Tag: Europe

Categories
Ξ TREND

SELL welcomes the validation of the tax credit by Europe



On December 11, the European Commission gave the green light to the reform of the video game tax credit, voted for by French parliamentarians in December 2013, after fruitful collaboration between public authorities and players in the sector.

Jean-Claude Ghinozzi, President of the Union of Leisure Software Publishers (SELL) welcomes this decision, awaited by all professionals in the sector, but also more generally by all stakeholders and public actors interested in this issue . This tax credit reform, which highlights the importance of the video game industry in France, is the culmination of two years of work, led by the interministerial group on video games and initiated by SELL and the National Video Games Union (SNJV).

This new tax credit will make it possible to support numerous ambitious and innovative projects that would not have been possible without it. It will also contribute to strengthening the attractiveness of France, in a sector where its know-how no longer needs to be demonstrated and where the excellence of its talents is recognized throughout the world. Faced with heightened international competition, this new system will allow France to preserve its place as a major player in an innovative, creative sector popular with the French. Video games are in fact today an essential sector of the French economy. The second largest leisure industry in France, video games affect more than half of the French population, both women and men, and young and old alike.

The reform of the video game tax credit lowers the eligibility threshold for productions to €10,000, broadens the base of expenses taken into account in the calculation of the tax credit, makes certain cultural games intended for an adult audience and extend the maximum time limits for definitive approval of the games. These various measures will allow the video game tax credit to better meet the needs of video game publishers and creators. This will have positive repercussions, not only for video games, but well beyond. With the creation of numerous jobs, the development of new activities and the growth of the sector, this tax credit will result in tax revenues for the State well in excess of its initial investment, thus creating a virtuous circle for video game players. , but also for the State.

Jean-Claude Ghinozzi declares “We would like to thank the Ministries of Finance and Public Accounts, Economy, Industry and Digital, Culture and Communication as well as the State Secretariat for Digital for their involvement and their desire to move forward on this issue. The SELL would also like to salute the work of the National Center for Cinema and Animated Images (CNC) and the general management of companies, as well as all the parliamentarians who were involved in the subject and made this decision possible. “.

The SELL nevertheless wishes to point out that this is only a first step, which cannot be sufficient on its own. It is therefore necessary to continue working to strengthen the financing capacities of players in the sector, attract foreign projects, retain talents trained in France and support the development of new uses and new practices of video games.

Categories
Ξ TREND

A stock shortage expected in Europe for the PlayStation 4



As surprising as it may seem after a year of existence, it could well be that players wishing to obtain a PlayStation 4 for the end of year celebrations in Europe can find themselves with their mouths in the water. This is the information that we are trying to convey today, Andrew House the CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment during a statement to our colleagues at Reuters.

If I look at Europe, I think that potentially, for the second year in a row, the stock is going to be saturated.

I don’t mean that you won’t be able to find a PlayStation 4. I think it will be day to day for this market

In the rest of his interview, House confirms that despite strong opposition from Microsoft in November, sales for the month of December in the USA correspond to the expectations that the group had set for itself. For the moment, Sony says it is doing its best to avoid a stock shortage at the end of the year, but nothing is 100% guaranteed at the moment.

Categories
Ξ TREND

Sega explains its partnership with Deep Silver in Europe


Sega explained in an article posted on its blog that many games will arrive in Europe in physical and digital form in the future. The publisher said they were in collaboration with Deep Silver, who for example published Saints Row The Third, Zombie IslandAnd Mighty No.9. This alliance will include games such as 7th Dragon III Code: VFD, Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse And Persona 5.

The article also explains why it is not Sega Europe which publishes the titles:

We have a European branch, but they are very involved in their own business, and as a business unit, Sega Europe focuses on our Western licenses, that is to say games developed by Western studios, like The Creative Assembly, Relic Entertainment, Sports InteRactive, and in partnership with studios such as PlaySports Games. With the majority of these productions coming out on PC, we have seen a shift in Sega Europe towards a more digital-centric business over the last few years. Regarding Western franchises, they are already partners with Deep Silver to market these titles in European markets. It was therefore obvious to have a partnership with Sega of America for the Japanese licenses, which will have more means of releasing in physical version.

We don’t yet know when these games will be released in Europe. However, Sega responded to fans who asked if the old continent would be entitled to the developer’s Japanese catalog:

For all our European fans, we can finally say that we have worked on the question and we have an answer for you.

Categories
Ξ TREND

Is Diet Coke really banned in Europe?


Images of American social media influencer Jill Zarin arriving on vacation with a giant suitcase of Diet Coke because “they don’t sell it in Europe” have caused a lot of hilarity online.

@allyshaps Do other diet coke girlfriends travel with a full suitcase of diet coke? Fortunately, he made it safely! #dietcoke #flying #airport ♬ original sound – Ally Shapiro

And of course there were plenty of people ready to prank

I have to tell the truth. *I* am the guy who keeps telling Americans that we have nothing in Europe.

I’m going to have a few glasses of wine, go to Reddit and post something like, “In France, they don’t have text messages. People attach their messages to bricks and throw them at each other. »

—Richy Craven (@RichyCraven) August 21, 2023

But is it true that Diet Coke tastes different in Europe than in the United States? Are there really ingredients in Diet Coke banned by the EU? And what is the difference between Diet Coke and Diet Coke?

Different types of coke

Once we rule out atrocities like Cherry Coke, there are basically three types of Coke – all-sugar Coke, Coke Zero, and Diet Coke.

However, in non-English speaking countries, Diet Coke is usually sold under the Diet Coke brand – as the parent company explains: “In some countries, the term ‘diet’ is not used to describe foods and low-calorie drinks. In these countries, we offer Diet Coke/Coca-Cola. »

Advertisement

The idea being that “light” is a more internationally recognized word, so Coke doesn’t have to come up with dozens of different translations for “diet” in different European countries.

The two products are interchangeable, although sweetener levels vary from country to country (more on that later).

Coke Zero is also sometimes marked in the local language, for example France sells it as ‘Coca-Cola Without Sugars‘ (Coca-Cola without sugar) but the Coke Zero brand is still on the bottle.

Likewise, the completely sweetened product is sold everywhere as Coca-Cola (although, again, some countries add their own brand – in France, it is Coca-Cola Original Taste – original Coca-Cola flavor).

Coke Zero – launched in 2007 and intended to taste the same as the original but without the sugar – is being phased out of the Diet Coke/Light Coke market and in many countries Diet/Light Coke is not widely available or is only available for import. .

The standard choice at McDonald’s, for example, is Coke or Coke Zero.

However, Diet Coke/Light Coke is not banned in any European country (although many US-based blogs confidently claim that it is).

But does it taste different in the United States?

But while the same brand may be available worldwide, the actual ingredients are different in some countries, which could lead some Coke connoisseurs to notice a difference in taste between products in the US and those in the EU. .

The biggest difference is between regular Coke – in the US it uses high fructose corn syrup, while in Europe cane sugar is used to sweeten the product, resulting in a difference significant taste.

Advertisement

Some European countries have or are working on restrictions on sugar – for example by increasing taxes on sugary foods or requiring sugary foods or drinks to carry a health warning – but there is no limit to the amount of sugar. sugar that a food or drink may contain.

When looking at sugar-free products, probably the biggest difference is if you expect Diet Coke and get Coke Zero, as they have very different flavors. According to the parent company, both use the same sweeteners — a blend of aspartame and acesulfame-potassium — but Coke Zero “uses a different flavor base and offers the great taste of Coca-Cola without the sugar.”

Despite several studies linking it to an increased risk of cancer, the use of aspartame is not restricted in the EU, although any product containing it must state so on the label.

If you compare the ingredient list between American Diet Coke and Diet Coke sold in Europe, the only difference is the addition of sodium benzoate in the American product. Although this preservative is not banned in Europe, the European Commission imposes a limit on the amount that can be used in food and drink.

The actual recipe for all types of coke is of course a closely guarded secret, but the coke says “sweetness levels are modified according to local preferences”.

Coke is also made in different factories around the world and it has been suggested that differences in the water used to make the local product may also affect the flavor – although frankly if you can detect the difference in water at through the layers of artificial sweeteners and flavors, then you’re clearly a genius and you should start training like sommelier.

Now you want some ice cream in your Coke? Because it’s a whole different USA v Europe story. . .

thelocal

Categories
Ξ TREND

The TSMC factory in Germany already has a construction start date. It is fundamental for Europe compared to the US and Asia

Asia’s dominance of the semiconductor industry is overwhelming. Currently this continent produces 90% of memory chips, 75% of microprocessors and 80% of silicon wafers, which places Europe and the US in a position of dependence which in the medium term can be counterproductive. In these circumstances, the Old Continent needs to consolidate and develop its position in the semiconductor industry.

On February 8, 2022 Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, announced that Europe wants to be a fundamental player in this market, and the first step to achieve this requires manufacturing20% of the planet’s chips in 2030. The Chips Act Directive mobilizes up to 43 billion euros between public and private investment to make it possible, so that a part of that money is allocated to the subsidies received by large semiconductor manufacturers to develop new cutting-edge plants in Europe.

The countdown begins to start the construction of the TSMC factory in Dresden

The negotiation that the German Government has had with Intel and TSMC to consolidate the construction of their cutting-edge plants on German soil has not exactly been a bed of roses. The managers of these two companies know perfectly well that Europe needs your complicity to achieve the objectives that have been set during this decade in terms of integrated circuits, and they have taken advantage, as can be expected, of their position of strength to negotiate hard some very juicy subsidies.

The TSMC plant that will be housed in Dresden will presumably cost 10 billion euros

The German Administration has confirmed that it will dedicate 22 billion euros to providing direct incentives to chip manufacturers. The TSMC plant that will be located in Dresden will presumably cost 10 billion euros, and spokespeople for this Taiwanese company aim to obtain a subsidy of 50% of the total cost. We do not know if they have finally achieved their purpose, but it is likely that this is the case because it has just been made official that the start of construction of this plant will take place during the second half of 2024.

It is good news for both Germany and Europe. The construction and commissioning of a cutting-edge integrated circuit factory requires investing between three and four years of work, so this plant will probably be able to start chip production in 2027or, at most, in 2028. However, it is important that we do not overlook that the TSMC factory in Dresden is not the only pillar of the European strategy in the field of the semiconductor industry.

The factory that Intel will build in Magdeburg will cost 30 billion euros and will receive a subsidy of 10 billion. This American company has also confirmed that it will spend $4.6 billion on new facilities that will be located in Wrocław (Poland), as well as a further $13 billion on the expansion of its factory in Leixlip (Ireland). The purpose of the improvement of this last plant will be to double its manufacturing capacity and enable a factory prepared to increase chip production in the Intel node 4. The reality is unappealable: Intel and TSMC have a good grip on Europe by the lapel. And, despite everything, the Old Continent should feel grateful.

Categories
Ξ TREND

FIFA 23: Strengthen the club in North America, South America, Asia or Europe

What is actually meant by the task “Strengthen the club in North America”? How can you strengthen your own club in South America, North America or even Europe and Asia? This might be the question asked by one or other FIFA player who plays the career mode and has started a coaching career. As a coach, you not only have to take care of the team and players, but you also receive some goals from the board that you should fulfill over the course of the season. If you completely ignore the goals, it can even lead to dismissal. One of the goals is to strengthen the club in certain countries or on certain continents. But what exactly does that actually mean?

Strengthen clubs in Asian, America or Europe

In order to fulfill the goal “Strengthen the club in North America” (or other countries/continents) in the FIFA 23 career mode, you either have to sign a player from the region, for example from North America, or you have to take part in a preparation tournament in the region participate. Since the latter is always not that easy to implement, depending on which club you have taken over as coach, the quickest way to achieve your goal is to simply sign a player from North America, South America, Asia or Europe.

  • Sign players from the region
  • Participate in a tournament (preparatory tournament) in the region

By the way, the task with “Strengthen the club in region xy” already existed in FIFA 22 last year. A bug is said to have occasionally occurred here that did not mark the task as completed in the goals, even though you had the required number signed players from the region and thereby strengthened the club in the region. Sometimes it is said to have helped to reload the save game and play a game with the new players from the region.

Tip: This is how the financial injection works in FIFA 23 career mode.