Games Convention Online 2009

GAMES CONVENTION ONLINE

(31 July - 2 August 2009)

Leipzig, 22 June 2009

Top-level meeting of gaming experts: on 31 July and 1 August 2009, the Who's Who of the international online and mobile gaming scene gathers in Leipzig. For the first Dialogue Conference at the GAMES CONVENTION ONLINE, around 100 speakers get together from 15 countries to discuss the latest research results relating to internet-based gaming. They include many internationally known names from science and industry. "In cooperation with the Hans-Bredow-Institut, we have put together an interdisciplinary programme which is a unique first in this form. Our primary aim is to stimulate the exchange of information and experience between the research sector and the online game industry and in so doing, to create lasting momentum for the development of online and mobile games", says Silvana Kürschner, Strategy Director GC Global.

David Reeves has agreed to take part as a leading keynote speaker. The long-time CEO at Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) opens the Dialogue Conference on the Friday of the trade show with his talk "Schrodinger's Cat and Heisenberg's Dog ¿ The Change from Offline to Online". The strategy expert is speaking out for the first time since leaving SCEE in April 2009. Based on his professional experience, Reeves will explain what "everything online" means for the industry and its protagonists. "At the GCO, I will provide a view of when online sales of games overtake classic retail distribution", explains David Reeves who was in charge when Sony's Playstation 3 and Playstation Portable were launched in Europe.

Another keynote speech will be given by Jong Hyun Wi, president of the Game Contents Research Center at Chung-Ang University in Seoul, Korea. In his talk "East and West: Different Gamers and Business Strategies", he looks into the cultural differences between Asian and western countries in relation to the use and design of games, as well as the different business models among companies. With his scientific publications on the online games industry, Jong Hyun Wi is seen as one of the most acknowledged researchers in Asia and as an advisor to many game-producing companies, he also has considerable practical experience.

At the end of the conference, American trend researcher Michael Tchong ventures a look into the future of online gaming. "No More Games! ¿ On the Next Generation of Interactive Entertainment" is the heretical title of his final note. After two conference days with more than 30 individual talks and twelve discussion sessions, Tchong describes possible scenarios for online gaming in the coming decades. For several years now, Tchong has been studying socalled supertrends with strong influences leading to changes in society as a whole.

Conference Programme Divided into Three Subject Areas

The Dialogue Conference at the GAMES CONVENTION ONLINE takes in three key topic sections dedicated to the areas "Industry, Technology & Products", "Use & Impact", and "Politics & Society". A talk or discussion session will be held simultaneously from each of the three sections.

The section "Industry, Technology & Products" deals with the economic development of online and mobile games. This will look at the existing product categories and trends, the characteristics and peculiarities of the industry, as well as convergence developments. The relationship of the still young industry to other branches of industry and the status of user communities will also be among the topics.

The second main section on "Use & Impact" is dedicated above all to empirical research. Here, the focus will be on studies of use, analyses of use, potentials and risks. In addition, there will be examination of the emergence of communities in online and mobile gaming.

Finally, the section "Politics & Society" examines social and cultural-political questions, such as those relating to the protection of young people, data protection, consumer protection and in-game regulation. The core of conference activity will be accompanied by plenary sessions at the beginning and the end of the event.

Times and Admission Charges

The GAMES CONVENTION ONLINE Dialogue Conference is being held in the Congress Center Leipzig (CCL). The Conference begins at 9.00 in the morning and the final address ends at 18.00 in each case. Registration to attend is very simple at www.gamesconvention.com, where the entire programme with details of all talks and speakers is also available.

The three-day ticket for the conference including trade admission to the trade show costs 300 euros, a one-day ticket just 200 euros. There is a 50 per cent reduction for students and trainees with the applicable ID. Professional association members pay 250 euros for the three-day ticket and 150 euros for a one-day ticket.

Contact for the Press:

Torsten Anke, Press Officer

Phone: +49 341 678-8198

Fax: +49 341 678-8182

E-mail: t.anke@leipziger-messe.de

Internet:

www.gamesconvention.com

www.leipziger-messe.de