Conservative MP Sees Pro-Game Future for UK

July 28, 2009

Bruce Everiss has posted a revealing interview with Conservative MP Ed Vaizey (left) over at Bruce on Games.

Vaizey, who was vocal in his support of the UK video game industry before it was fashionable to do so, offers some worthwhile insights:

I would see video games as art, they are creative, and they have by now their own heritage and cultural significance, which is one element of art.

[UK Conservatives] think video games have not been taken seriously by [PM Gordon Brown's Labour] Government. They are a huge industry for us, we are world-beaters, and we should be looking at imaginative policies to support the industry as much as possible...

Vaizey also comments sensibly on another pair of hot-button issues, sensationalized media coverage and video game piracy:

You can’t [get the media to stop writing negative stories about games] – the media love bad news stories. But I do think the industry has made real strides in the last couple of years. You see many more Wii type stories, emphasising the industry’s contribution to health and education, than you used to...

We will work with the ISPs [on piracy] to ensure that people who are ripping off games are held to account, we have to take tough measures to ensure this becomes much less of a problem. But the industry has to adapt as well, and change its business models to account for the new era.

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Comments

Re: Conservative MP Sees Pro-Game Future for UK

Submitted by Conster on Wed, 07/29/2009 - 13:14.

So conservatives are pro-games if the other party isn't? Good to know, good to know.

Re: Conservative MP Sees Pro-Game Future for UK

Submitted by Magic on Thu, 07/30/2009 - 05:48.

Excellent reading comprehension - one Tory MP equals the entire party.

That said, the opposition party are nearly always opposed to all government policy regardless. It's their role to criticise the current government, but this can have the side effect of them doing so about everything in an effort to make themselves look good and the government look inept (Moreso).

See devolution of Wales and Scotland, which the Tories were completely wrong about.

Re: Conservative MP Sees Pro-Game Future for UK

Submitted by Canary Wundaboy on Tue, 07/28/2009 - 12:57.

Vaizey's the reason I vote Tory. Awesome guy.

Check out my blog - http://serveratcapacity.blogspot.com

Re: Conservative MP Sees Pro-Game Future for UK

Submitted by Magic on Wed, 07/29/2009 - 04:08.

Really? He's the only Tory I've ever particularly agreed with on a certain subject, but that's not enough to make me vote for Cameron.

Re: Conservative MP Sees Pro-Game Future for UK

Submitted by Nocturne on Wed, 07/29/2009 - 08:44.

I'm not even convinced David Cameron is a real person, just some bizarre public relations creation that's escaped into the wild. He seems to have realised that his greatest asset at the moment is that he isn't Labour, hence the current trend of "I'll tell you what we're not doing..." when asked about policies

Re: Conservative MP Sees Pro-Game Future for UK

Submitted by Vake Xeacons on Tue, 07/28/2009 - 10:06.

Great for the U.K., but how come we don't get these vocal advocates (outside the ESA & ECA) in the U.S.?

Poll

Shout box

Cecil475: @PHX Corp - The dude's a moron who wouldn't know crap if it came up and kicked him.05/19/2013 - 6:36am

PHX Corp: http://kotaku.com/ea-sports-developer-calls-wii-u-crap-and-nintendo-wa-508481261 EA Sports Canada Moron calls Wii U 'Crap' and Nintendo 'Walking Dead'05/18/2013 - 11:42am

E. Zachary Knight: If the videos are of sufficient quality that people subscribe and watch regularly, then those let's players are providing a service that people want. That is the heart of capitalism. That is not something that should be shamed.05/17/2013 - 8:06am

E. Zachary Knight: I have no idea who either of those people are. However, I still don't see why making a business out of creating let's play videos is somehow evil or wrong.05/17/2013 - 8:04am

MaskedPixelante: It sure is if you're just doing it for the money. See Tobuscus and/or Pewdiepie for what happens when people get into it just for the money.05/17/2013 - 7:30am

E. Zachary Knight: Why is it wrong to make money doing LPs? Why should that be something that should be shamed?05/17/2013 - 6:20am

MaskedPixelante: https://twitter.com/PsychedelicSA/status/335183893214924801 Now here's an interesting, glass half full thought about the Nintendo LP thing. It outs the people who are just doing LPs to make money.05/17/2013 - 5:56am

E. Zachary Knight: I responded in writing to all this "let's play" stuff Nintendo Started. No need for my permission, I won't give it. It's not mine to give. http://divineknightgaming.com/?p=29205/16/2013 - 2:21pm

E. Zachary Knight: Lars Doucet of Levelup Labs has a Reddit going on game companies that allow monetization of Let's Play videos. http://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/1egayn/lets_build_a_list_of_game_studios_that_allow/05/16/2013 - 1:04pm

Sleaker: @Imautobot - yah I wouldn't use an emulator as a good first run test of how stable the console is, haha.05/16/2013 - 11:47am

E. Zachary Knight: The 50th person to jump off a bridge is just as dumb if not dumber than the 1st.05/16/2013 - 10:03am

MaskedPixelante: Yeah, let's all jump on Nintendo for doing this, even though they're hardly the first company to do this...05/16/2013 - 9:47am

E. Zachary Knight: Wow Nintendo, this is wrong. http://kotaku.com/nintendo-forcing-ads-on-some-youtube-lets-play-video-50709238305/16/2013 - 8:44am

Imautobot: @Sleaker, further gameplay has revealed that the controller button do stick under the faceplate. Also, The NES emulator (Emuya)keeps crashing on me, though I think a bad ROM is causing it.05/16/2013 - 7:10am

Papa Midnight: AE: I wonder if any other publishers will follow suit.05/15/2013 - 8:12pm

Andrew Eisen: EA is ditching Online Pass. http://venturebeat.com/2013/05/15/ea-kills-its-controversial-online-pass-program/05/15/2013 - 7:20pm

Avalongod: @Zach and quicnkold...I've read the bill and the intent of it is to fear-monger. It's not a balanced message. I don't recall the ESRB being mentioned at all. It's more "keeps your kids away from these movies/games or they'll become violent"05/15/2013 - 4:35pm

E. Zachary Knight: quiknkold, The big problem with that legislation is the amount of misinformation out there. Who is going to ensure that the information in the pamphlet is accurate?05/15/2013 - 3:25pm

quiknkold: REBeardogg : I'm on the fence about this. on one side, I want parents to be aware of the ESRB, and even Movie Ratings. On the other hand, I feel this will be used for nothing but Propaganda. The ESRB does a good job.05/15/2013 - 3:07pm

IanC: Frostbite is coming out on iOS devices. Yet the Wii U cant handle it? *coughbullshitcough*05/15/2013 - 2:31pm

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