The Independent Games Developers Association
Encyclopedia
TIGA is the national trade association representing the business and commercial interests of video and computer game developers in the UK and Europe
. Its counterpart representing software publisher
s in the UK is ELSPA.
Patricia Hewitt
MP
, initially focussed on representing the 300 or so independent studios in the UK, but has since evolved to represent all developers - both Publisher owned studios and independents. TIGA was a founding member of the European Game Developers Federation (EGDF) representing game developers at an Europe
an level.
Richard Wilson is the current CEO, succeeding Fred Hasson who held the post since TIGA was founded until the end of 2007. TIGA was instrumental in helping establish the first All-Party Parliamentary Group
covering video games as part of their lobbying the UK government for film-style tax breaks.
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Its counterpart representing software publisher
Software publisher
A software publisher is a publishing company in the software industry between the developer and the distributor. In some companies, two or all three of these roles may be combined ....
s in the UK is ELSPA.
History
TIGA was launched in 2001 by DTI MinisterMinister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
Patricia Hewitt
Patricia Hewitt
Patricia Hope Hewitt is an Australian-born British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Leicester West from 1997 until 2010. She served in the Cabinet until 2007, most recently as Health Secretary....
MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, initially focussed on representing the 300 or so independent studios in the UK, but has since evolved to represent all developers - both Publisher owned studios and independents. TIGA was a founding member of the European Game Developers Federation (EGDF) representing game developers at an Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an level.
Richard Wilson is the current CEO, succeeding Fred Hasson who held the post since TIGA was founded until the end of 2007. TIGA was instrumental in helping establish the first All-Party Parliamentary Group
All-Party Parliamentary Group
An all-party parliamentary group is a grouping in the UK parliament that is composed of politicians from all political parties.-All-party parliamentary groups:...
covering video games as part of their lobbying the UK government for film-style tax breaks.
Board Members
The TIGA Board is elected by TIGA members at the TIGA AGM each December. One half of the directors of TIGA must resign before each AGM, although they are free to seek re-election. 12 directors represent independent developers (of which 10 represent full members and 2 represent associate members). A further 4 directors represent publisher developer members.- CEO: Richard Wilson
- Chairman: Ian Baverstock, Kuju EntertainmentKuju EntertainmentKuju Entertainment is an English computer and video game corporation consisting of three studios, two of which are located in the UK: Zoë Mode , Headstrong Games , and one in the Czech Republic: Vatra games...
- Vice-chairman: Jason Kingsley, Rebellion DevelopmentsRebellion DevelopmentsRebellion is a British computer games company, based in Oxford, who are most famous for the first Aliens vs. Predator computer game. It has published comic books since 2000 and launched its own book imprint, Abaddon Books, in 2006.-History:...
- Geoff Heath, NCsoftNCsoftNCsoft is a South Korea-based online video game company, which has published massively multiplayer online role-playing games including Lineage, City of Heroes, Wildstar, Exteel, Guild Wars and Aion.-History:...
- Gareth Edmondson, Reflections InteractiveReflections InteractiveUbisoft Reflections Ltd., formerly known as Reflections Interactive, is a video game developer based in Newcastle, United Kingdom. The studio focuses on racing games and it is best known for creating the award winning Driver series.-History:...
- Darren Falcus, Atomic Planet Entertainment
- John Chasey, FinBladeFinBladeFinBlade is a British mobile game and mobile app developer. FinBlade was founded by John Chasey, Fergus McNeill, Steve Longhurst and Barry Simpson in August 2007...
- Vincent Scheurer, Sarassin
- Dave Hawkins, Exient EntertainmentExient EntertainmentExient Entertainment is an independent video game developer based in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is known for its ports of various games on the Madden NFL, FIFA, Need for Speed, The Sims and Tiger Woods PGA Tour series for Electronic Arts and the DJ Hero series for Activision...
- Jeremy Cooke, Gameware
- Jim Bambra, Pivotal GamesPivotal GamesPivotal Games were the developers of the Conflict series.which included Conflict: Desert Storm, Conflict: Desert Storm 2, Conflict: Vietnam, Conflict: Global Storm. They also developed The Great Escape, based on the film of the same name. They were acquired by SCi on Sep 29, 2003...
- Jamie MacDonald, SCEESony Computer EntertainmentSony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
- Philip Oliver, Blitz Games StudiosBlitz Games StudiosBlitz Games Studios is a video game developer located in Leamington Spa, United Kingdom. It was founded by the Oliver Twins, Andrew and Philip Oliver, in 1981. They completed their first game in 1984 and started developing titles for video game publisher Codemasters.The Codemasters publishing...
- Gavin Cheshire
- Charles CecilCharles CecilCharles Cecil MBE has worked in the interactive entertainment industry for 25 years. He is currently operating as Managing Director for UK based company Revolution Software which has released such critical and commercial hits as Beneath a Steel Sky and the Broken Sword series...
, Revolution SoftwareRevolution SoftwareRevolution Software Ltd. is a British adventure game company, based in York in northern England.The company was founded in 1990 by Charles Cecil, Tony Warriner, David Sykes and Noirin Carmody...