IBM launches Virtual Game Event
On demand Games: First Webcast Conference hosted by IBM
June 1st, 2005, 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm
With leading speakers from the online game industry
Paris, May 23, 2005 IBM today announced it will host the first in a series of on demand videogame conferences on June 1st, 2005, 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm GMT that will bring together game developers and manufacturers with worldwide industry specialists to discuss issues directly affecting the launch, management and distribution of online games.
This first virtual videogame conference will enable games professionals from all over Europe to access and participate in debates on industry issues, challenges and winning strategies. To join, participants need to sign up on www.ibm.com/vrm/gamesconference. The conference will also be available as Video On Demand service after the event.
The dynamics and technology driving the game business can be daunting -- with the emergence of increasingly powerful online games, dramatically improved video quality, extreme competition, and the need to develop the "unique" game experience. The interactive entertainment industry continues to garner attention with unparallel growth, sales and new big media companies jumping on the game wagon. According to DFC, worldwide sales of traditional PC game, video game and portable game hardware and software are expected to increase to $31.6 billion in 2009, while it is estimated that the online game market would reach sales of $9.8 billion by 2009. This would result in combined interactive entertainment revenue of $41.4 billion in 2009.
That's why game companies worldwide are turning to IBM to help transform their business. IBM with its decades of experience dealing with large, high performance, high capacity online systems, is uniquely positioned to assist the interactive entertainment industry to meet the needs of their on demand players.
Online Games: Creation challenges, business opportunities, technologies and infrastructures.
The goal of this first pan-European virtual forum is to encourage and enable an exchange between world leading specialists and games professionals across Europe. Each quarter, IBM will host a Virtual Game Event that will include Developers, CEOs, CTOs, and Financial Managers of industry leaders who will speak and share their expertise, their experience, their vision with their European counterparts thanks to a webcast videoconference platform. Each attendee is able, not only to attend the conference and follow the debates, but also to participate in real time.
The first conference will bring together important players in the industry including NCSoft, ArenaNet and Sony Online Entertainment.
About IBM
IBM is the world's largest information technology company, with 80 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate. IBM works with companies of all sizes around the world to deploy a full range of IBM technologies. For more information about IBM, visit www.ibm.com