Ed Vaizey – video games are as important to British culture as cinema

The culture minister has spoken at the Develop conference in Brighton about games industry tax credits and the vital cultural role of the sector

Video games are as important to British culture as film, Culture Minister Ed Vaizey has claimed during a keynote speech at the Develop conference in Brighton.

Speaking to an audience of developers, publishers and investors, Vaizey, who has backed the games industry since becoming Shadow Culture Minister in 2006, also highlighted the success of video game tax credits, which were introduced last year, allowing studios based in the UK to claim relief on up to 25% of their production costs.