Georgia shows wisdom in pushing through tax credits for video game production and other media.

While most states that pass laws involving video games (like 99.99%), have to deal with censorship launched by overactive lobbying groups with words like "family", and "concerned", thrown in, Georgia is proving to be a refreshing exception to this rule. Georgia's Governor, Sonny Perdue has signed into law the 2008 Entertainment Industry Act which is meant to attract investment and create growth in the states local entertainment industry.

The Act offers:

20% tax credit for productions including

• TV


• film


• music video's


• Commercials and Video games

Now all of the above are eligible for an additional 10% tax credit if they include an animated Georgia promotional logo within the finished product.

"We expect a significant increase in film and television projects, and Georgia will be the most competitive state in the country for video game productions," stated Bill Thompson, deputy commissioner of the Film, Music and Digital Entertainment Office, a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development .

"Georgia is one of the few states whose entertainment incentives support the video game industry," Thompson said.

Personally I think its refreshing to see states like Georgia, which we don't typically think of as being as economically diverse as say California, Midwest or new England to be looking ahead at creative industry's to replace and expand beyond the old manufacturing jobs.

You can view the bill yourself by opening up this link