A new bill has been brought proposed by the House Ways and Means Committee, that wants to have taxes on companies that make violent video games.
To be specific, this is a stipulation in the Tax Reform Act of 2014, which will be exempting taxes on US companies as R&D incentives. However, the law proposes that video game companies that make violent video games will be ineligible for the tax exemption. As it is now, the wording may be interpreted so that any company that makes violent games, even if they also make nonviolent games, will not receive the exemptions.
The proposed law may run in conflict with a Supreme Court ruling that video games qualify for First Amendment protection. In any case, the bill will still be under discussion, and may not go to a vote soon.
If it did come to pass, however, the industry at large may not necessarily feel any pressure. Violent video games like Grand Theft Auto are consistent performers, and most AAAs have expanded wordlwide with studios in places as diverse as China, Singapore, and Canada.
Image is from GTA Online.
