Have your say: the UK Gaming Industry

MPs have launched an inquiry into ‘immersive and addictive technologies’ in the UK, and they’re looking for input from the public.

The inquiry will examine the development of immersive technologies such as virtual and augmented reality, and the potential impact these could have in the worlds of sport, entertainment and news. The inquiry will also look at how the addictive nature of some technologies can affect users’ engagement with gaming and social media, particularly amongst younger people.

This is your opportunity to have your say on the current state of the UK Gaming and VR industry. Using the evidence submitted by ‘witnesses’, the inquiry MPs will will build a report and recommendations that will be presented to Government and potentially help shape the future of the industry’s legislation.

What do they want to hear about?

The Committee have set out the following guidelines for submissions, these are the specific things that the committee is interested in hearing from ‘witnesses’ about. We recommend that you have a read through and see if you think you could help answer any of these questions.

• The immersive media industry: what factors have led to the UK’s success in the gaming sector? What skills are needed, and what action should the Government take, to ensure the UK remains a key player in gaming and VR/AR? Is the funding to support digital technologies and skills being allocated appropriately? What has been the impact of Video Games Tax Relief, and what opportunities might there be to build on it?
• The future of eSports in the UK: what is the future for the industry, in terms of future growth, ethics and regulation? How might the links between traditional sports and their electronic counterparts be strengthened?
• The wider uses of “gamification” and VR/AR: how is “gamification” being used to promote positive outcomes? How are other industries and art forms using gaming and VR/AR? What are the limitations or challenges of “gamification”? How successfully is the Government’s ‘Culture is Digital’ agenda advancing immersive technologies?
• Tackling digital and gaming addiction: what are digital addiction and gaming addiction, and how do they differ from other forms? What is the scale of the problem and what support do those with digital or gaming addiction need? What role does design play in gaming addiction, or the addictive use of social media, and how might that be managed? Are extra measures needed to protect children from these forms of addiction? How well co-ordinated are Government efforts on these forms of addiction? What can be learned from other countries?
• The links between gaming and gambling: what are the links between gaming and gambling? What are the effects of in-game spending, especially on children, and does it need stronger monitoring or regulation? What challenges and opportunities do gaming and eSports offer the gambling industry and how should that be managed?
• Data security and infrastructure: how do immersive technologies interact with individuals’ data, and what are the potential impacts of that? Will Government’s telecoms plans deliver the infrastructure that is needed for immersive technologies? How will official bodies such as the Office for Artificial Intelligence and the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation co-ordinate and share their work? How well are Government responding to the challenges and opportunities presented by immersive technologies?

How can I have my voice heard?

If you’ve got something to say about the issues raised above, then you can submit evidence to the committee.

Evidence usually takes the form of a word document, where you outline your views, experiences and answers to the terms of reference. It should not be longer than 3,000 words and include a brief introduction to who you are and why you have an interest in the subject. You can read further guidelines about submitting evidence here.

Once you’ve written your evidence, you can submit it to the Committee’s inquiry online (just scroll all the way down to the submitting evidence section). Make sure you do so before the deadline!

If your evidence is particularly interesting, the Committee might want to speak to you in person (this is called giving ‘oral evidence’), you might be invited to the Houses of Parliament to discuss the issue with MPs directly.