following Paul Jackson, the director general of UK games industry body, ELSPA, saying of the government's budget, “We are disappointed that the Chancellor missed the opportunity today to offer French-style tax breaks to UK developers.”

The text alongside the online petition starts with the words, “We are looking on in horror as flagship UK company Eidos who created the iconic Lara Croft, is facing problems of competing in a global environment."

What the UK games industry needs, he goes on, are “tax incentives or some other assistance to maintain a competitive market for global publishers.”

“It is evident that studios based elsewhere are making efforts to extract what grassroots talent the UK has”, Spence claims.

He points in particular to Montreal in Canada – the destination of SCi's development operations – as a model to be aped.

Margaret Hodge, the government's Minister for Culture, Media & Sport, told ELSPA back in October that tax breaks along the lines of those offered in Montreal are highly unlikely. The best that Hodge has offered is to look into what is being done in Canada and see whether it complies with World Trade Organisation rules on competition.

This sort of attitude is to be expected, however, from a government that has characterised games as 'small business'.

“I see the government is offering tax relief for UK movies but for some reason the games industry has been set aside. I find this so hard to believe considering the strength in output from UK studios”, Spence told Develop Magazine^†.

“I’m hoping word of mouth between private developer networks will work in my favour”, he continued. “That’s under the assumption they support the idea. I’ll also be canvassing relevant press outlets to get the gamers behind the idea. I hope to explain to people out there that this industry has grown up, that it is a strong creative and technical industry that should be brought in line with other entertainment industries.”

You can sign up to the petition here. SPOnG strongly urges you to do so.