GDC China vs China GDC: The stand-off continues

GDC China organiser Think Services has published an open letter to the China Game Publishers Association, which last week defended itself for its involvement with Howell’s China GDC event.

Earlier this month, Think Services, which curates the family of GDC events, published a letter claiming that the CGPA is forcing its members to participate in the Howell conference, subsequently contravening Chinese anti-monopoly laws. Think Services also accused Howell events of violating the name of its GDC China event.

Subsequently, the CGPA made public a press release last week claiming that Think Services’ letter "not only amounts to interference with the CGPA’s work but is also outrageous defamation".

Responding to the CGPA press release, Think Services has suggested that "because the actions of the CGPA and Howell have created extensive consumer confusion in the marketplace, Think Services’ rights are being injured through unfair competition."

The letter also states that: "The CGPA and Howell have engaged and continue to engage in a series of anti-competitive tactics against Think Services’ ‘GDC China’ event. Their recent call to boycott our Game Developers Conference event is only one example of many such actions, which include efforts to prohibit or discourage all press coverage related to Think Services’ ‘GDC China’ event."