GameHorizon: ‘We are not a trade body’

GameHorizon has dismissed any concerns that its widened remit will see it challenge the likes of Tiga.

Speaking to Develop today, organisation head Carri Cunliffe explained that the association will focus on its networking events.

Earlier today, GameHorizon said it was expanding its remit beyond the North East to include games developers from across the UK.

Cunliffe said it was a natural progression for the organisation to widen its remit, as a number of its current members have international standing already.

"GameHorizon has always been a membership organisation from when it started back in 2004," Cunliffe said. "By the very nature of the games businesses they are national and international companies – members include Eutechnyx, Ubisoft, CCP, Mere-Mortals, Lightning Fish to name but a few."

Plus, she added, the increasing prominence of GameHorizon’s yearly two-day conference had convinced the organisation to open membership to all of the UK’s studios.

She added: "The GameHorizon conference been attracting bigger name industry speakers, and more international games execs and many are now asking if they can be members and some have already joined."

GameHorizon is part of Codeworks, which was originally funded by One NorthEast – although that might change under proposed cuts to regional development spending outlined in the Conservative-LibDem Government’s Emergency Budget last week.

The widened focus for GameHorizon will help it keep focused on running networking events for Britain’s games developers – not, as some may have feared, position itself as a trade organisation.

"We are really proud of our networking roots and our track record in getting local companies collaborating and we see a need from other companies to be part of this so we want to expand this and work with more companies to grow the games industry," Cunliffe said.

"We are all about the networking we are not a trade body."

GameHorizon is already planning out March 2011’s State of Independence event, put together with Game Republic, plus the next GameHorizon conference, which is set for June 28th and 29th, 2011.

Added Cunliffe: "Through events and membership we plan to continue to operate as normal helping our members and producing innovative, international events."