Rapport d'information sur le crédit d'impôt en faveur des entreprises de jeux vidéo

Key insights

7 takeaways

01
The tax credit grew from 13 million euros in 2016 to 66 million euros in 2023 after the 2017 reform.See it on page 5
02
The number of video games supported by the credit reached 144 in 2023, almost four times the 2016 count.See it on page 5
03
The report says the 2017 reform created or preserved about 2,500 jobs in France, according to a study commissioned by the SNJV and SELL.See it on page 7
04
The rapporteur recommends extending the credit beyond 2026 to at least 2031 to give studios visibility on long production cycles.See it on page 33
05
The rapporteur recommends raising the annual cap per company from 6 to 10 million euros to attract large AAA productions.See it on page 9
06
The report notes that in 2023, 40 million euros (60%) of the credit went to games with budgets above 10 million euros, while only six games with budgets above 10 million euros were approved that year.See it on page 21
07
Several studios reported payment delays by the tax administration that could reach nearly 18 months.See it on page 19

Summary

This 2024 French National Assembly information report, prepared by the Finance Committee's rapporteur spécial Denis Masséglia and registered on 21 May 2024, evaluates the crédit d'impôt jeux vidéo (CIJV), a tax credit for French video game companies created in 2007 and reformed in 2017. The report draws on hearings listed in its annex, including the CNC, DGE, SELL, SNJV, Ubisoft and several studios, and on a visit to Bordeaux studios on 16 May 2024. It reports that the tax credit rose from 13 million euros in 2016 to 66 million euros in 2023, and that the number of supported games reached 144 in 2023 compared with 39 in 2016. Total budgets of eligible games went from 95 million euros in 2016 to 348 million euros in 2023. Citing a 2023 study commissioned by the SNJV and SELL, the report attributes about 2,500 jobs created or preserved to the 2017 reform, and says the sector's employment rose 260% since 2016 against 67% in other European countries. The rapporteur recommends extending the credit to at least 2031 and raising its cap from 6 to 10 million euros, among other changes. In the committee's hearing, the minister said confidence also rests on the ability not to call this type of mechanism into question at each new finance bill.