Speaking in an interview with Xbox World, the Arkham City designer was asked whether he feels the UK is still able to stay competitive with other markets, considering there's tax relief for developers in territories like Canada.

Hill replied by saying although he "definitely thinks" the UK can compete, the benefits of developing in other countries is undeniable and the effects it's having on talent in the UK is obvious.

"A lot of my friends have moved abroad to get work; there's a real talent drain. Montreal is a central place for development and it's mainly because the tax breaks they give are so phenomenal," he said.

Hill bemoaned the trend since "home computers were so popular and the bedroom programming scene was so big" in the UK, but said that over time that talent is migrating elsewhere.

"We have some of the best talent in the world in this country. That situation is rapidly changing... We have great developers here but those numbers are dwindling," he explained.

"You just think about quality developers like Bizarre Creations, Black Rock - people who are making really good games and going out of business. Those guys were so talented so how can that happen?"

According to the Canadian government 86 companies and 8,236 jobs have relocated to Montreal and Quebec as a result of its 37.5% subsidy on developers' salaries. Hill believes with similar government backing the UK could have been as big a development hotspot as Montreal is now.

"I just think that we could have been in Montreal's position with that backing from the government. It's such a big industry now and we could be world leaders."

Last month French protocols for game development tax relief expired, effectively resulting in an 'EU-wide ban' on game tax breaks. Heavy Rain developer Quantic Dream is considering moving to Canada as a result.

Source: Computerandvideogames.com