BAFTA on board for London Games Festival in October

UK videogames trade bodies ELSPA and TIGA have announced the creation of London Games Festival, a week-long series of events which will take place in early October, with the full support of BAFTA and the London Development Association.

The Festival will encompass a range of events, some of them new, and some of them previously spread out over the UK industry's calendar - including the London Games Summit and the Content Market events, which will be co-organised by ELSPA and TIGA.

BAFTA, meanwhile, has confirmed its commitment to the videogames sector - which it has now elevated to equal importance with the Film and Television sectors - with the launch of the British Academy Video Games Awards, which will be the climax of the festival.

Other events both for the industry and for consumers are expected to be announced in the coming weeks, filling out a schedule for the week which promises to be one of the busiest ever for the UK industry.

"The festival has the potential to become the 'Cannes' of the games industry," commented TIGA CEO Fred Hasson, "fittingly so since the UK is the most important centre for the games sector in Europe in both consumer and business terms. London Games Festival 2006 will be predominantly trade focused, but it is foreseen that cultural, artistic, educational and consumer elements will evolve as part of the activities in the future."

ELSPA chairman Andy Payne, meanwhile, commented that "the idea of the industry coming together in London for a week is one that is well overdue. But rather than one exhibition company wanting to coral all and sundry into one event or series of events, we now have the two trade games associations (ELSPA and TIGA) who are providing the impetus and creating a halo around which every company with a vested interest in computer and video games can do their thing."

Payne also warmly welcomed the participation of BAFTA in the festival, saying that "BAFTA's statement of intent heralds the dawn of a new age, and is the signal for those talented individuals who make games to be recognised on a world wide basis."

The London Games Festival programme of events will kick off in the capital on October 2nd, with the London Games Summit taking place at BAFTA on the 4th and 5th, while the Content Market will run at the Cafe Royal near Piccadilly Circus on the 3rd and 4th.