Edinburgh Interactive

Tuesday 11th August/... Interactive Ontario (IO) in partnership with the Ontario International Marketing Centre (OIMC) will be heading over to Scotland to team up with Edinburgh Interactive at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange on 13th & 14th August 2009. Representing over 200 companies within the Ontario interactive digital content industry, IO will be joined by Capybara Games, who are set to showcase two soon-to-be-released titles.

As a non-profit trade association committed to the growth of Ontario’s Digital Media/Video Game industry, IO represents content producers and distributors, as well as stakeholders from a range of industry sectors including e-Learning, games, mobile, television, online, social media, marketing and academia. The Ontario International Marketing Centre, based in London, UK, facilitates trade and investment between the UK and Ontario.

Joining IO at Edinburgh Interactive this year will be IO member Capybara Games. Starting out as an award-winning mobile games developer, Capybara Games have since successfully branched out into the development of iPhone, Nintendo DS and downloadable console games. Capybara Games is an independent games studio from Canada’s fastest growing hub of video game production.

Capybara Games will be showcasing two soon-to-be-released titles at Edinburgh Interactive this year; Critter Crunch and Ubisoft’s Might & Magic Clash of Heroes.

Critter Crunch is set in a magical place filled with cute, colourful critters frolicking in the sun, smelling the flowers and eating each other! Winner of the 2008 IGF Mobile Best Games & Achievement in Audio Awards and IGN Wireless 2007 Best Puzzle Games & Biggest Surprise Game Awards, Critter Crunch is a PlayStation® Network arcade-puzzler, and will be released later this year.

Set in the Might and Magic universe, Might & Magic Clash of Heroes is the first ever installment developed for the Nintendo DS™ incorporating role-playing elements, adventure and an innovative and dynamic combat system based on puzzle mechanics. Developed by Capybara Games and published by Ubisoft, Might & Magic Clash of Heroes will be available to play at Edinburgh Interactive this year and will be on sale this summer.

Nathan Vella, Co-Founder & President of Capybara Games, said: "Capy is really excited to be attending EIF – it’s a great opportunity for small independent studio like us to make new connections, and to promote our titles internationally.”

IO will also be looking to promote an upcoming event titled Game:ON Finance 2009. Game:ON: Finance is an international forum for the interactive games industry that connects game developers, innovators, investors and industry leaders. Over the course of two-days in downtown Toronto, presentations, case-studies and panel sessions will provide insight on the diverse prospects for growth within the dynamic economic, creative and technological landscape of games. Game:ON Finance will be taking place on October 27 and 28. www.gameonfinance.com.

Ian Kelso, CEO & President of Interactive Ontario, said: “Interactive Ontario is proud to partner with the Edinburgh Interactive Festival this year. We certainly see a tremendous potential for synergies between Ontario and UK video games companies. And of course we are also very keen to invite more European companies to participate in this year’s edition of GameON: Finance which is growing quickly in international stature.”

Both Ian Kelso and Nathan Vella will be available for interviews while at Edinburgh Interactive this year. If you would like to arrange an interview, then please contact Sarah Hartland on 01462 456780 or sarah.hartland@bhpr.co.uk.

To purchase a delegate pass, please visit www.edinburghinteractivefestival.com

Ends.

About Edinburgh Interactive 2009

Now celebrating its seventh year, Edinburgh Interactive is powered up to showcase the continued popularity, growth and influence of video games. And this year, the Interactive Festival is more synchronised with the world famous Edinburgh Festival than ever, appealing to the press, public and professionals from film, television and interactive media backgrounds alike, offering a bigger event for delegates, more consumer focusing – an overall spectacle for all.

Edinburgh Interactive 2009 will again host a Free Game Play and Recruitment areas specifically tailored to cater for the public - allowing them access to the latest games and job opportunities in games.

As ever, Edinburgh Interactive wouldn’t be complete without the cornerstones of conferences, keynotes, panel sessions, debates, games screenings and even more people than ever jostling to get through the doors.

Edinburgh Interactive is managed by a committee drawn from all areas of the games 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.