Edinburgh Gets Friendly

Wednesday 14 June 2006/... The Edinburgh Interactive Entertainment Festival (EIEF06) has today revealed the organisations that have been amongst the first to sign up as an official Friend of the Festival.

Harbottle & Lewis, Hyper Entertainment, Indoctrimat, I-play and Mary Margaret.com have all signed up to support the festival, which is taking place in Edinburgh over the 21st - 22nd August.

Fred Hasson, EIEF content director, said: "Becoming a Friend of the Festival is a great way for individuals or smaller organisations to support the interactive industry. They will receive many benefits including branding and delegate passes while helping us to create a truly memorable festival."

There couldn't be a better time for individuals or organisations to become involved in EIEF and show support for the festival, which is now in its fourth year. Becoming a Friend ensures that organisations stay close to the creative heart of interactive entertainment and is a unique way of raising profile with consumers, mainstream cultural media, press and other creative industries.

Benefits of becoming a Friend includes branding/positioning on the official EIEF06 website and across the various venues during the course of the festival.

To find out more about the benefits of becoming a Friend of the Festival, please email info@eief.co.uk or head to the EIEF website - www.eief.co.uk

The Edinburgh Interactive Entertainment Festival (EIEF) celebrates the best of the interactive entertainment industry and creates an environment where the development and publishing community can celebrate the latest creative milestones and look to future innovations. It is managed by a committee drawn from all areas of the industry including publishers, developers and the two industry trade bodies: The Independent Games Developers Association (TIGA) - www.tiga.org and the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA) - www.elspa.com.

The EIEF06 program of events consists of:

* Two days of conference sessions - The Conference will take place at the Royal College of Physicians on 21st August and at the Odeon, Lothian Road on 22nd August

* Game Screenings - Offering members of the public a chance to get up close with the creators of some of the leading video games at the Odeon, Lothian Road - 22nd August

* Edge Award - Key industry figures will gather at the Jam House for the annual Edge Award and networking party - 21st August

About EIEF06

The Edinburgh Interactive Entertainment Festival EIEF) is managed by a committee drawn from all areas of the industry, including publishers, developers and the two industry trade bodies; The Independent Game Developers Association (TIGA) www.tiga.org and the Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA) www.elspa.com.

About ELSPA

ELSPA (The Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association) was founded in 1989 to establish a specific and collective identity for the computer and video games industry. Membership includes almost all companies concerned with the publishing and distribution of interactive leisure software in the UK. ELSPA's activities include: Official Chart and Industry Reports, Anti-Piracy UK and EU, PR and Communication, and Government Lobbying. More information all these activities can be found at http://www.elspa.com.

About TIGA

TIGA (The Independent Game Developers Association) is the trade association which represents the business, commercial and political interests of game developers in UK and Europe to government, EU, Publishers and Financiers. Its members are both independent and in-house studios of companies producing for games consoles, PC handheld, and mobile and iTV games. Launched in March 2001, by DTI Minister TIGA has more than 90 member companies that collectively represent expertise from right across the industry. TIGA works to raise the bargaining power of the UK developer community promoting communication between developers and publishers and those that provide services to them: TIGA aims to benefit its members' businesses and creative interests by encouraging a better climate for investment in games, best business practice, dialogue and favourable terms with publishers and by lobbying for government support to the industry. www.tiga.org