Codemasters: UK becoming a nation of iPhone developers

Codemasters' Andy Wilson believes that the UK is in danger of becoming a nation of "iPhone developers."

In an interview with Gamerzines, Wilson, game director on the forthcoming shooter Bodycount, blames the government's reticence to introduce tax breaks for the local industry's decline.

"The UK is primarily tough, in my opinion, because the bright, shining hope of tax breaks for the games industry got torpedoed," he says.

"It's a tough economy for sure, but we need to start supporting the industry properly or the whole thing is going to melt into iPhone developers - and there's only so many four-man teams who are going to find success."

Wilson worked at Black Rock Studios, which was recently closed by Disney. He claims it is "painfully obvious" that other studios will suffer the same fate unless they are given the sort of government support enjoyed by studios in North America.

However, despite the closure of Black Rock, Bizarre Creations and THQ Digital Warrington this year, Wilson insists that Codemasters will remain in the UK for the forseeable future.

"We're still flying the flag as the last British publisher, after all."