London Games Festival expands for 2010

THE FIFTH London Games Festival takes place this October as a month-long celebration of games, targeted at mainstream consumers, mass media and key Westminster figures.

Festival chairman and EA VP and UK GM Keith Ramsdale has told MCV the focus behind the three-pronged event is to ‘make a collective noise about this wonderful industry to key audiences’.

He said: The LGF will make London a focus for interactive entertainment and to engage with media, consumers and Government.”

The Festival has run since 2006 – in that time associated events like Intent Media’s London Games Conference, the Eurogamer Expo and MCM Expo have become key fixtures on the industry calendar. Meanwhile publishers have run their own software showcases in key London locations as part of the Festival.

But Ramsdale believes the ELSPA-run event still needs more commitment from the UK trade.

We need more participants,” he said. We already have events that are confirmed and it is an open forum for any organisation to take part in. The more participants, the more we show ourselves as a truly significant and successful industry – and everyone will benefit from the accumulation of all the media attention.

The more there is for consumers and the Government to see and take part in, the more successful an image we will have and the amplification of noise will be louder.

ELSPA will work as hard as possible to garner support from as many participants as possible,” added Ramsdale.

At the end of the day this is about making a collective noise about this wonderful industry to the key audiences – and I ask everyone who reads this to make themselves or an appointed person available.”

ELSPA will provide organisational and PR support to anyone wanting to add their event to the roster or get involved. A mainstream PR agency will be appointed, guided by a forum of key industry PR and marketing personnel.

The reinvigorated focus for the event has also seen the hiring of a dedicated event manager, Kirtsy Payne.

Anyone looking to take part can contact her on kirsty.payne@londongamesfestival.co.uk or kirsty.payne@elspa.com, or by calling 0207 534 0580.