Those living in the Northeast hoping to attract game development companies to the land of Clam Chowder and the New England Patriots were dealt a substantial blow today. Massachusetts State Senate majority leader Therese Murray (D) announced that the body would not vote on a measure passed by the House which would extend tax breaks to any development company investing at least $500,000 in setting up or expanding operations in-state. Murray stated, "I just don’t think it’s something that’s affordable," before noting that the state had other, more pressing issues to attend to.

The bill was originally designed around luring film companies to produce more shoots in Massachusetts, with the game developer tax breaks getting added in during the process. Murray believes the legislature’s time would be better spent debating bills pertaining to health care, bond bills, and the governor’s budgetary vetoes, and sees no time to vote for the film and gaming legislation before the session expires next week.

So it looks like developers will have to just stay in California, rooting for the 49ers and Chargers, and waiting for a team to come back to Los Angeles. However, Georgia and North Carolina have both opened up their borders with tax incentives for developers, and Wisconsin is following suit as well, so who knows? In a few years, games may be developed in climates that are other than constantly sunny and unseasonably warm.

- Via GamePolitics