Edinburgh Interactive 2011

Thursday 16th December/... The Edinburgh Interactive organisers have today announced that Nintendo UK General Manager David Yarnton becomes Chairman of Edinburgh Interactive. Edinburgh Interactive 2011 will open its doors to the most creative industry in the world on 11th and 12th August 2011.

David Yarnton said: “Britain has always celebrated diversity in creativity and culture; The Edinburgh Festival is recognised the world over as a melting pot of creativity and fun with people travelling from all corners of the globe to be inspired by the free thought that flourishes in the Scottish Capital. Edinburgh Interactive is proud to hold true to the traditions and philosophies of what Edinburgh is all about, to encourage the discussion and exploration of Interactive Entertainment in a more Cultural and Philosophical environment whilst celebrating our development as a contemporary, modern and creative industry.

“It has been the perfect backdrop for the discussion and exploration of new ideas and partnerships in games and a unique landscape which positions games as much a part of the Arts as film, television, theatre, comedy and the irreverence of the Fringe.”

Edinburgh Interactive delivers a lively schedule from a wide range of industry sectors including games, social networking, mobile entertainment, education, music, film and television. It also plays host to the popular Games Screening programme.

Yarnton added: “Edinburgh Interactive is a valuable industry asset but it can of course do more and should be constantly evolving. I have always been a strong supporter of Edinburgh Interactive as it is a truly bi-partisan event that celebrates all the diversity that is good with our industry and leaves egos at the door. It is an honour to take on the role of Chairman as I have been left a great legacy of involvement and commitment from Chris Deering who is still thankfully an active supporter.”

Publishers, Developers, Academics, Philosophers, Futurists, Artists, Musicians, Students, Government, Corporate and people from other Media industries have all attended; this eclectic mix makes Edinburgh Interactive such an interesting and attractive event that means that a trip to Edinburgh is always worth the time and investment.

Edinburgh Interactive was founded in 2003 as an annual event celebrating the creative and cultural values of interactive entertainment. As one of the longest running events of its kind, Edinburgh Interactive focuses on the continued popularity, growth and influence of interactive entertainment in society and the world.

Ends.

About Edinburgh Interactive 2011

Now celebrating its ninth successful year, Edinburgh Interactive is powered up to showcase the continued popularity, growth and influence of video games. And this year, the Interactive Festival is more synchronised with the world famous Edinburgh Festival than ever, appealing to the press, public and professionals from film, television and interactive media backgrounds alike, offering a bigger event for delegates – an overall spectacle for all.

As ever, Edinburgh Interactive wouldn’t be complete without the cornerstones of conferences, keynotes, panel sessions, debates, games screenings and even more people than ever jostling to get through the doors. www.edinburghinteractive.co.uk

Edinburgh Interactive is managed by an Executive committee and a board drawn from all areas of the games industry, including publishers, developers and the two industry trade bodies: The Independent Game Developers Association (TIGA) http://www.tiga.org and the UK Interactive Entertainment Association (UKIE) http://www.ukie.info. EIGF Ltd is the non-profit company behind the festival.