eat. sleep. game.

Texas Governor Rick Perry signed into law a bill that will offer incentives to game developers in Texas.  The bill would allow game developers to receive up to 250,000$ in grants from the State.  The bill also covers those who wish to make movies in Texas as well.

While free money to make games sounds all fine and good it doesn’t come without stipulations.  The state of Texas has content guidelines that will restrict funding from projects that it deems violent.  The bill also does not allow for funding to go to projects that make Texas or Texans look bad (So Walker Texas Ranger games it is!).  And, even if your game does make the initial pass in the application process the bill also requires that a final script be submitted so that the State can see if there were changes to the original idea during the production process.

I know what you are thinking.  As a reader of a gaming website, and a rabid consumer of all things nerdy, it really pisses you off that they would attach strings to this bill.  However, it isn’t like it is unprecedented.  Most any bill that “gives away” money does so only under specific conditions.  To get money for college you have to maintain a certain number of units, for instance.  Besides, great games don’t have to be violent games (even if the violent ones can be oh so satisfying). 

While this could certainly be something that everyone could bitch about it is not all bad.  The grant will help developers who are already in Texas and those who would be interested in developing in Texas.  If nothing else, this is some of the only pro-gaming legislation that currently exists.  While the legislation might not be everything that the gaming community could hope, it isn’t a terrible way to start either.  Especially since we do not have an effective legistlative arm….yet.

Chufmoney

[via GamePolitics]