Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto IV has certainly grabbed the spotlight in the game industry this week, and the U.K. games sector couldn't be happier – it was announced recently that the game broke first day sales records in the U.K.

For Tiga, the national trade association that represents games developers in the U.K. and in Europe, GTA IV stands as a shining example of the excellence of the industry in the region. Richard Wilson, CEO of Tiga, issued the following comments:

"GTA IV is a creative and commercial success, driving video games deeper into popular culture. It is an adult game for an adult audience. As the average age of gamers increases the demand for mature games of this kind is likely to rise too.

"GTA IV's world-wide success is indicative of the strength of the U.K. games development sector. Our games industry is the largest in Europe and we are the fourth largest developer of games in the world. The U.K. games industry is also characterized by strong regional clusters. Scotland has a particularly creative set of games businesses. GTA IV's triumph is a success for Scotland in particular.

"Tiga would like to offer its congratulations to Rockstar North and all of the people who worked so hard to make GTA IV the great success that it is.

"From a wider policy perspective, if we are to improve on the games industry's record of success, then the Government must create a more favorable tax regime for games developers and tackle the underlying skills shortages facing the games development industry. This approach will enhance the U.K.'s capacity for creating more video game block-busters."