UKIE tempts developers with cut-price membership

As part of its new strategy to widen its membership trade association UKIE has introduced a new £500 membership packaged.

It’s hoped the low-cost fee will help attract the emerging wave of online, casual, social and mobile games that the organisation formerly called ELSPA wants to reach.

The organisation rebranded from ELSPA to UKIE (the association for UK interactive entertainment) at a special estminster event last week attended by a number of prominent industry execs.

Like ELSPA, membership of UKIE provides access to UK sales information and research, discounts for industry events, and contribution to member taskforces and working parties addressing the issues facing the industry.

But the lower fee – which runs has been introduced beneath the higher-level packages including a £2,500 associate industry member price – will help widen the pool of people contributing to the organisation.
UKIE director general Michael Rawlinson explained: “Whilst the physical product market remains strong, the boundaries between traditional developers and publishers are blurring and new business models are emerging.

“Our new lower membership fee shows that UKIE welcomes these exciting new interactive entertainment businesses and is committed to representing them and giving them the support that they need to thrive.
“I’d urge anyone interested in joining UKIE to get in touch with us and take advantage of this new membership fee as soon as possible.”