Gaming
Wallonia is Game – Belgium Incentivizes Video Game Studios from Around the World with Tax Shelter
The European Commission has given the green light for a tax shelter for Belgium’s gaming industry, the Commission said, opening the door for new success stories in the industry as investors obtain tax exemptions through a virtually risk-free investment; whilst the Belgian state gains from increased economic activity and spend.
Wallonia, the southern region of Belgium, is already a hotbed for gaming companies thanks to an excellent ecosystem of dynamic game development studios such as Fishing Cactus, Appeal, Wild Bishop and Abrakam that are driving the sector forward and a large talent pool whose quality is recognized internationally.
Intro
The tax shelter in the AV industry has met with uninterrupted success to the tune of over 200m EUR/year since its introduction in 2003, valued at nearly 2.4bn EUR so far. The volume of audiovisual (AV) productions filmed in Belgium has more than doubled, while since 2017 the mechanism has been extended to include the ‘performing arts’. From 2023 onwards, the tax shelter has now been expanded to include the gaming industry.
How Does it Work?
The Belgian tax shelter is a government-approved tax incentive designed to encourage the production of gaming productions in Belgium. The system is open to Belgian productions as well as international co-productions with Belgium that meet certain criteria.
“All three parties benefit from this arrangement; the producer is offered a very attractive way to finance projects, the investor obtains tax exemption through a virtually risk-free investment and the Belgian state gains from increased economic activity and spend,” Jean Greban, Coordinator of the regional Wallonia Gaming Association (WalGA) said.
Based upon the amount of qualifying investment costs the production will spend in Europe and upon the amount of direct and indirect Belgium-eligible expenses, the Ministry of Finance can provide tax shelter certificates to investors. The investor must make its full payment within three months of signing the framework agreement. Through the system, the investor pre-finances the production and/or post-production costs in return for tax benefits and a possible fixed return on investment.
What’s the Advantage for the Producer?
The tax shelter allows to finance up to 33.7% gross (27.2 % net) of the eligible production budget of the total qualifying expenses in the EEA. All expenditure in the European Economic Area (EEA) for goods and services related to video games is eligible for the tax shelter. This includes all European Union countries as well as Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland.
Success to date shows that the expansion of the tax shelter is a huge opportunity for gaming studios and their investors, Michela Ritondo at the Fiscal Department for Foreign Investments of the Federal Finance Ministry said: “From 2003 until 2022, more than 2,000 audiovisual works financed through the tax shelter for a total of more than € 2.4 billion in tax shelter Investments. We encourage gaming studios and their investors to check in with us and get traction fast here.”
More Information
Federal Finance Ministry
Fiscal Department for Foreign Investments
Michela Ritondo
Boulevard du Roi Albert II, 33 (North Galaxy)
BE – 1030 Brussels
Phone: +32 (0)257 938 69
E-Mail: Michela.Ritondo @Minfin.fed.be
Website: www .fin.belgium .be
Gaming
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Asia
Mythpat, GamerFleet, Piyush Joshi Gaming: India’s popular Minecraft Players Gear Up for the Ultimate Battle in Creators Rumble
Get ready to dive into an electrifying, one-of-a-kind gaming spectacle as India’s most talented gamers face off in the much-anticipated Minecraft tournament titled Creators Rumble, an initiative by OP Gaming, a subsidiary of OpraahFx. This event is set to bring together India’s top Minecraft creators, who will challenge each other and display their mastery over the game in a thrilling competition spanning three rounds which includes Parkour, MLG and PvP.
This event marks the first time that India’s top Minecraft influencers and gaming creators unite in an official tournament format, bringing fans and players alike a whole new level of excitement.
Divided into six teams of four members, they will face off across action-packed Minecraft rounds designed to test every skill—from strategy and creativity to adaptability and teamwork.
Mythpat aka Mithilesh Patankar, one of India’s leading Youtuber and gaming influencers, shared his excitement saying, “Creators Rumble will be a chance to bring the Minecraft gaming community closer, strengthening bonds among creators and igniting excitement for both fans and gamers. India has a huge Minecraft fanbase, and this tournament will introduce even more gamers to the fun of Minecraft.”
The inaugural edition of Creators Rumble will tap into Minecraft’s worldwide popularity, which has grown steadily since its release. In October 2023, Mojang Studios, the game’s developer, revealed it has sold over 300 million copies, making Minecraft the best-selling video game in history. Players of all ages continue to be captivated by its open-ended gameplay and limitless creative potential, where they can build worlds and structures limited only by their imagination.
Anticipating the prospects Mansi Gupta, Chief Business Officer at OpraahFx, emphasized on the industry impact saying, “India’s gaming landscape is thriving, and we believe that the nation has the potential to emerge as one of the world’s biggest pools of gaming talent. The Creators Rumble is a platform for growth, not only for seasoned players but for the entire creator economy. We’re here to support these creators as they captivate audiences with their talents in Minecraft.”
The Creator’s Rumble will see iconic players Mythpat (Mithilesh Patankar) and Gamerfleet (Anshu Bisht) showcasing some exhilarating gaming experience joined by popular gaming creators, Piyush Joshi Gaming (younger brother of popular Indian YouTuber, Sourav Joshi), AndreoBee (Naveen Yadav), MC Addon (Dipanshu Prajapati), PSD1 (Prathamesh), Harshita (Harshita Shukla), ShadowShooter (Pankaj Kumar Sahoo), I.M.Kopi (Bibek Jung Kunwar), Proboiz (Paresh Solanki), Mr Lapis (Jitender Kumar), GameBeat (Nitin Tyagi), Risible Twins (Kartik and Kunal), Yug Playz (Yug Thakkar), Agnit Plays (Vinit Aggarwal), GamerJatin (Jatin Makhija), Spunky Insaan (Harshit Nema), Pahadi Gaming (Lokesh Karakoti), DevXD (Pankaj Dev), Ro9nie (Rohan Chhabra), Sidh4rth (Siddharth), CassalFx (Shrey Patel) and Dattrax Gaming (Harvest Dewangan).
With this monumental event, OP Gaming aims to further solidify India’s role in the global gaming landscape and showcase the extraordinary creativity and camaraderie of the Minecraft community.
The tournament is scheduled to take place on November 22 (Friday) and will be streamed live on the OP Gaming YouTube channel. Six teams – Team Redstone, Team Gold, Team Emeralds, Team Shulker, Team Amethyst, and Team Diamonds, will compete in a series of thrilling challenges, vying for the prestigious title and showcasing the finest Minecraft talent in India.
Gaming
THE BATTLE OF POLYTOPIA RELEASES NEW AQUARION SPECIAL SKIN IN LATEST UPDATE
Midjiwan, the award-winning independent studio behind The Battle of Polytopia has today released a new Aquarion Special Skin, additional language options and balance updates to the recently reworked Aquarion tribe. Players will dive deep into the Ritiki Marshlands encountering a lost Aquarion outpost with the new skin known as “The Forgotten”.
Long ago, when the Aquarion Empire vanished beneath the waves. One remote outpost in the swampy atolls lost all contact, leading its inhabitants to believe they were the last of their kind. This forgotten tribe evolved in isolation, adapting to the marshy landscapes with squid-like appendages and unique abilities to command the swamp and its creatures.
Using the unique abilities of “The Forgotten”, players can build on water, summon giant squids, create speed enhancing bubbles, ride crocodiles, tame toads, and traverse their marshy terrains with ease.
In addition, the latest update to the game now offers expanded language options: Hindi, Indonesian, Malay, Polish, Thai, Turkish & Vietnamese.
Christian Lövstedt, CEO of The Battle of Polytopia, commented: “I feel that this skin is one of the best we’ve created and has quickly become my personal favourite. Additionally, we have added Bubble Tech to the Aquarion Waterways, making that tribe even greater. With expanded language options and new gameplay mechanics, we’re inviting players to dive into the rich lore and strategy that make the Battle of Polytopia truly special.”
To celebrate the launch of the new update, Midjiwan hosted an exclusive livestream event, offering fans a unique look behind the scenes, live gameplay, and discussions with the development team – the livestream is available to watch now: The Forgotten livestrea m by Midjiwan.
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