Vancouver Video Game Industry in Peril

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Why is the video game industry in Vancouver B.C. hurting so bad? CTV News says it might be because other parts of the country offer better incentives and tax breaks. Ya think?

It may soon be game over for video game developers in Vancouver. That is the message that many in the industry are trying to get across. Last summer, Microsoft Studios laid off 35 workers in Vancouver, while Radical Entertainment let go of 89 employees. Rockstar Games also moved its 35-person studio to Toronto.
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It's kind of funny. We our losing jobs in the way we took jobs from California for the TV and Film industry.
 
It's not the tax rates so much as it's the insane cost of living. Why would you come to Vancouver when you could live 3 hours south in Seattle for less then half as much. Even GTA is much more affordable then out west here.
 
funny, there's tons of indie game companies there that are doing well
 
BC is not friendly to green or smart industries, tax, bureaucracy, government. To many fucking hippies in BC.
 
As a Vancouver (Relic) video game developer who's now looking for work, I can give strong anecdotal evidence that this is true.
 
To many old farts and fuds that lack vision, intelligence, and forethought are running the province. Its like having the NDP back in power. Vancouver should do what Montreal does for software/IT people.I live on the island and its worse here. I just can't wait until all these spoiled baby boomers start dying so we can give the tax paying generation a turn at actually doing something right.
Fucking baby boomers.
 
Wrench00 said:
Vancouver should do what Montreal does for software/IT people.
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Once the government subsidies end, same thing will happen to Montreal... do doubt about that... then large studios will move on to the next place willing to give them money by the truckload...
 
Yakk said:
Once the government subsidies end, same thing will happen to Montreal... do doubt about that... then large studios will move on to the next place willing to give them money by the truckload...
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The subsidies won't end. Quebec is a one big ball of subsidies from the rest of the country as an appeasement against French Separatism. They have money to burn to keep the advantage indefinitely.
 
jpm100 said:
The subsidies won't end. Quebec is a one big ball of subsidies from the rest of the country as an appeasement against French Separatism. They have money to burn to keep the advantage indefinitely.
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It is ending for companies like Phizer & such who announced large layoffs as a result, but (unfortunately) I have to agree with you...

Though this quote comes to mind...


“The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money. ”
― Margaret Thatcher

;)

oh the irony...
 
Yakk said:
It is ending for companies like Phizer & such who announced large layoffs as a result, but (unfortunately) I have to agree with you...

Though this quote comes to mind...


“The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money. ”
― Margaret Thatcher

;)

oh the irony...
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Damn straight.

I can't wait to GTFO of my country precisely for this reason. The more government, the more businesses need "incentives" for doing things. This relationship between business and government is what makes corruption grow: "friends" get benefits and tax breaks, all the others have to fight in the jungle naked.

Do it right and for everyone, then we can say we have a truly competitive marker, or, dare I say, a capitalistic one. But then the profit margins will be realistic, and the government won't have power to bribe businesses into giving them money for the next election. At least here that is not going to change.
 
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