Game industry representatives called for finalization of the draft on game regulation

Representatives of the game industry called for finalization of the bill on video games regulation. They said this at a meeting of the State Duma on the regulation of the gaming industry, reported a journalist of "Izvestia" on February 24.

The deputies outlined the need to finalize the bill to regulate the video game industry. Thus, Yana Lantratova voiced that there are no plans to ban games in Russia, and Nina Ostanina outlined the need to unify terminology and abandon the wording "computer game" in favor of a more effective term "video game".

Other speakers at the meeting included Alexander Mikheev, CEO of the Association of Professionals of the Game Operating and Development Industry (APRIORI) and product director of VK Play, Vladimir Prokuronov, head of the Game Industry Association (GIA), and Vasily Ovchinnikov, head of the Video Game Industry Development Organization (VDI).

"In the rating of the 30 most expensive Runet companies according to Forbes - all related to games are in a consolidated group that filed a total of more than 40 pages of edits. At the same time, the industry is self-regulating - the labeling experiment has been going on for almost six months. We believe that it is necessary to add a "cut-off" on the release date of the game (for example, 2010) similar to the law on books, because some games are simply no one to label," - said Prokuronov.

Ovchinnikov suggested developing a separate bill "on the development of the video game industry," and narrowing the name and scope of the current document to those outlined in the document in order to protect children from harmful game content.

"Preparation of the text (of a possible bill. - Ed.) we are ready to undertake. We will be glad to each proposal of those who have the right of legislative initiative to help us prepare it and submit it to the State Duma in the proper manner. It may be a continuation of the recently adopted framework law "on creative industries" and will contain previously repeatedly discussed and already obviously necessary measures to stimulate the development of the industry, new institutions, as well as contain tools for their control, financing, taking into account the regulation of the return of foreign companies to the Russian market", - said Ovchinnikov.

According to him, the RVI is ready to prepare such a draft within two to three months, including discussions with colleagues in the video game industry and relevant ministries, services and specialized committees of the State Duma.

Earlier, on February 10, it was reported that the RVI proposed to the State Duma deputies to introduce several measures to support the industry. For example, to create a fund for the development of the video game industry with grants for developers, to legislate tax support measures that have shown their effectiveness.