Games Convention Online 2010

GAMES CONVENTION ONLINE

(8 - 10 July 2010)

Leipzig, 3 June 2010

For online and mobile games, Leipziger Messe is focusing on a business forum (B2B). This means that there will be a continued push for the successful Business Center at the GAMES CONVENTION ONLINE (GCO). The industry exhibition is bigger than last year, with more than 30 companies having announced their presence so far (2009: 27). It is accompanied by a wide-ranging programme of talks and panels on the new developments and trends in the industry. There is particular demand for Business Matching, above all among international participants.

The planned parallel public event will not take place in 2010. “This is a regrettable, but necessary decision”, said Strategy Director Silvana Kuerschner. The number of registered exhibitors and the planned presentations were not enough to maintain the usual high standard of GAMES CONVENTION shows. “That would neither guarantee the business success of the trade show, nor satisfy the interest of visitors whose past experiences bring them with high expectations to Leipzig.” In 2009, 74 exhibitors had introduced themselves in two separate halls open to the general public.

Ahead of the CGO 2010, interest from the industry has concentrated above all on options in the business area. As a platform for the dynamic online and mobile games market, the GCO is not only exploited for contacts between developers and publishers, but also as a central forum for cross-national trend analyses and developer meetings. Alongside European developers and publishers, it is above all representatives of the Asian games market who look for contacts in Leipzig. Leipziger Messe had responded to this with its modification of the event concept, according to Silvana Kuerschner. The business section at the GCO was a recognised forum for the national and international online games industry and the event was an optimum platform for a trade show that is specialised in this way.

Marc Wardenga, chairman of the GCO advisory council and Head of Games at SevenOne Intermedia regretted that there will be no halls for the public. The event character of the concept for the public had been given a boost with the set-up of the council. “But unfortunately, there has not been enough time to significantly increase the numbers from the industry”, says Wardena. At the same time, the council emphatically supports the development of the business forum. “The GCO is focusing on online gaming and we think that's right, because online is the growth market for games. We continue to work closely with Leipziger Messe in order to consolidate the GCO as an industry platform”, explains Marc Wardenga on behalf of the advisory council. All the members of the advisory council are also in place with their own presentations in the business area at the GCO.

As a trade show, the GAMES CONVENTION ONLINE 2010 (GCO) will be held from 8 to 10 July in the Congress Center Leipzig.

Note to editors: a separate press release will be issued in the coming days providing you with details of the exhibition and the specialist programme.

Contacts for the press:

Heike Fischer, Director, Press Dept

Phone: +49 (0) 341 678 8181

Fax: +49 (0) 341 678 8182

E-mail: h.fischer@leipziger-messe.de

Nancy Pfaff, Press Officer

Phone: +49 (0) 341 678 8186

Fax: +49 (0) 341 678 8182

E-mail: n.pfaff@leipziger-messe.de

Internet:

www.gamesconvention.com

www.leipziger-messe.de