In the report on the study of government support for the gaming industry in Russia, APRIORI, IRI, and "EBR" not only shared survey results but also their recommendations. They are confident that a comprehensive strategy needs to be developed in the country.
The organizations noted that over the past three years, Russian authorities have done substantial work to develop support for game development, but it is too early to rest on these achievements.
"Grant tools and tax incentives have emerged, accelerators have begun to develop, as well as export initiatives, personnel, and educational programs. However, infrastructure alone is just the foundation," the organizations write.
APRIORI, IRI, and "EBR" proposed launching additional government support measures. For example, creating special tax incentives for game studios in Russia, such as reducing profit tax on game exports.
Overall, there is a whole block of recommendations related to supporting Russian game development when working with foreign markets. In particular, the organizations proposed promoting domestic stores like VK Play in other countries. They also want authorities to subsidize participation in major international exhibitions and provide government support for projects created in partnership with foreign studios.
Here are some more recommendations:
▫️Allow tax deductions for purchasing games in Russian stores;
▫️Initiate state commissioning of educational and developmental games, primarily for children;
▫️Support the opening of gaming clusters and development centers in regions;
▫️Launch "mini-grants" to open studios in regions and develop regional rebates for games;
▫️Allocate subsidies for internships of Russian students in gaming companies in Russia and abroad;
▫️Create a system to protect the intellectual property rights of Russian gaming companies abroad;
▫️Resolve the issue of double taxation for games developed in Russia that are sold internationally;
▫️When allocating government support, pay more attention to games that "reflect Russian cultural context and values," and only then to games with high market potential.
More details on these and other recommendations can be found in the study itself.