TIGA To Occupy Middle Ground
September 26th 2006
TIGA, the UK's independent game developers association, today announces the formation of TIGA Middleware, a special interest group formed to promote the interests of companies and individuals involved in the development and promotion of commercial game development tools and technology.
TIGA Middleware, which will be formally unveiled on Monday, October 2nd at the TIGA Content, Outsourcing and Middleware Market (itself a part of London Games Week, www.londongamesweek.com), already boasts broad industry support, with founding members including Instinct Technology, Philips, Geomerics, Natural Motion, Digimask, Lifeform and Nice Tech.
The group, which has been brought together by TIGA's CEO Fred Hasson and Instinct Technology's Business Development Director Mike Gamble, has been instituted to respond directly to the challenges presented by the arrival of next generation technology and continuing industry consolidation.
"For a variety of reasons, middleware has taken something of a back seat over the past couple of years, but with the demands of 'next generation' game development now is the perfect time for it to once again be brought to the fore," says Gamble. "By working together we will ensure that every game developer is aware of the technological help that's available to them and the benefits they will reap by embracing it fully."
"There are three fundamental challenges the UK development sector faces for it to remain competitive in the next decade and one of these is the production of the best tools and middleware," adds Hasson. "We hope to create dialogue between developers and middleware providers through a Tiga, government and academic network that will facilitate such a development. New media industries are increasingly collaborating to face the future; the games industry should be no different."
TIGA Middleware aims:
● To stimulate the co-operation between companies involved in the development and distribution of middleware (both professional and technical);
● To promote dialogue between technology companies involved in game development and those in other, related industries;
● To promote the use of industry-standard middleware within academia;
● To investigate the availability of funding and support through government (both UK and European) to companies involved in the development of technology.
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About TIGA
TIGA is the trade association which represents the business and commercial interests of the UK's game developers. Launched inMarch 2001, TIGA has more than 100 member companies that collectively represent expertise across the industry including independent and publisher-owned studios such as Sony, Eidos and Codemasters, working on console, PC, handheld, mobile andother platforms. TIGA works to raise the awareness of the UK developer community and to improve its competitiveness in a rapidly globalising industry, by promoting communication between developers and publishers and those that provide services to them so as to encourage a better climate for investment in games, best business practice, collaboration and by lobbying for government and EU support and appreciation of the industry.
For further information, please contact TIGA on 0845 094 1095 or visit the website at www.tiga.org.