Germany looks to snare UK development talent

The temptation for Britain’s benefit-starved studios to move their talent abroad is set to get even greater – as a new German business centre strives to entice UK development houses to Leipzig.

Backed by funds from the city itself and promising lucrative networking opportunities with Central and Eastern Europe, Game Developers Business Centre Europe (GDBC) is owned by Leipziger Messe – the organisers of the Game Convention and Game Developers Conference.

GDBC also boasts a partnership with the Messe subsidiary MaxicoM Business Centre – which offers multi-lingual human resource and staffing support, as well as help with registering for work Visas.

The building we have set up in Leipzig provides a state-of-the-art IT infrastructure, and many companies have seen it as the perfect place to reach into markets such as Russia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Turkey and, of course, Germany,” MD of Leipziger Messe Klaus Ernst told MCV.

Leipzig is far cheaper than somewhere like London and has very competitive rental rates. Also, the centre has great links with the Leipzig airport and the connection to GC and GCDC means that perfect networking opportunities are literally on its doorstep.”

Leipziger Messe promises that it will assist employees with housing searches and residency permits.

In June, the UK Government revealed that the UK had lost its position as the third largest games manufacturer in the world behind Canada, as increasing numbers of UK developers head for countries with more sympathetic financial breaks.