New Zealand video game developers are warning the country's booming industry will stagnate without support from the Government.
Green Party MP Russel Norman playing a video game during party's IT policy launch. Photo: RNZ / Craig McCulloch
Game Developers' Association chair Stephen Knightly said the sector made $79 million last year, 3 percent more than the year before, and created 134 new high-tech jobs.
Established game developers were excelling on the international market, with digital exports making up 82 percent of revenue, he said.
"We're used to being fast growing, with new companies rising up all the time and being fast moving."
But he said unless the Government extended tax breaks beyond traditional digital production to include video games, the pipeline for new game developers could dry up.
"I think the world of game visual effects is similar to the world of film visual effects... (rebates) may not necessarily have to be as high as the rebates offered to film visual effects."